Henry VIII (1491 – 1547)

Henry VIII was the second Tudor monarch, who famously had six wives, broke off from the Roman Catholic Church, established the Church of England and set about the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Henry was the second son of Henry VII, when his elder brother Arthur died in 1503, Henry became the heir to the throne. Henry was a larger than life character even before he was crowned. An athletic youth of six foot and fine build, Henry was a keen sportsman and hunter and later developed a taste for battle.

Following the death of his father Henry VIII succeeded the throne in 1509 and shortly afterwards married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon – the wife of his dead brother. The motive was politics, Catherine was the daughter of a powerful Spanish King and England needed to maintain its alliance with Spain.

But despite giving birth to a daughter; Mary, Catherine could not give Henry a male heir, she had one stillbirth, one miscarriage, and two short-lived infants. The king was desperate for a divorce, especially as he had became infatuated by Anne Boleyn, the sister of his mistress. Henry asked the Pope to have his marriage annulled, but the Pope, who was closely tied with the King of Spain, refused.

In an act that was to have a dramatic effect on the history of the British Isles, Henry VIII split from Rome, converted to Protestantism and established himself as the head of the Church of England. The Reformation as it is known, allowed the king to marry Anne Boleyn, which he did in 1533.

With Anne, Henry had another daughter, Elizabeth, but after three years, the king tired of Anne, accused her of adultery and therefore treason and had her beheaded at the Tower of London. Soon after, Henry married Jane Seymour, who died shortly after giving birth to their son Edward VI.

Henry’s next wife was Anne of Cleves and she lasted just seven months! The marriage was arranged by Thomas Cromwell who chose a suitable protestant lady for the now protestant king. When Henry did meet Anne of Cleves, he told Cromwell he had found a ‘flanders mare’ and had him executed. Anne fated somewhat better, the marriage was annulled and she was granted a generous settlement.

Catherine Howard, Henry’s next wife wasn’t to be so lucky, after two years of marriage, she like Anne Boleyn before her was accused of adultery, tried for treason and beheaded at the Tower. Henry’s sixth wife was Katherine Parr, who herself had been married four times. Katherine Parr almost faced the chop at the tower after an arrest warrant was issued for treason, but she managed to talk the King round and eventually outlived him.

Henry’s reign left many of the churches in England and Wales in the romantic ruins they are today, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries and his split from Rome and the establishment of the Church of England, left a religious legacy throughout the British Isles.

What Henry didn’t leave was a clear line of succession. His son Edward VI was just a boy when he became king of England and reigned for just 5 years, leaving England in dispute between his two daughters, the Catholic Mary and the Protestant Elizabeth.