Maria de Salinas

Maria de Salinas, Lady Willoughby (ca 1490 - 1539) was a noblewoman from Spain who became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon.

Family background

Maria was the daughter of Martin de Salinas [Oxford DNB, Maria Willoughby] (d. 1503), and Josepha Gonzaez de Salas, who were employees of the royal household in Castile. The family were formerly Jewish, but had become "converso". [Oxford DNB, Maria Willoughby]

As a lady-in-waiting

The exact date that Maria became a maid-of-honour to Katherine of Aragon is unknown, but is thought to have been in 1501 [Oxford DNB, Maria Willoughby] Maria remained unmarried until 5 June 1516, when she married the English nobleman, William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, and they had one child, Katherine Willoughby, who became the 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby and the duchess of Suffolk, (1519-1580). She was probably the goddaughter of Katherine of Aragon. [Susan James, Catherine Parr.] Grimsthorpe Castle was granted by Henry VIII to the de Eresby family on the occasion of Maria's marriage. Henry esteemed Maria so much, that in 1522 he named a ship 'Maria Willoughby' in her honour. [ODNB, Maria Willoughby]

In 1511, Maria became the godmother to Mary Brandon, the daughter of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and his second wife Anne Browne. The Duke of Suffolk would make Maria's daughter, Katherine Willoughby, his ward and then his fourth wife. In October 1526, Lord Willoughby died. Maria then spent several years fighting for control of the Willoughby estates on behalf of her daughter, against her brother-in-law, Sir Christopher Willoughby.

The Death of Katherine of Aragon

Maria was a devoted friend to Katherine of Aragon. In August 1532 she was ordered to leave Katherine's household and not to make any attempt to communicate with her. In September 1534 when Katherine's health deteriorated, Maria begged permission to visit her but was denied. On 5 January 1536 she forced her way into Kimbolton Castle to see Katherine, having again been refused permission to visit. Queen Katherine died in her arms two days later.

Maria lived for another three years, spending much of the time in her London residence at the Barbican. Her daughter, Katherine Willoughby, duchess of Suffolk, became a close friend of Henry VIII's sixth wife, Catherine Parr, who was also the goddaughter of Katherine of Aragon. [James, S.E., Catherine Parr, p.7] In 1546, there were rumours that Henry was planning to have his marriage to Catherine Parr annulled and make Katherine Willoughby, by then a widow, his seventh wife.

Descendants

Maria had four grandchildren, Henry and Charles Brandon, who died in their teens, and Peregrine Bertie and Susan Bertie, countess of Kent, who both survived to continue the family line.

Maria has numerous descendants in the British peerage and gentry, including Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince William of Wales [ [http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2003-08/1062035870 The line from Maria de Salinas.]

In Popular Culture

She is mentioned in the "My Story" book "Anne Boleyn And Me", in which the main character names her first born daughter after her.

Catherine Willoughby has been the subject of several historical works, including Evelyn Read's Lady Suffolk.

In the 1971 BBC series "The Six Wives of Henry VIII", Maria de Salinas was played by Margaret Ford. She appeared the episode on Catherine of Aragon.

References