Catherine of Aragon is famous for being the first of Henry VIII's many wives, the one who fought back and defended his papal-sanctioned marriage; the mother of Mary I; and the daughter of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, founders of the Kingdom of Spain. These facts place her in the position of a traditional 16th century woman by defining her as wife, mother and daughter. In these roles, many women have been overlooked as subjects of their own study, and it certainly makes sense to do so, because on the surface they are not in control of their own agency. However, upon closer inspection, we can see that this role rather places women in a position of power. Behind the scenes, women like Katherine were able to pull strings for their husbands and children, controlling their affairs while maintaining a demure outward appearance. That's exactly what Katherine did in the early years of their marriage. The inexperienced Henry was in love with his wife and frequently sought her advice in matters of state. Katherine, in turn, was receiving letters from her father, King Ferdinand of Aragon, advising her what to say to Henry, how to push him in the direction in which Aragon, Castile and the Holy Roman Empire wanted him England be pushed. Using primary documents as well as various biographies, articles and other scholarly works written about Katherine, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Ferdinand, Mary I and Arthur Tudor, we can learn more about Katherine and others in her life before the betrayal . by Anne Boleyn. I will argue that Catherine of Aragon led a fascinating life and was just as important before the divorce as after.Engagement and marriage to ArthurDecember 16, 1485, just 47 days...... middle of paper. .....sh King demanded that Princess Katherine be sent back to Spain and the first half of her dowry (which had been paid on her arrival in England) returned with her. This was only the first step in his new plan to have his daughter married to the new heir apparent, Henry VIII. Henry VII was not satisfied with this order to return the money he had received, so he played Ferdinand's chess game directly and began the process of obtaining a marriage contract between Henry VIII and Katherine . However, the two men continue to haggle over the amount of the dowry and the marriage contract begins to break down. At the time Henry VII died in 1509, Katherine was still widowed and waiting to marry the future king of England. A Funeral Followed by a Wedding Works Cited The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir New York Times article Letters from Katherine of Aragon