I am D. Catherine of Braganza

Charlie History UK 5 March 2015 | Updated On February 21, 2020 | 0

Wondering who introduce the custom of drinking “the tea at 5”?

It was D. Catharine of Braganza (D. Catarina de Bragança), Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1662 to 1685, as the wife of King Charles II. Read more because D. Catharine did not only introduce the tea at 5 but as well a lot of other customs.

D. CATHARINE OF BRAGANZA

Portuguese princess, daughter of King D. João IV, married King Charles II. The wedding ceremony was held in May 1662, and thus began the unfortunate part of life of Catherine of Braganza, born a princess and raised within a family with culture, education and traditional Portuguese habits which, in unhappiness, was banished to a court that, contrary to what some writers and filmmakers would have us believe, England was “late” in relation to the rest of Europe.

Catharine had a very important role in the modernisation of England and in changing the philosophy of life of the English at that, though not enough, is still admired and honoured.

Also, Catharine was an outsider and caused a revolution in the court of England. Although it was always harassed for being different but never gave up his way of being.

She had such a strong personality who got those (especially those) who most criticised her, to soon passed to imitate her.

As per that, D. Catharine gave large changes in the English court:

1. Knowledge of ORANGE FRUIT

Catherine loved oranges and never stopped to eat thanks to the baskets of her mother sent to her.

2.The custom of “THE TEA AT 5”

Costum that she brings from home (Portugal) and continued to as the purpose of meetings with friends and enemies. This habit became widespread so that, even today, there are those who think that the custom of drinking tea in the afternoon is of British origin.

3. The ORANGE COMPOTE

The English call it ”marmelade” that Paddington Bear is crazy about it, was used wrongly by the term in Portuguese “marmelada”, jam because the Portuguese had already been introduced in England in 1495. Queen Catharine kept the jam with good oranges for themselves and their friends and the bitter oranges for enemies, mainly for the king lovers. Apparently, our dear Catarina had a bunch of enemies in the English court, once she was completely different of what they were usted to.

4. The WAY OF DRESSING

Introduced the short skirt. At that time, short skirt was above the ankle and Catharine scandalised the English court to show her feet, which was considered bad taste and no wonder due to the enormous feet of the English. As she had tiny feet, it got her even more enemies.

5. The habit of WEARING MEN’S CLOTHING TO RIDE

6. Use of the FORK TO EAT

In England, even in the court at that times ate was done with their hands, though the fork was already known, but only for cutting or serving. Queen Catharine was accustomed to use it to eat, and soon, all did the same.

7. PORCELAIN introduction

Strange eating in gold or silver dishes and asked why they did not eat on China plates as was done, for many years, in Portugal. From there, the use of porcelain dishes became widespread.

8. MUSIC

Catharine brought from Portugal, the Portuguese orchestra of extreme talented musicians and was like this was played for the first time in England.

9. FURNITURE

Queen Catharine also took with her some furniture, including precious Indo-Portuguese counters that had never been seen in England.

10. The birth of the “BRITISH EMPIRE”

As already said, the dowry of Catherine was great for the amount of money but, more important for the future, to include the city of Tangier in North Africa and the island of Bombay, IN India.

Betraying the Treaties were made and, with the excuse that the king of Portugal was Spanish, the English did, despite the control of the Portuguese Navy, navigate to India where they established a warehouse in Gujarat.

In 1670, after receiving Mumbai Portuguese, King Charles II authorized the East India Company to acquire territories.

This resulted in the British Empire!

Today, there are few people who know the importance that the Queen Catharine had made for the English and the affection they had for her. Her popularity has spread to America, where one of the five boroughs of New York (Queens) was named in her honour.