Anne of Cleves

Anne of Cleves (1515–57) was the fourth wife of the Tudor king Henry VIII. She was married to the king for just six months and had the shortest reign of all Henry's six queens. Anne, who was born on 22 September 1515 in what is now Germany, had first been mooted as a potential wife for Henry VIII in 1537, soon after the death of his third wife, Jane Seymour. It was thought that an alliance with the Cleves family would provide a major boost to the Reformation in England. But when Anne arrived in England from Germany Henry was reportedly repulsed by her appearance. Their wedding took place on 6 January 1540, but the marriage was annulled six months later. Just three weeks after the annulment Henry married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. Anne lived comfortably in England until her death in 1557