Anne Amelia of England (Blooming Roses)

Anne Amelia or Anna Amalia (16 April 1559 -14 February 1615) was the second eldest daughter of Isabella of Cleves and Edward VI of England.

Early Life
Anne Amelia was born on 16 April 1559, as the second daughter and fifth, fourth living child of Edward VI and Isabella of Cleves. Her birth also marked the beginning of her father's longstanding affair with Marie de Meleun. Her betrothal was a source of constant tension between her parents, her father preferring a German match, while her mother advocated for a Portuguese match. Anne was very close to Jane and Philippa during her childhood. During a joust to her father's health in 1562, Edward VI asked for her favor to avoid offending his wife and mistress.

Betrothal
Anne's mother betrothed her to Sebastian of Portugal in 1563 and the match stood until 1572, when her mother offered her elder sister Jane in place of Anne. When Jane was discovered to have married Henry of Navarre, Queen Isabella reinstated Anne as the intended bride. Three years later, Anne finally arrived in Lisbon, aged 16 and married King Sebastian.

Marriage
Married life was a difficult adjustment for both Anne and Sebastian. Anne was accepted by the Portuguese people, but soon found her husband to be repulsed by her feminine nature. After falling pregnant, her husband avoided her altogether and she discovered him in the embrace of one of his favorites. The birth of their first child, Infante Duarte in late 1576 brought Anne much praise from the council until she attempted to become involved in foreign affairs. She and Sebastian clashed often about his preference for male company and her religion. She became obstinate, often reading Protestant texts in plain view of the court and encouraged her ladies to convert. However, she also enjoyed times of calm with her husband, such as the months immediately following the birth of Duarte. Before her husband left on his ill fated campaign to Morocco, she begged him for hours to stay with her in Portugal to see their child (the twins Catalina and Sebastian) born. She was so heartbroken when she received the news of his death she caused herself to go into a premature labor. She dressed in black for the rest of her life and refused to remarry several times, despite being only 19 when widowed.