The Wives of Henry VIII

Henry VIII

• Henry VIII was king of England from 1509 until 1547.

• He was born in 1491, and was only 17 years and 10 months old when he became king.

• Henry composed music, which we can listen to at

http://www.brims.co.uk/tudors/henry.html

Henry VIII

Catherine of Aragon• Born in Spain• Had been married to Henry’s

brother Arthur who died• Married Henry in 1509• She had six children but only

one survived – a daughter, Mary

• After 20 years of marriage Henry tried to get her to become a nun, she refused

• Henry changed history and divorced Catherine. He had fallen in love with her lady in waiting.

• Catherine would be forever separated from her daughter

Anne Boleyn• Born in England• Henry and Anne were married in

1533 in secret – because Henry hadn’t got rid of his first wife yet!

• Had two children but only one survived, a daughter, Elizabeth

• When she gave birth to a still-born son, Henry was convinced that God thought that his marriage was wrong, because the annulment had been wrong, and that he was cursing him by not giving him a son.

• Later Anne was arrested for being unfaithful to Henry

• She was beheaded at the Tower of London.

Jane Seymour• Born in England• Maid-in-waiting to Anne

Boleyn• Jane was betrothed to

Henry within 24 hrs of Anne’s death

• She had one child, a son, Edward (who would die at age 16)

• Jane died two weeks after giving birth

• Buried with Henry VIII

Anne of Cleves• Born in Germany• Married her to form an

alliance with Germany• Henry had a painting of

her made but when he met her he thought she was ugly and called her an ugly horse.

• They married but did not live together

• They had no children• Henry divorced her

Catherine Howard• Born in England• She was the lady in waiting

for Anne• She was very attractive and

19 when she married a 50 year old Henry.

• They had no children, mainly because she didn’t like Henry and had lots of other boyfriends!

• Henry wasn’t very happy about this, and she was beheaded in 1542.

Catherine Parr• Born in England• She had been married

twice before• They had no children• Henry married her to

look after him in his old age

• She outlived him as Henry died in 1547 and she died in 1548.

The Wives of Henry VIII

Anne Boleyn

Catherine HowardCatherine ParrAnne of Cleves

Jane SeymourCatherine of

Aragon

Questions

• Did she have children?

Yes No

• Was she beheaded?

Yes No

Yes

Anne Boleyn Catherine Howard

Back to question page.

UNFAITHFUL

No

Catherine of Aragon

Divorced

Catherine Parr

Married until Henry’s death

Anne of Cleves

Divorced

Jane Seymour

Died after childbirth

Back to question page

Yes

Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth

Jane Seymour and Edward

Catherine of Aragon and

Mary

Back to question page.

No

Back to question page.

Anne of Cleves. Henry

thought she was ugly so no babies!!

Catherine Howard was to

disgusted with Henry

to have babies.

Catherine Parr. Some say to old to produce children.

Trivia

• Henry was an accomplished musician. It is believed that he wrote the song Greensleeves for Anne Bolyn.

• It is rumored that Anne Bolyn had six fingers on one hand.

• All six wives were descended from Edward I.

• Anne Bolyn’s motto was “grumble all you like, this is how it is going to be.”

The codpiece• The codpiece developed into a fashion

accessory from the need to fasten the two legs of the trousers together with a bulky seam.

• It soon became a symbol of male virility.

• Henry had an obsession in his need for a male heir. It was understood at court that no one’s ostentatious codpiece was allowed to be bigger than Henry’s.

Images taken from:

www.puzzlehistory.com/ store99.htm  - Slide 1www.britannia.com/ bios/caragon.html - Catherine of Aragonwww.britannia.com/ bios/aboleyn.html -Anne Boleynwww.mamalee.com/bklah.html - Jane Seymourwww.britannia.com/ bios/acleves.html - Anne of Clevesgen.culpepper.com/historical/ howard/default.htm - Catherine Howardwww.britannia.com/ bios/cparr.html - Catherine Parr