ABSTRACT
In 1540, Richard Jonas dedicated The Byrth of Mankynde, the most important book on midwifery produced in early modern England, to Katherine Howard, fifth wife to King Henry VIII of England. Jonas’s book was the only one that was dedicated to Katherine during her brief nineteen months of marriage. Beyond appealing to Katherine for patronage, Jonas dedicated his text to her to offer her counsel on her most important role as queen– motherhood. Katherine Howard may not be one of the most forgotten queens in history, but in a field saturated with studies on Tudor queenship, she has typically received attention only for her sexuality and relationships with Manox, Dereham, and Culpepper. By focusing on patronage, this chapter offers a new angle for understanding how people sought Katherine’s support, and how they attempted to use that patronage to counsel and persuade her to make decisions or support their positions.
