Bessie Blount 1500-1540 Biography

 

Bessie Blount is an important figure in Tudor history entering the Tudor court as a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon she became the mistress of King Henry VIII and the mother of his acknowledged illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy.

 

Early Life

Bessie Blount was born Elizabeth Blount in 1500, to Sir John Blount and Katherine Pershall at Kinlet Hall, Bridgnorth in Shropshire. Her father was a prominent landowner and a knight of the realm. 

On November 14th 1501, Prince Arthur, heir to the throne, married Catherine of Aragon. Bessie’s mother, Katherine Blount, was chosen to join the royal couple’s court at Ludlow as a lady-in-waiting. This was a good opportunity for the Blounts to move into royal circles, however, their advancement was short-lived as Prince Arthur died on 2nd April 1502 and the court at Ludlow was disbanded.

Young Bessie Blount was renowned for her beauty. She received an education typical for a young woman of her status and was likely given lessons in music, dance, and languages. These were vital skills that could enable a young woman to enter the royal court and around 1512, she was given a position as a maid of honour to Catherine of Aragon, who had married Arthur’s younger brother Henry in 1509 after he became King.

 

Mistress to King Henry VIII

As a young and lively member of the court who enjoyed music, dancing and taking part in court masques and pageants, Bessie Blount soon caught the King’s eye, becoming his mistress around 1514. The relationship was kept secret, although many courtiers had suspicions of the affair – letters exist written by Charles Brandon to Henry VIII that mention Bessie Blount. Although Henry VIII was known for his many romantic entanglements, his relationship with Bessie Blount was one of his more significant affairs.

Henry VIII’s affair with Bessie Blount differs from his later affairs which were often linked to politics or due to problems with his marriage in that it appears to have been based on a genuine attraction and shared love of music and dancing. Henry also maintained relations with Catherine of Aragon, desperately hoping for a son and heir.  

 

The Birth of Henry FitzRoy

Bessie became pregnant in 1518, about six months after Catherine of Aragon gave birth to Princess Mary, the couple’s first surviving child.  Henry’s lack of a male heir was something that troubled him greatly. The Tudor dynasty was only in its second generation and Henry needed a son and heir.

On 15th June 1519, Bessie Blount gave birth to a healthy son. Henry acknowledged the child as his own and he was named Henry Fitzroy (King’s son). Fitzroy was christened within a few weeks of his birth and Thomas Wolsey was chosen to be his godfather. The birth of Henry Fitzroy also confirmed to Henry that he was able to father sons and sowed the seeds of doubt over the validity of his marriage to his brother’s wife. 

 

Henry VIII had a deep affection for his son and in 1525 gave him the titles of Duke of Richmond and Somerset. Fitzroy was treated as a royal figure and was raised in a manner similar to that of a legitimate prince. In the face of Henry’s continued lack of a male heir, many courtiers and ambassadors believed that Henry VIII would legitimize FitzRoy and make him heir to the throne. 

 

Marriage to Gilbert Tailboys

The birth of Henry Fitzroy in 1519, likely spelled the end of Bessie Blount’s relationship with the King and she retired from court life. Henry arranged for her to marry Gilbert Tailboys, a nobleman of Lincolnshire. The marriage secured Bessie’s respectability and allowed her to live a comfortable life away from court.  However, the date of their marriage is not recorded which has led to speculation as to whether her relationship with the king did end in 1519.

Some historians believe that the marriage took place within months of the birth of Henry Fitzroy, while other’s point to 1520 or 1522. Bessie and Gilbert’s first child, Elizabeth Tailboys, was born in 1522 and was recognised as Tailboy’s child. However, historians that point to a later marriage date speculate that Elizabeth Tailboys may also have been Henry VIII’s child. 

Bessie Blount and Gilbert Tailboys had two more children, George, born in 1523 and Robert, born 1528. Gilbert Tailboys died  before Gilbert died on 30th April leaving Bessie a widow. 

 

Marriage to Edward Clinton

In 1533, Bessie married Edward Fiennes Clinton, who was 12 years her junior, and two years later, Clinton was given the title Earl of Lincoln. The couple had three children Bridget born 1536,  Katherine born 1538 and Margaret born 1539. 

Bessie maintained contact with her son Henry Fitzroy and was likely devastated by his death in 1536. Fitzroy’s death was also a blow for the King, who, despite severing ties with Rome in order to marry Anne Boleyn in 1533, still did not have a male heir.

 

Death and Legacy

Bessie Blount died in 1539 or 1540, possibly due to complications following the birth of her daughter Margaret in 1539. Her place in Tudor history is an important one because, until 1537, she was the only wife of mistress of Henry VIII to give him a son. 

 

Published Nov 07, 2024 @ 10:40 am – Updated – Nov 15 2024