Maria de Salinas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maria de Salinas, Lady Willoughby (ca 1490 - 1539) was a noblewoman from Spain and came in October 1501 as a lady in waiting to Catherine of Aragon to England.
Daughter to Juan de Salinas +1495 (or possibly his brother, Martin de Salinas +1503), employees of the royal household in Castile, from a converso (formerly Jewish) family.
Married to William, 10th Baron Willoughby de Eresby on June 5th 1516.
Mother to Catherine Willoughby, 11th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby and Duchess of Suffolk (1519-1580).
Grimsthorpe Castle, was granted by Henry VIII to the de Eresby family on the occasion of her marriage.
She was a devoted friend to Catherine of Aragon. In August 1532 she was ordered to leave Catherine's household and not to make any attempt to communicate with her. In September 1534 Catherine of Aragon's health continued to deteriorate. Maria begged permission to visit her but permission was denied. On January 5th 1536 she forced her way into Kimbolten Castle to see Catherine, having been refused permission to visit. Queen Catherine died in her arms on January 7th 1536.
Maria has numerous descendants in the British peerage and gentry, and is an ancestress of Diana, Princess of Wales, and therefore Prince William of Wales. (see External links)
