Editing Anne of Cleves (section)

==Early life==
Anne was born in 1515, on either 22 September{{sfn|Weir|2002|p=155}}{{sfn|Norton|2009|p=7}} or 28 June.{{efn|Heather Darsie quotes from a contemporary record: "This year [sc 1515] the day before St Peter and St Paul a second daughter was born[…]." The martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul is celebrated on 29 June. Darsie attributes the incorrect date of 22 September to  [[Maurus Dantine|Maur-François Dantine]] in his {{ill|L'Art de vérifier les dates|fr|italic=yes}} of 1750.{{sfn|Darsie|2019|pp=17–20}}}} She was born in [[Düsseldorf]], [[Duchy of Berg]], the second daughter of [[John III, Duke of Cleves|John III]] of the [[House of La Marck]], Duke of [[Duchy of Jülich|Jülich]] ''[[jure uxoris]]'', [[Duchy of Cleves|Cleves]], Berg ''jure uxoris'', [[County of Mark|Count of Mark]], also known as [[de la Marck]] and [[County of Ravensberg|Ravensberg]] ''jure uxoris'' (often referred to as Duke of Cleves) who died in 1538, and his wife [[Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Berg]] (1491–1543). She grew up in [[Burg Castle (Solingen)|Schloss Burg]] on the edge of [[Solingen]].

Anne's father was influenced by [[Erasmus]] and followed a moderate path within the [[Reformation]]. He decided to side with the [[Schmalkaldic League]] and opposed Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]]. After John's death, Anne's brother [[William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg|William]] became [[United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg|Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg]], bearing the promising epithet "The Rich". In 1526, her elder sister [[Sibylle of Cleves|Sibylle]] was married to [[John Frederick, Elector of Saxony]], head of the Protestant Confederation of Germany and considered the "Champion of the Reformation."

In 1527, at the age of 11, Anne was betrothed to [[Francis I, Duke of Lorraine|Francis]], the 9-year-old son and heir of [[Antoine, Duke of Lorraine]].{{sfn|Norton|2009|pp=13–14}} But because Francis was under the age of consent (10 years old) at the time of the arrangement, the betrothal was considered unofficial and was cancelled in 1535. Her brother William was a [[Lutheran]] but the family was unaligned religiously, with her mother, the Duchess Maria, described as a "strict Catholic".{{sfn|Fraser|2003|p=[https://archive.org/details/sixwivesofhenryv0000fras_p2d1/page/364/mode/1up 364]}} Her father's ongoing dispute over the [[Duchy of Guelders]] with Charles V made the family suitable allies for England's King Henry VIII in the wake of the [[Truce of Nice]]. The match with Anne was urged on the King by his chief minister, [[Thomas Cromwell]].