flanders mare

[Chris Pedley]

who was the flanders mare

[andy hughes]

As was the custom of the times, Henry VIII arranged a politically expedient marriage to Anne of Cleves, having ben rather smitten with a portrait of the lady in question. When Anne appeared at court, Henry decided that the painter had been more than generious in his appraisal of the subject, dismissing her as "That fat Flanders mare!" I think you could get away with that sort of comment in those days, at least if you were the king anway!

[simonkett]

Of course it was Anne of Cleves.I can assure though as my patner comes from Antwerp (Flanders) the breeding has improved considerably!