We all know the gist of the tragic tale of Katharine of Aragon. A Spanish princess who was brought to England to marry the heir of the Tudor throne, Prince Arthur Tudor. When the prince died mere months after their wedding day, Katharine was left in limbo and desolate as the Kings of Spain and England bickered over her dowry. Eventually, she would marry King Henry VIII, was his wife for over twenty years, and have numerous miscarriages before Henry decided to divorce her and marry Anne Boleyn. We know how Katharine’s story ends, but how did the stories of her Trastamara family influence her life and her reign as Queen of England? Heather R. Darsie explores Katharine’s Spanish origins in her latest book, “Katharine of Aragon, Spanish Princess: ‘I Am Not as Simple as I May Seem.’”

I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed Darsie’s books, “Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s Beloved Sister” and “Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings.” While her previous books focus on German history and sources, Darsie decided to shift her attention to Spain with this particular book. I was curious how much new information and insight Darsie would provide about Katharine’s life.

Darsie begins by having lovely family trees and a timeline listing the numerous figures that will be covered in this book, because as stated before, this book covers the origins of Katharine of Aragon’s family, the Trastamaras. The book is broken down into three sections. The first focuses on the Trastamaras and the history of the crowns of Castile and Leon and Aragon, culminating with Katharine’s parents, Isabella I of Castile and Leon, and Ferdinand II of Aragon. The second focuses on Katharine’s early life, how she became the bride of Prince Arthur Tudor of England, and how his death affected Katharine. Finally, part three explores Katharine of Aragon’s life as queen consort of King Henry VIII.

To me, the true highlight of this book is the exploration of the Trastamara family tree. While I do know a bit about the origins of Isabella I of Castile and Leon from a book I just read on her life, I did not know the origins of the family. Starting with the origins of both the elected composite crown of Aragon and the inherited composite monarchy of Castile and Leon, we see how the Trastamara dynasty started like the Tudor dynasty. It was a dynasty full of drama, civil wars, a member who married a corpse, a king who died due to alcohol burns, and many mistresses. It is through these stories that you can see where Katharine of Aragon and her daughter Mary I got their strength and determination to keep on fighting for what they believed in, even when the odds were very much against them.

This is yet another triumph by Darsie. It is extremely informative, meticulously researched, and easy to read. It gives the reader a better understanding of not only Spanish royalty and its complexity, but also a better appreciation of Katharine of Aragon. If you want an excellent book exploring the life of King Henry VIII’s first wife from a different perspective, I highly recommend you read “Katharine of Aragon, Spanish Princess: ‘I Am Not as Simple as I May Seem’” by Heather R. Darsie.