Henry VIII
Henry VIII. Born 28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547 was King of England from 22
April 1509 until he died in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for
his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. He was a
powerful man and charismatic figure; perhaps best known for his tumultuous love
life and the establishment of the Church of England. He is also credited with
establishing the Royal Navy, encouraging shipbuilding, and the creating of
anchorages and dockyards.
Henry as Monarch
Henry was an active king ruling over a prosperous realm in those years, and a
leader in the English Renaissance. He lorded over a festive court while hunting,
jousting, writing, and playing music.
Henry issued a book-length attack on Martin Luther’s church reforms that earned
him the title “Defender of the Faith” from Pope Leo X (a somewhat ironic
accolade, given his eventual break with Roman Catholicism)
marriages
What is extraordinary is that at the beginning of Henry's marriage, he was usually
a very good husband. He was very tender to them, research shows that he
addressed some of his wives as "sweethearts." He was a good lover, he was very
generous: the wives were given huge settlements of land and jewels. He was
immensely considerate when they were pregnant. However, if his current wife did
not please him or did anything to fire his short temper, there would be
consequences. Two of Henry's wives were beheaded by his command/
The six women who were married to Henry VIII, in chronological order:
1. Catherine of Aragon Died on 7 January 1536. Mother of Queen Mary I.
2. Anne Boleyn Beheaded on 19 May 1536 at the Tower of London.
Mother of Queen Elizabeth I.
3. Jane Seymour Died on 24 October 1537, due to complications twelve days
after giving birth.
Mother of King Edward VI.
4. Anne of Cleves Died on 16 July 1557.
5. Catherine Howard was Beheaded on 13 February 1542 at the Tower of London.
6. Catherine Parr Survived Henry VIII, and remarried to Thomas Seymour (brother
of Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII)
Died on 5 September 1548.
Henry's first marriage to Catherine of Aragon, lasted nearly 24 years, while the
following five lasted less than 10 years combined.
HENRY VIII'S FINAL YEARS
Henry’s break with the Church of Rome was a religious and political revolution.
But at the same time, some things hadn’t changed. Men still got rich and powerful
by getting close to the King, and Henry continued to rely on key courtiers and
ministers, as well as Parliament, to pass laws that validated his authority and
provided him with money.
DEATH OF HENRY VIII
Despite rallying after his marriage to Katherine Parr, Henry ‘waxed heavy with
sickness, age and corpulence’. Historians still speculate on the nature of his final
illness, but his obesity doubtless contributed to a remorseless decline and organ
failure.
On his deathbed at Whitehall Palace, Henry uttered his last recorded words: when
asked which priest should attend him, the King replied, ‘I will first take a little
sleep, and then, as I feel myself, I will advise upon the matter.’
The following morning, Henry had lost the power of speech. He died in the early
hours of 28 January 1547 aged 55.
The next day, Prince Edward and Princess Elizabeth were told of their father’s
death. Reportedly, the children, aged 9 and 16, clung to each other weeping,
fearful for their future.
Henry VIII’s monstrously bloated corpse was conveyed to Windsor Castle in a
solemn funeral procession, to be interred next to Jane Seymour, in St George’s
Chapel.
