Henry FitzRoy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset ( ill.) Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled.
May 24, 2023 · Henry VIII, (born June 28, 1491, Greenwich, near London, England—died January 28, 1547, London), king of England (1509–47) who presided over the beginnings of the English Renaissance and the English Reformation.
- What was Henry VIII’s childhood like?Henry was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV. When his elder brother, Arthur, died in 1502, Henry became the heir to...
- When did Henry VIII get married?Henry VIII married six times between 1509 and 1543 in pursuit of heirs and political alliances. His wives were Catherine of Aragon (the mother of M...
- Who were Henry VIII’s children?Henry VIII was survived by three children, each of whom sat on the throne of England: Edward VI (ruled 1547–53), Mary I (ruled 1553–58), and Elizab...
- How was Henry VIII influential?Henry VIII was the king of England (1509–47). He broke with the Roman Catholic Church and had Parliament declare him supreme head of the Church of...
- Why did Henry VIII kill his wives?Of his six wives, Henry VIII had two killed: Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. He accused Anne of adultery, and she was convicted and beheaded on M...
- Early Life
- Catherine of Aragon
- Henry as Monarch
- Anne Boleyn
- Jane Seymour
- Anne of Cleves
- Death and Legacy
- Sources
Henry was born in Greenwich, England, on June 28, 1491, the second son of Henry VII, the first English ruler from the House of Tudor. While his older brother Arthur was being prepared for the throne, Henry was steered toward a church career, with a broad education in theology, music, languages, poetry and sports. As a young man, Henry displayed an ...
Henry’s brother and heir apparent Arthur had been betrothed since age 2 to Catherine of Aragon, the daughter of the Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabella. In November of 1501, the teenage couple were married. Months later, however, Arthur died of a sudden illness. Henry became next in line for the throne and in 1503 was betrothed to his brother’s w...
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 a...
By the 1520s, Henry had become infatuated with Anne Boleyn, a young woman in his wife’s entourage. He also worried that his marriage to Catherine had been cursed by God because of the Old Testament ban on marrying the widow of one’s brother. The king decided to seek a papal annulment that would free him to remarry. With the assistance of his powerf...
In January of 1536 Henry was knocked off his horse and injured during a jousting tournament. When news of his accident reached the pregnant Anne, she miscarried, delivering a stillborn son. Henry then spurned her, turning his affections to another woman of his court, Jane Seymour. Within six months, Henry had Anne executed for treason and incest. H...
Henry’s fourth marriage bore similarities to his first. Anne of Cleves was a political bride, chosen to cement an alliance with her brother, the ruler of a Protestant duchy in Germany. The marriage only lasted a few days before Henry had it annulled. He then married Catherine Howard, but two years later she too was beheaded for treason and adultery...
Henry VIII died at age 55 on January 28, 1547. His 9-year-old son Edward VI succeeded him as king but died six years later. Mary I spent her five-year reign steering England back into the Catholic fold, but Elizabeth I, the longest-reigning of the Tudor monarchs, restored her father’s Protestant religious reforms.
Henry VIII (r.1509-1547). The Royal Family. Facts about Henry VIII. Royal Museums Greenwich. Henry VIII: Renaissance Prince or Terrible Tudor? Who Was the Real Henry VIII? Historic Royal Palaces. Henry VIII, King of England (1491-1547). Royal Collection Trust.
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Apr 3, 2014 · Best Known For: Henry VIII, king of England, was famously married six times and played a critical role in the English Reformation, turning his country into a Protestant nation. Industries World ...
Henry VIII, (born June 28, 1491, Greenwich, near London, Eng.—died Jan. 28, 1547, London), King of England (1509–47). Son of Henry VII, Henry married his brother’s widow, Catherine of Aragon (the mother of Mary I ), soon after his accession in 1509.
As king of England from 1509 to 1547, Henry VIII presided over the beginnings of the English Reformation, which was unleashed by his own matrimonial involvements, even though he never abandoned the fundamentals of the Roman Catholic faith. Though exceptionally well served by a succession of brilliant ministers, Henry turned upon them all; those ...
Apr 9, 2020 · Henry VIII of England ruled as king from 1509 to 1547 CE. The second Tudor king after his father Henry VII of England (r. 1485-1509 CE), Henry had inherited a kingdom which enjoyed both unity and sound finances. Famous for his six wives as he searched for a male heir, the king was charismatic and domineering.
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