Anne Howard, Countess of Arundel

Anne Howard, Countess of Arundel
Engraving of Anne Howard (labeled Anna Dacres) by Wenceslas Hollar
Born	Anne Dacre 21 March 1557 Carlisle, Cumbria, England
Died	19 April 1630 (aged 73) Shifnal Manor, Shropshire
Burial place	Arundel Castle, Arundel, Sussex
Title	Countess of Arundel
Spouse(s)	Philip Howard, 1st Earl of Arundel
Children	Thomas Howard, 2nd Earl of Arundel
Parent(s)	Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre Elizabeth Leyburne

Anne Howard, Countess of Arundel (née Dacre; 21 March 1557 – 19 April 1630), was an English poet, noblewoman, and religious conspirator. She lived a life devoted to her husband, Philip Howard, and religion, as she converted to Catholicism in 1582, going against society’s acceptance. She was known to be a “woman of strong character, and of religious desposition…whose influence soon made itself felt upon her husband… the increasing seriousness of his thoughts led him in the direction of Romanism…”. She was also known as a poet and for literary works written about her.

Anne was born in Carlisle, England, on 21 March 1557, the eldest daughter of Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre of Gilsland, and Elizabeth Leyburne of Cumbria. Following Anne, her mother gave birth to three more children: a son George (but sometimes called Francis), and two sisters, Elizabeth and Mary. George was born in 1562, followed by Mary in 1563, and Elizabeth in 1564. In 1567, Anne's father died; soon after, her mother remarried to the 4th Duke of Norfolk, becoming his third wife. In September 1567, when Anne was about 10 years old, her mother died during childbirth.

After the death of their mother, Anne and her siblings were essentially brought up and educated by their maternal grandmother, Lady Mounteagle, who had formerly been married to Sir James Leybourn. Her mother and grandmother were both devout Catholics, which had a strong influence on her religious beliefs and actions. Growing up, Anne and her siblings were instructed on religion by a Catholic priest. This was an issue because they were under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I, a Protestant monarch.

Anne's stepfather, Thomas Howard, eventually obtained the wardship of all the Dacre children. He arranged that George (Francis) was to marry Margaret, the daughter of his second wife. The three Dacre girls were arranged to marry Thomas’s three sons: Philip, Thomas, and William.

In 1569, Anne was arranged to marry Thomas’s eldest son. At age 12, Anne married her stepbrother, Philip Howard, the Earl of Surrey, the Duke’s oldest son and heir. Since both children were only 12 years old at the time, the ceremony was repeated two years later when both the parties reached the age of consent. Philip eventually became the 1st Earl of Arundel. Anne’s sister, Elizabeth, married Lord William Howard. Her other sister, Mary, was arranged to marry Lord Thomas Howard, but died before she was “marriageable”.