King Henry VIII of England

Portrait of King Henry VIII (after Hans Holbein the Younger, c.1537). Henry Tudor (1491–1547) became King
Henry VIII in 1509, inheriting a stable realm from his father Henry VII 1 . He was the younger brother of
Arthur, Prince of Wales, who died in 1502, leaving Henry as heir. The new king was only 17 but energetic and
charismatic; he led England into wars against France and Scotland (1513), famously won the Battle of
Flodden (1513) against James IV 2 1 . Henry married Catherine of Aragon immediately after acceding,
forging a Spanish alliance. His reign is best known for its religious and personal upheavals: when the Pope
refused to annul his marriage to Catherine, Henry broke with Rome and made himself Supreme Head of the
new Church of England 3 4 . He centralized royal authority, expanded the navy, and lavishly built
palaces. Late in life Henry suffered chronic pain and obesity after a jousting accident, becoming overweight
(over 300 lbs by 1544 5 ) and notoriously bad-tempered. He died in 1547 and was succeeded by his nine-
year-old son Edward VI 6 4 .

Six Marriages
• Catherine of Aragon (1485–1536), Henry’s first wife. He married Catherine (former wife of his brother) in
1509 to cement an alliance with Spain. Catherine bore him one surviving child, Mary (later Mary I).
After nearly 24 years, Henry sought a divorce because Catherine had no son. When the Pope refused
annulment, Henry declared her marriage void by English law (1533) – a key trigger for the break with
Rome 3 . Catherine was stripped of her titles and died in 1536; Henry’s demand for a son and
dramatic annulment had transformed England’s religion and politics.
• Anne Boleyn (c.1501–1536), Henry’s second wife. Anne captivated Henry and he married her in 1533
after annulling Catherine’s marriage. Anne gave birth to Elizabeth (future Elizabeth I) 7 but no son.
Political and religious factions at court turned on Anne, and Henry had her imprisoned in May 1536.
Archbishop Cranmer annulled their marriage on 17 May, and Anne was executed on 19 May 1536 for
alleged adultery and treason 8 . Her fall cleared the way for Henry to marry his third wife.
• Jane Seymour (1508–1537), Henry’s third wife. Henry married Jane in May 1536 (days after Anne’s
execution) 9 . Jane was his intimate companion and bore Henry his long-awaited son, Edward, on
12 October 1537 10 . Tragically, Jane died of postnatal complications days after Edward’s birth. As
mother of the male heir, she was long remembered as Henry’s favorite wife and was given a queen’s
funeral.
• Anne of Cleves (1515–1557), Henry’s fourth wife. In January 1540 Henry married Anne of Cleves, a
German princess, to secure an alliance with her Protestant brother. Henry found Anne unattractive
and the marriage was a political mismatch. They agreed to a divorce by July 1540 11 12 (the
marriage had lasted only about six months), and Anne accepted a generous settlement. This break
had little bloodshed but underscored how Henry’s personal whims continued to reshape diplomacy.
• Catherine Howard (c.1523–1542), Henry’s fifth wife. Catherine was a young cousin of Anne Boleyn
whom Henry married in July 1540 13 . Only around 16 years old, Catherine became queen but was
accused of adultery by late 1541. She was executed in February 1542 14 . This scandal had political
repercussions: it discredited conservative courtiers who had promoted her and reinforced Henry’s
paranoia and ruthlessness toward perceived betrayal.

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 • Catherine Parr (1512–1548), Henry’s sixth wife. Henry married Catherine Parr in July 1543 15 . A widow
and twice-married already, Catherine was older and more politically astute. She acted as Henry’s
nurse and regent (when he campaigned in France, 1544). Importantly, Catherine supported the
Protestant-inclined Church of England and had influence over the King’s children. She outlived
Henry, playing a stabilizing role until his death.

In all, Henry’s marriages were deeply political: they shaped alliances (Spain via Catherine, German
Protestants via Anne of Cleves), produced the Tudor succession (Mary, Elizabeth, Edward), and directly
caused major national changes (his divorce from Catherine sparked the Reformation 3 16 ).

Religious Reforms
Henry VIII began as a devout Catholic (even earning the title “Defender of the Faith” from the Pope in 1521
for his pamphlet against Luther), but his need for a male heir drove him to break with Rome. After annulling
his first marriage by English decree, Parliament passed the 1534 Act of Supremacy, making Henry the
Supreme Head of the Church of England 3 . He appointed Thomas Cranmer as Archbishop of Canterbury
and authorized the Bible’s translation into English, fundamentally altering English worship.

