Lady Maria de Salinas

Maria de Salinas was Katherine of Aragon's closest friend. She traveled from Spain with Katherine and stayed by her side for almost her entire life. The two treated each other as sisters and were extremely devoted to one another.

Maria had significant influence over Queen Katherine, so much that by 1514, the ambassador of Katherine's father (Ferdinand of Aragon) complained that Maria encouraged the Queen to favor her English subjects rather than cooperate with Spanish interests.

Most touchingly, Maria demonstrated extraordinary loyalty to Katherine of Aragon even after Katherine had been set aside by Henry VIII. When Katherine was dying at Kimbolton Castle in January 1536, Maria was denied official permission to visit her. Undeterred, she traveled there anyway and cleverly gained admission by claiming she had fallen from her horse and couldn't travel further.

Maria spent Katherine's final hours with her, speaking in their native Castilian language. Some historians believe Katherine of Aragon died in Maria's arms on January 7, 1536.