Who was Henry VIII?

Henry VIII is one of England’s most famous

monarchs. He is part of the Tudor dynasty, the
family that ruled England from 1485 to 1603.

Henry is famous for his furious temper, often

executing those who angered him, and his love
of feasting.

Perhaps most famously, he is remembered for

having six wives.
 Henry’s Six Wives
Click on each wife for information about them.

Catherine of Aragon Anne Boleyn Jane Seymour

1485 - 1536 c.1501 - 1536 c.1508 - 1537

Anne of Cleves Catherine Howard Catherine Parr

1515 - 1557 c.1523 - 1542 c.1512 - 1548
 Catherine of Aragon
Henry
As
After married
divorce
her
Throughout was his
marriage
their first
notmarriage,
to wife,in
allowed
Henry Catherine
was and of
thedeclared
Henry Catholic Aragon,
void,
church,
Catherine
when
Henry
had he
Catherine was
tried
several to17get
retired years olda permission
tospecial
children. live
Sadly,and
quiet she was
life,
however, 23 years
spending
from
only the
onemost
old.
Pope
of herto
child time
annul
survivedin one
his marriage.
past room except
infancy; aThis
when
became
daughter, she Mary,
went
known to
as
pray.
whothewould
King’slater
“Greatgo on Matter”.
to become
Catherine, a Spanish princess, hadQueen of been
previously
England to
married in Henry’s
1553. older brother, Arthur. After
The
She Pope
was forbidden
refused him, fromangering
seeing herHenry.
daughter,
In order to
only
get
Mary,
Henry a unless
his few
way,
was months
Henry of
she accepted
desperate marriage,
decided
for a Anne Arthur
to break
son as the
and fell
England
heir new ill and
queen,
to carry
died.
away
which
on his from
she refused
Rome
legacy. and
As the to do.the Catholic
years passed, church and to
Henry began
instead created
notice Henry
other womenthe Church
at court ofand,
England,
in appointing
When
In late 1535, became
Catherine’s king in 1509,
health he1525,
began decidedfell to
to fail and
in
himself
love th
withhead
Anneof Boleyn,
the church. one of Catherine’s ladies-
marry Catherine
on 7 January himself.
1536, she died at the age of 50.
in-waiting.
In 1533, Henry’s marriage to Catherine was
declared null and
Henry decided thatvoid and Henry
he wanted was free to
to divorce
marry
Catherinehis and
second wife,Anne.
marry Anne Boleyn.

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 Anne Boleyn
Anne wasAnne
In 1533, verygave
skilled in the
birth to aart of diplomacy. She
daughter,
had previously
Elizabeth, who lived
wouldatgo French
on to court
become and knew
one of
how to make
England’s mostfriendships with important
famous queens, Elizabethpeople.
I.
Henry
As was queen,
Henry’s disappointed
Anne wasbut said
believed thathad
to have as they
a lot
were both young, sons would follow. Sadly
of influence in the king’s opinions so many sought for
Anne,
her this was not to be the case and Henry
approval.
began to tire of her.
Unusual for the time, Anne was very spirited and
In early 1536,
opinionated Henry
and oftenstarted
clashedtowith
courtHenry
Jane when
Seymour.
he felt sheJane
spokewas
outmoved
of turn.into quarters near to
the king which infuriated Anne.
On 2nd May 1536, Anne was arrested on charges
of being unfaithful to the king. She was found
guilty of treason and sentenced to death.
On 19th May, Anne was beheaded.

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 Jane Seymour
was part
Jane formed a of a noble
close familywith
friendship thather lived in the
north of England.
stepdaughter MarySheandwas given
tried hardtheto role of lady-
restore her
in-waiting towith
relationship AnneherBoleyn,
father.which is where Henry
first spotted her.
Jane fell pregnant in January 1537 and Henry
Janedelighted.
was and HenryInbecame engaged
September, the day
she gave after
birth to a
Anne’s
son, execution,
Edward. Henrymarrying on 30 as
was overjoyed th May he 1536.
finally
had the son and heir he had always desired.
Jane was said to be gentle-natured, peaceful and
loving. Henry’s
Sadly, She veryjoy
rarely
turnedspoke to Henry
to despair whenabout
Jane
political
fell matters
ill shortly and
after whenbirth.
giving she did,
She hediedwarned
from her
notinfection
an to ‘meddleonin24hisOctober,
th affairs’. devastating Henry.
Jane was buried in St George’s Chapel at
Windsor Castle.

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 Anne of Cleves
Two
Anneyears after Jane’s
and Henry death,
were only Henry’s
married foradvisors
around 6
persuaded
months. Ashim to marry
Henry was soagain. Thomas
unhappy, Cromwell,
he asked
the
Anneking’s chief
for an minister, which
annulment, asked him to consider
she agreed.
marrying Anne of Cleves, a German princess.
As a reward for not fighting the annulment,
After
Anne receiving
was givena lands
portraitandofmoney
Anne, Henry
to keepagreed
her to
the marriage.for
comfortable Anne
life. travelled
She was to England
also referredintolate
as
1539.
the king’s ‘beloved sister’ and it was ordered that
she be couldn’t
Henry treated as thetomost
wait meetimportant
Anne andwoman
travelledin to
England,
meet except
her on Newfor his wife
Year’s Day and
1540.daughters.
He was
disappointed when
Anne stayed in he met
England theher,
restcomplaining
of her life into
Cromwell that
comfort and sheinwas
died nothing
1557 at the like
age her portrait
of 41.
and he didn’t like her.
Despite his protests, Henry and Anne were married
on 6th January 1540.

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 Catherine Howard
Catherine
During herHoward came
marriage, to courtbegan
Catherine as a lady-in-
a
waiting to Anne
relationship withofone
Cleves and
of the she quickly
king’s caught
groomsmen,
Henry’s
Thomas eye.Culpeper. This, along with the fact that
Catherine
On had1540,
28th July beenHenry
in relationships
and Catherinebefore her
married.
marriage
She and17not
was just toldold.
years the king about them, was
discovered in November 1541.
Catherine was very young and carefree, spending
her time dressing inCatherine
On 23 rd November, was stripped
the new clothes Henry of her
gave
titleregularly
her as queen and
and dancing.
imprisoned. She was found
guilty of treason against the king and sentenced
She found her role as stepmother to Henry’s
to death.
children difficult, particularly with his eldest
Catherine was beheaded on 10 th February
daughter, Mary, who was older than Catherine. 1542.

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 Catherine Parr
On queen,
Henry’s
As 28th final
January,
Catherine
wife,1547,
Catherine
showed
Henryskill
Parr,
died.
when
had
Before
been
dealing
his
married
with
death,matters
hetwice
hadofordered
previously.
state. She
thatBoth
also
Catherine
acted
husbandsas
wasregent
had
to be
died
and Catherine
when
given a
Henry
largewent
sum
wastoofa money
war
wealthy
in France
and
widow.
treated
in 1544.
with
great respect.
Henry firstfelt
Catherine noticed
it wasCatherine
her dutyafter
to bring
she the
tookaging
a
position
king
She married
closer
in his
toher
his
daughter
sweetheart,
children.
Mary’s
SheThomas
was
household.
able
Seymour,
to
persuade
the following
HenryMay to and
restore
hadboth
a daughter,
Mary and Mary,
They were married on 12 th July 1543. Catherine
Elizabeth
with him. to the line of succession, meaning they
was around 31 years old and Henry was 52 years
were in line to the throne after Edward.
old. shortly after giving birth, Catherine
Sadly,
caught a fever and died on 5 th September 1548
aged 36.

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