HENRY VIII

Henry was born on June 28, 1491, in Greenwich, England, the second son of King Henry VII and
Elizabeth of York. He was initially not expected to become king, as his older brother Arthur was the
heir apparent. However, Arthur's early death in 1502 propelled Henry into the role of heir to the
throne.

In 1509, at the age of 17, Henry ascended to the throne following the death of his father. He married
Catherine of Aragon, the widow of his brother Arthur, in the same year. They had a daughter, Mary,
but the lack of a male heir became a pressing issue for Henry.

From the beginning of his reign, Henry was viewed as the ultimate Renaissance ruler: educated,
handsome, fearless, artistic, virtuous. He was Europe’s ‘golden king’ who ascended the throne as the
Renaissance swept across Europe with new ideas on education, religion and the arts.

Henry's desire for a male heir and his infatuation with Anne Boleyn led him to seek an annulment of
his marriage to Catherine. When the Pope refused to grant the annulment, Henry broke with the
Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England in 1534, making himself the Supreme
Head of the church and effectively initiating the English Reformation.

Anne Boleyn (marriage: 1533-1536): Anne Boleyn was a prominent figure in Henry's court and
became his second wife. She played a significant role in the English Reformation and the
establishment of the Church of England. Anne was unable to produce a male heir and was charged
with adultery, incest, and treason. She was executed in 1536.

In January 1536, Henry, aged 44, was unseated from his horse during a joust. He crashed to the
ground, his fully-armoured horse landing on top of him, crushing his legs. Although he recovered
from his injuries, Henry suffered from persistent headaches and his leg wounds became ulcerated.

Henry’s quality of life was no doubt affected by the constant pain of his ulcerated legs, and his latter
years are characterized by frequent rages, cruelty and an unpredictable temperament. Some
historians have attributed Henry’s mood and behavioural changes to the head injuries he sustained
in his jousting accident. Certainly, during the later years of his reign Henry grew ever more paranoid
and bad-tempered, suffering from insomnia and crippling migraines.

Jane Seymour (marriage: 1536-1537): Jane Seymour was Henry's third wife. She became queen
consort in 1536 and gave birth to Henry's only male heir, Edward VI, in 1537. However, Jane died
shortly after childbirth due to complications from the delivery.

Anne of Cleves (marriage: 1540): Anne of Cleves was a German princess. Henry married her in 1540
as part of a political alliance. However, Henry found her unattractive and the marriage was annulled
after only six months. Anne received a generous settlement and lived the rest of her life in England as
the "King's Beloved Sister."

Catherine Howard (marriage: 1540-1542): Catherine Howard was a cousin of Anne Boleyn and a
lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves. She married Henry in 1540, but their marriage was tumultuous.
Catherine was accused of adultery, and Henry had her executed for treason in 1542.

Catherine Parr (marriage: 1543-1547): Catherine Parr was Henry's sixth and final wife. She married
him in 1543 and played a significant role in reconciling Henry with his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth.
Catherine outlived Henry and later remarried after his death.