Catherine of Aragon

1 9.0

First wife of King Henry VIII whose divorce helped start the English Reformation

proper noun

: Catalina de Aragón

Catherine of Aragon was the first wife of Henry VIII.

Examples

Catherine of Aragon was married to Henry VIII for over twenty years before their marriage was annulled.
The English Reformation began after Henry VIII sought to divorce Catherine of Aragon.
Many historians study the influence of Catherine of Aragon on Tudor England.
Did you know that Catherine of Aragon was a Spanish princess?
Catherine of Aragon was married to Henry VIII for over twenty years before their marriage was annulled.
Many historians study the influence of Catherine of Aragon on Tudor England.
The English Reformation began after Henry VIII sought to divorce Catherine of Aragon.

Surface Forms

Catherine of Aragon main

Morphology

Catherine + of + Aragon

The phrase follows a fully compositional 'Name of Place' pattern: a B1 learner who knows 'Catherine' (a personal name), 'of' (indicating origin/association) and 'Aragon' (a region) will understand this refers to a person associated with Aragon. The detailed historical role (first wife of Henry VIII) is encyclopedic and not derivable from the parts, but the basic referential meaning is transparent.

Etymology

Catherine of Aragon was a Spanish princess and King Henry VIII's first wife. When Henry wanted a 'divorce' because she had a daughter instead of a son, his dispute with the Pope led England to leave the Catholic Church, so her marriage is linked to the start of the English Reformation.