The Tudors - Henry VIII's Reign and Six Wives

The Young Henry VIII
In April, 1502, at the age of ten, Henry became the heir-apparent to the English throne on Prince Arthur's death
Never had a king ascended the throne more richly endowed with mental and physical gifts. Just weeks short of his eighteenth year - his title was secure, his treasury overflowed, and he had the affection of his people. Described as "extremely handsome" by foreign resident in 1519; he was a good musician, composer, an accomplished horseman and jouster and spoke French, Latin, and Spanish.

Anne of Cleves
There is no evidence to prove that the King had been cruelly deceived by the actual looks of his bride. His agents had written to him frankly that the Princess was of no great beauty - was very attached to her mother and was quite unskilled in languages or music.
After two months as a queen and wife, poor Anne of Cleves was told to pack her belongings and take up a separate home as an unmarried woman. She fainted when the marriage was pronounced "null and void and was told that her formal title would be the King's "sister."

Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon was six years older than the 18 year-old Henry VIII when they were married by Archbishop Warham "in the Queen's closet" at Greenwich.
Although it was a political alliance; they were friends and happily married - "Continual feasting" was the phrase in which Catherine described their early married life. Their daughter, Princess Mary was born on the 18th of February, 1516 but various miscarriages followed and by 1525, Henry VIII prepared to cast off his Spanish wife. Catherine was then forty years old; and Henry was thirty-four.

Henry VIII's Reign and Death
Henry VIII was one of the most remarkable man who ever sat on the English throne.
His reign, like his character, appears to be divided into two inconsistent halves. In 1519 the younger Henry's rule is described as gentle but twenty years later terror is said to reign supreme. King Henry VIII died on Friday, the 28th of January, 1547 at fifty-five years old: his reign had lasted for nearly thirty-eight years. A page dedicated to Henry VIII can be found on this website here.

Anne Boleyn
Nothing could stop Henrys passion for Anne, the attractive Lady-in-Waiting to his Queen and she showed her cleverness in the way she kept his love alive for years. She was crowned with splendour on Whit Sunday of 1533.
In the same year she bore Henry a child, but to everyones disappointment, it proved to be a girl, who was christened Elizabeth, (later to become Elizabeth I). Annes triumph was very brief. Her Lady-in-Waiting, Jane Seymour, stole the King from her, who in her time had betrayed her royal mistress.

Jane Seymour
The nation celebrated when Queen Jane Seymour gave birth to the son (who was to reign so briefly as Edward VI) at Hampton Court, on the 12th of October, 1537.
In the middle of all the public celebrations, came the shock of the young mother's death. Just days after his coveted heir was born, Henry VIII. was once again a widower. The Court went into deep mourning until February. But, shortly after, Thomas Cromwell was authorised to take secret steps to ascertain which Princess might most suitably fill the late Queen's vacant place and assure an unbroken succession.

Catherine Howard
Just days after Anne of Cleves was divorced on the 12th of July, 1540, the King married Anne Boleyn's cousin, Catherine Howard and on the 8th of August she was proclaimed Queen.The King was in love but he wasn't the answer to the young Catherine's dreams.
By 1542 the tragic reign of Catherine Howard was over. Charged with adultary, Catherine shed many tears ; but on February 12th, 1542, she walked to the block, perfectly groomed and with a cheerful audacity. And so the auburn head of the King's fifth wife rolled from the axe that had severed her cousin's.

Catherine Parr
On July 12th, 1543, the King married the twice widowed Catherine Parr. She had been about to marry Sir Thomas Seymour when the King interfered, and she became his wife instead; though it is said that she told him "It were better to be his mistress."
She was a good woman, a generous stepmother, and a good wife.
it has been claimed that her own death had been debated with the King but her quick wit delayed it, and his death set her free to marry at last the man from whom the King had snatched her.

The Tudors - 1485-1603 encompass one of the most colourful periods in Engiand's History. The period when King Henry VIII and his daughters - Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I reigned, are perhaps the most well known.
A subject that still fascinates many people is the much - married King Henry VIII and his six wives. Below is a short explanation to the sequence of events and marriages of the king most think of whenever the topic of the Tudors, arises.