Elizabeth Blount facts for kids

Elizabeth Blount (born around 1498–1502 – died 1540) was also known as Bessie Blount. She was a lady who had a special relationship with King Henry VIII of England.

Early Life and Time at Court

Elizabeth Blount was the daughter of Sir John Blount and Catherine Peshall. Her family lived in Kinlet, Shropshire, England. Her father, Sir John Blount, was a loyal helper to the English Royal family. He even went with King Henry to France in 1513 during a war.

Not much is known about Elizabeth's early years. People said she was very beautiful. When she was young, she came to the King's Court. She worked as a maid-of-honour for the King's wife, Catherine of Aragon.

Around 1514 or 1515, King Henry VIII noticed Elizabeth. He was about seven years older than her. Their relationship lasted for about eight years. There are no known pictures of her.

A Special Relationship with the King

Elizabeth Blount's relationship with King Henry VIII lasted longer than many of his other special friendships. On June 15, 1519, Elizabeth gave birth to the King's son. He was named Henry FitzRoy.

King Henry VIII later made his son a Duke of Richmond and Somerset. Henry FitzRoy was the only son the King openly said was his own. After their son was born, the special relationship between Elizabeth and the King ended.

Because Elizabeth showed that King Henry could have healthy sons, people often said, "Bless 'ee, Bessie Blount." This saying became popular during that time.

Soon after his son's birth, the King began a new special friendship with Mary Boleyn. This might have been one reason why Elizabeth's relationship with the King ended.

Later Life and Marriages

In 1522, Elizabeth Blount married Gilbert Tailboys, 1st Baron Tailboys of Kyme. This marriage was arranged for her. After her marriage, Elizabeth did not play a big part in the daily life of the Tudor royal family.

In 1529, someone at the palace said she was more beautiful than Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn was the woman King Henry was planning to marry next.

Elizabeth's son, Henry FitzRoy, died on July 23, 1536. He likely died from a lung illness called tuberculosis. Her first husband, Gilbert, Lord Tailboys, also died before her in 1530. He left her with enough money to live comfortably.

Elizabeth and Gilbert had three more children together. They had two sons, George and Robert, and one daughter, Elizabeth.

After her first husband died, Elizabeth married a younger man. His name was Edward Clinton. They married between 1533 and 1535. With Edward, Elizabeth had three daughters.

For a short time, Elizabeth worked as a lady-in-waiting for King Henry's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. But because of her own health problems, she left the Queen's service. She died shortly after July 1540. People believe she also died from tuberculosis.

Why Elizabeth Blount Was Important

Elizabeth Blount was not as famous in history as King Henry's first two wives, Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. However, she was more important than any other lady the King had a special relationship with during his first marriage.

Elizabeth was the mother of King Henry's only son whom he openly recognized. In the 1520s, some people even suggested that her son should become the King's legal heir. Even though these plans did not happen, being the mother of such an important child made her interesting to many people back then.

Because King Henry had a healthy son with Elizabeth, he became convinced of something. He thought that his wife, Catherine of Aragon, could not give him a healthy son. Catherine had given birth to several boys, but only one lived for more than a few weeks. This made King Henry believe there was a problem with his marriage to Catherine. He then decided he needed to end his marriage.

Children of Elizabeth Blount

Elizabeth Blount had children with King Henry VIII and her two husbands.

• With King Henry VIII:
  • Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset. He was also the 1st Earl of Nottingham. Born in 1519, he died in 1536. He married Lady Mary Howard, but they had no children.

• With her first husband, Gilbert Tailboys, 1st Baron Tailboys of Kyme:
  • Elizabeth Tailboys, 4th Baroness Tailboys of Kyme. She was born around 1520 and died in 1563. After her brother died, she became the 4th Baroness Tailboys of Kyme. She married Thomas Wymbish first. Later, around 1552, she married Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick. She had no children, so her title ended when she died.
  • George Tailboys, 2nd Baron Tailboys of Kyme. Born around 1523, he became the 2nd Baron Tailboys of Kyme. He died on September 6, 1540. He married Margaret Skipwith in 1539, but they had no children.
  • Robert Tailboys, 3rd Baron Tailboys of Kyme. Born around 1523, he died in 1541.

• With her second husband, Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln:
  • Lady Bridget Clinton. Born around 1536. She married Robert Dymoke around 1556 and had ten children.
  • Lady Katherine Clinton. Born around 1538, she died on August 14, 1621. She married William Burgh, 2nd Baron Burgh. They had two children.
  • Lady Margaret Clinton. Born around 1539. She married Charles Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby of Parham. They had five children.

See also

In Spanish: Elizabeth Blount para niños