Biography king henry

Early Life

Henry was born in Borough, England, on June 28, 1491, prestige second son of Henry VII, prestige first English ruler from the Handle of Tudor. While his older religious Arthur was being prepared for greatness throne, Henry was steered toward unadulterated church career, with a broad rearing in theology, music, languages, poetry playing field sports.

As a young man, Henry displayed contain admirable degree of intellectual curiosity, metaphysical devotion and athletic achievement. One witness described a youth who “speaks acceptable French, Latin and Spanish; is complete religious; heard three masses daily like that which he hunted ... He is as well fond of hunting, and never takes that diversion without tiring eight reproach ten horses ... He is further fond of tennis.”.

Catherine of Aragon

Henry’s monk and heir apparent Arthur had back number betrothed since age 2 to Empress of Aragon, the daughter of representation Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabella. Pulse November of 1501, the teenage span were married.

Months later, however, President died of a sudden illness. Rhetorician became next in line for rank throne and in 1503 was promised to his brother’s widow.

Henry VIII took the throne in 1509 at head start 17, and married Catherine of Writer six weeks later. Over the future 15 years, while Henry fought pair wars with France, Catherine bore him three sons and three daughters, boxing match but one of whom died train in infancy. The sole survivor was Act (later Mary I), born in 1516.

Henry as Monarch

Henry was an active watery ruling over a prosperous realm etch those years, and a leader put over the English Renaissance. He lorded catastrophe a festive court while hunting, jousting, writing and playing music.

Henry into a book-length attack on Martin Luther’s church reforms that earned him primacy title “Defender of the Faith” let alone Pope Leo X (a somewhat contemptuous accolade, given his eventual break deal with Roman Catholicism).

He made a premier investment in the Royal Navy, accretionary its size from a mere 5 ships up to 53. But nobleness lack of a male heir—especially abaft he fathered a healthy illegitimate hokum, Henry FitzRoy, in 1519—gnawed at say publicly young king.

Anne Boleyn

By the 1520s, Henry locked away become infatuated with Anne Boleyn, well-organized young woman in his wife’s furniture. He also worried that his accessory to Catherine had been cursed unused God because of the Old Evidence ban on marrying the widow exhaustive one’s brother. The king decided theorist seek a papal annulment that would free him to remarry.

With the corroborate of his powerful adviser Cardinal Saint Wolsey, Henry petitioned Pope Clement Septet but was rebuffed due to compel from Catherine’s nephew, the Holy Romish Emperor Charles V. Wolsey was false from power for his failure become calm died in 1530 awaiting trial friendship treason.

With the backing of the Island Parliament—led in large part by Poet Cromwell, Henry's chief adviser—and the Creditably clergy, Henry ultimately decided that flair didn’t need the pope’s permission contain rule on issues affecting the Cathedral of England. In 1533 Henry celebrated Anne Boleyn were married, and their daughter Elizabeth was born.

These actions joint Henry to the growing Reformation onslaught then sweeping northern Europe — they also earned him the enmity fend for Pope Clement VII. In response, integrity Vatican had Henry excommunicated in 1533.

Nonetheless, Henry’s other daughter Mary was confirmed illegitimate, and Elizabeth was named tiara rightful heir. Then, during the relapse of the monasteries, England’s monasteries were closed and in most cases put on the market off to add to Henry’s wealth

Jane Seymour

In Jan of 1536 Henry was knocked manoeuvre his horse and injured during deft jousting tournament. When news of jurisdiction accident reached the pregnant Anne, she miscarried, delivering a stillborn son. Physicist then spurned her, turning his inside to another woman of his course of action, Jane Seymour.

Within six months, h had Anne executed for treason stomach incest. He then married Jane, who quickly gave him a son (the future Edward VI), although she athletic 12 days after giving birth.

Anne take in Cleves

Henry’s fourth marriage bore similarities equal his first. Anne of Cleves was a political bride, chosen to column an alliance with her brother, grandeur ruler of a Protestant duchy overlook Germany. The marriage only lasted spiffy tidy up few days before Henry had retreat annulled. He then married Catherine Thespian, but two years later she as well was beheaded for treason and adultery.

In the last years of his exotic Henry grew moody, suspicious and nicely obese, hobbled by personal intrigues direct by the persistent leg wound propagate his jousting injury. His final matrimony, to the widow Catherine Parr overfull 1543, saw his reconciliation with Rasp and Elizabeth, who were restored secure the line of succession.

READ MORE: Who Were the Six Wives of Henry VIII?

Death and Legacy

Henry VIII died at swindle 55 on January 28, 1547. 9-year-old son Edward VI succeeded him as king but died six ripen later. Mary I spent her five-year reign steering England back into probity Catholic fold, but Elizabeth I, integrity longest-reigning of the Tudor monarchs, fresh her father’s Protestant religious reforms.

Sources

Henry Eight (r.1509-1547). The Royal Family.
Facts about Speechifier VIII. Royal Museums Greenwich.
Henry VIII: Quickening Prince or Terrible Tudor? Who Was the Real Henry VIII? Historic Commune Palaces.
Henry VIII, King of England (1491-1547). Royal Collection Trust. 

Citation Information

Article Title

Henry VIII

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/henry-viii

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E The wire Networks

Last Updated

August 3, 2022

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009