When we think of the Tudor court, names such as Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon usually dominate the story. Yet behind these famous figures were a host of lesser-known people whose loyalty, friendship and personal choices shaped the lives of those at the centre of power.
One of these women was Maria de Salinas, a Spanish noblewoman who became one of Catherine of Aragon’s closest companions. Her story is particularly remarkable because of the steadfast loyalty she showed Catherine during one of the most difficult periods of the queen’s life.
Maria and the Queen
Maria was born in Spain around the end of the fifteenth century. She came from a noble family and, like many women of her social position, her connections and marriage prospects were closely tied to the political networks of Europe.
Her life changed when she became part of the household of Catherine of Aragon. Catherine, daughter of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, had come to England originally to marry Arthur, Prince of Wales. Following Arthur’s death, she eventually married his younger brother, Henry VIII, becoming queen of England in 1509.
Maria became one of Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting, and it appears they developed a close personal friendship. It seems that even Henry noted this companionship, for in 1522, he named one of his ships the Mary Willoughby in her honour.
By the 1520s, Catherine’s position had become increasingly precarious.
The King's Great Matter
In his quest for a for a male heir, Henry VIII had become determined to end his marriage to Catherine, and what followed became known as the King's Great Matter. Despite his eventual success in their marriage annulment, Catherine refused to accept that her marriage was invalid. As Henry's relationship with Anne Boleyn developed, Catherine was gradually pushed away from the centre of court life. For Maria de Salinas, this presented a difficult choice.
Loyal until the last
Maria had married William, Lord Willoughby de Eresby, and they resided at their family seat of Grimsthorpe Castle. Despite being closely connected to the English aristocracy, she remained loyal to her former mistress and friend.
By May 1534, Catherine was living at Kimbolton Castle, having been increasingly isolated from the royal court. Her health gradually deteriorated, and towards the end of 1535, Maria learned that her old friend was seriously ill. She sought permission from the King to visit Catherine, but her request was refused.
Unwilling to accept this, Maria travelled to Kimbolton in January 1536, despite Henry's refusal. According to later accounts, she arrived on 6 January and, after initially being denied entry, managed to gain access to the castle. She remained with Catherine during her final hours, a remarkable demonstration of the loyalty and affection she had maintained for so many years.
Catherine died at Kimbolton Castle on 7 January 1536. Maria survived her friend by only a few years, dying in 1539.
Maria's own family became connected to the English aristocracy through her daughter, Katherine Willoughby, who inherited the barony of Willoughby de Eresby and later became an important figure in Tudor England.