Between 1536 and 1540 Henry and his chief minister Thomas Cromwell dissolved the monasteries, seizing
church lands and wealth for the Crown 17 . This fulfilled multiple aims: it punished institutions loyal to the
Pope, enriched the king’s treasury (which had been strained by war and lavish spending), and created a land
market for the emerging gentry. Henry also enforced strict religious laws: for example, Sir Thomas More
was executed in 1535 for refusing to acknowledge Henry’s supremacy 18 . In short, Henry used religion as a
tool of state power. These reforms made England officially Protestant (at least at the top), but they also
provoked resistance. In 1536–37 a massive popular uprising in the North (the Pilgrimage of Grace)
demanded a return to Catholic practices; Henry crushed this rebellion and executed its leaders 19 . The
Tudor Reformation irrevocably changed England’s religion and governance, turning the monarch into the
head of a national church and forever breaking from the Catholic Church’s authority.

Political Impact and Legacy

Henry VIII’s reign strengthened the power of the monarchy and reshaped English society. He “created
modern Britain” in many ways 20 . By centralizing authority (ruling by royal proclamation as well as
through Parliament) he made government more efficient 21 . He significantly expanded the Royal Navy
(laying groundwork for England’s future maritime power) and constructed grand royal palaces. His
dissolution of the monasteries redistributed vast lands into private hands, creating a new landed gentry that
owed loyalty to the Crown 22 . He even reorganized Wales (1543) and took the title “King of Ireland” (1541),
binding the kingdom more tightly under Tudor rule 23 .

However, Henry’s legacy was mixed. He amassed tremendous personal wealth but spent it on wars, leaving
the treasury depleted. He transformed religion and society, but the resulting upheaval divided the nation.
As one historian notes, Henry left England an “impoverished kingdom split over religious issues” 24 . On the
positive side, the Crown emerged stronger and more centralized: Henry made Parliament an instrument for
major reforms and established precedents for royal supremacy. He also ensured Tudor succession (though
Edward VI was only a boy, followed by Mary I and then Elizabeth I). Many of these changes—central
government, royal supremacy, the Church of England, and an empowered nobility—shaped the future
course of Britain. 25 4

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Personality, Habits, and Later Life
Henry VIII was a larger-than-life figure. In his youth he was athletic, cultured and handsome – called an
“Adonis” and excelling at jousts, music and poetry 26 27 . He loved grandeur and display, famously hosting
tournaments and banquets. But chronic injury and pain from a 1536 jousting accident transformed him. As
he aged, Henry became morbidly obese (by 1544 he weighed an estimated 300+ pounds) and suffered from
infected leg ulcers 5 . His health problems made him irritable and suspicious. Historical sources describe
him as vicious, paranoid, self-pitying and vainglorious 28 . He expected total obedience: ministers and
even wives lived or died at his command 29 . Contemporaries remarked on his sudden rages, cruelty
(beheading two queens and other dissenters), and extravagance. In his later reign Henry indulged in
gluttonous feasts and heavy drinking, often to ease his physical pain 5 . Chronic pain and obesity left him
“far-cry from the valiant, charismatic prince of 1509,” instead a “bad-tempered, unpredictable and irascible”
monarch 30 28 .

In sum, Henry VIII was a complex and contradictory king. He could be learned and artistic (patron of
Renaissance arts), yet ruthless in politics. His personal obsessions – a son and a suitable queen – drove
momentous changes: national schism from Rome, a reformed church, and shifts in power that defined the
Tudor era. His colorful personality and drama-filled court continue to fascinate, making him one of
England’s most memorable monarchs.

Sources: Authoritative history and archival sources such as Historic Royal Palaces and World History
Encyclopedia provide the chronology and context 1 3 25 5 . These emphasize Henry’s key life events,
religious reforms, and lasting impact. All narrative points above are supported by the cited scholarship.

1 16 20 21 22 25 28 29 Henry VIII, Terrible Tudor? | Hampton Court Palace | Historic Royal Palaces
https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/henry-viii/

2 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 18 23 24 Henry VIII of England - World History Encyclopedia

https://www.worldhistory.org/timeline/Henry_VIII_of_England/

3 17 19 Dissolution of the Monasteries

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Dissolution-of-the-Monasteries/

5 26 27 30 Henry VIII's Deteriorating Health 1509-1547 - Historic UK

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Henry-VIII-Health-Problems/