Catherine Howard was executed because she was accused of having premarital affairs and committing adultery after marrying King Henry VIII, which was deemed treasonous. In 1542, Parliament passed a bill declaring it treason for an unchaste woman to marry the king. After Henry VIII learned about her alleged affairs with Thomas Culpepper and Francis Dereham, Catherine was arrested, imprisoned, and ultimately beheaded at the Tower of London on February 13, 1542. Her execution marked a tragic end to her brief time as queen and reflected the brutal consequences of falling out of favor with Henry VIII during his reign.
