Catherine was an instant hit with the Queen Mother of England; but her relationship with husband Charles was sadly different. Like many aristocrats of his times, Charles had had a string of mistresses. The fact that he was now married, changed nothing. Catherine, a devout catholic who believed in “until death do us part”, was horrified. Yet, Catherine remained a devoted wife, and even treated his brood of 14 illegitimate children kindly.

England in those days was hugely anti-Catholic, and Catherine herself became a victim. It was the Queen’s honourable duty to produce an heir to the throne. Three miscarriages meant that Catherine “failed” in her duty.  Some anti-Catholic advisors counselled the King to divorce this childless Queen and marry a Protestant. Some others even accused Catherine of plotting to poison Charles. Charles had a roving eye, but he was not heartless. He silenced all her critics and flatly refused to divorce her. Meanwhile, the stress caused Catherine to go into a depression and become deliriously ill. To everyone’s surprise, Charles constantly stayed at her bedside and nursed her back to health. In his own strange way, he must have loved her. Perhaps, Catherine’s sincerity had won him over; and perhaps the marriage was indeed ordained in Heaven.

In 1685, Charles was on his death bed: Catherine, the ever-devoted wife, “begged his pardon if she had offended him all his life.” And Charles cried out loud: “Alas poor woman! She asks for MY pardon? I beg HERS with all my heart!”.  Like a marriage made in Heaven, it was only death that parted them!

Why is Catherine’s story so exciting to Indians? Because, one of the colonies she presented as dowry was a fishing port called Bombay. We all know what happened thereafter: Bombay rose meteorically to become one of the world’s most vibrant cities: MUMBAI ! I wonder … what if Charles had listened to his Anglican advisors and divorced Catherine? Would the Portuguese have demanded their dowry back and repossessed Bombay? Oops, Bombay might have ended up as a sleepy fishing village left behind by the Portuguese! Thank God the marriage succeeded!

Main Image Credit: Catherine of Braganza departs Lisbon from the Palace Square, 23 April 1662. CatherCâmara [Public domain]