The sole survivor was Mary, born on 18 February 1516 CE. License. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was the King of England from 1509 until his death in 1547. Moreover, in Thomas Wolsey, who organized his first campaign in France, Henry discovered his first outstanding minister. He is famous for having been married six times and for wielding the most untrammeled power of any British monarch. He was an excellent student and athlete who enjoyed hunting and dancing. By 1515 Wolsey was archbishop of York, lord chancellor of England, and a cardinal of the church; more important, he was the king’s good friend, to whom was gladly left the active conduct of affairs. This was achieved by the Act of Supremacy of 28 November 1534 CE and meant that Henry, and all subsequent English monarchs, only had one higher authority: God himself. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Cartwright, M. (2020, April 09). He was the second son and third child of his father, Henry VII.His elder brother Arthur died in April, 1502, and consequently Henry became heir to the throne when he was not yet quite eleven years old. Nevertheless, the years from 1515 to 1527 were marked by Wolsey’s ascendancy, and his initiatives set the scene. Thank you! The former was Henry's magnificent flagship ship but it sank in the Solent River in 1545 CE with the loss of 500 lives. The fleet included the great warships Mary Rose and Henry Grâce à Dieu (aka 'Great Harry'). "Henry VIII of England." Henry VIII of England. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. According to History, the court of Henry VIII was one of history's most opulent.Evidently, no one taught Henry the value of money when he was a child, because just one year after inheriting the throne at the age of 18, he blew most of the kingdom's annual revenue on Christmas parties.Yes, everyone loves an epic party, and plenty of modern people go into debt so that they can buy nice … Henry had an illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond (b. Henry VIII, king of England (1509–47) who presided over the start of the English Renaissance and the English Reformation. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Parliament passes an act to close all monasteries in England and Wales regardless of size. The solution seemed to be a letter to the Pope suggesting that the lack of a male heir was God's punishment for Henry marrying the wife of his late brother, a point supported by the Old Testament (the 'Prohibition of Leviticus', Leviticus ch. Last modified April 09, 2020. And as we shall see, none of his four branches would bear fruit. To pay for these expensive on-off wars in Scotland and France, Henry was obliged to sell off the lands he had confiscated from the Church to any noble who put in a decent offer. The king carefully selected a group of wise men to rule his kingdom for him and chief amongst these was Thomas Wolsey (l. c. 1473-1530 CE). Read more. At the age of three, Henry’s older brother was made Prince of Wales. Anne insisted on marrying the king before any thoughts could be entertained of raising a family. A few weeks later Henry married his third wife, Jane Seymour, a lady-in-waiting at court, and she finally gave the king a son, Edward, born on 12 October 1537 CE. Henry was succeeded by his son Edward VI, crowned in Westminster Abbey on 20 February 1547 CE. Anne was found guilty and executed at the Tower of London in May 1536 CE. Soon after his accession, Henry married Catherine of Aragon, Arthur’s widow, and the attendant lavish entertainments ate into the modest royal reserves. Named after the legendary king of Camelot, Arthur was engaged as a toddler to Catherine of Aragon, the youngest daughter of World History Encyclopedia. When Henry was two, he was appointed the Constable of Dover Castle by his father, as well as the Lord Warden of Cinque Ports. Henry married her anyway but, rudely calling her the 'Flanders mare', changed his mind a few months later and they divorced by mutual consent on 9 July 1540 CE. Related Content Ancient History Encyclopedia has a new name! Henry VIII of England, the diurnal South-eastern quadrant, consisting of the 10th, 11th and 12th houses, prevails in your chart: assertion and goals achievement are at the centre of your concerns. 20 v. 21). They would be replaced from 1540 CE by the Privy Council, which regained some of its former function and so high government once again involved a cabinet of ministers rather than a single all-powerful one who could monopolise the king. 5 Henry Didn’t Write The Song ‘Greensleeves’ For generations, people have associated the song … The second Tudor king after his father Henry VII of England (r. 1485-1509 CE), Henry had inherited a kingdom which enjoyed both unity and sound finances. Henry was a keen scholar of theology and he had no intention of leaving such an important institution as the Church to its own devices. He was the second of the Tudor dynasty. JJS. Succeeding... Elizabeth I reigned as queen of England from 1558 to 1603 CE. Finally, the remote north of England was kept in tighter check by the establishment of the Council of the North after 1536 CE. Born in Winchester Castle in September 1486—a scant nine months after his parent's marriage—Arthur was the eldest of King Henry VII's four surviving children with Elizabeth of York. Another move towards independence was the king's approval for a translation of the Bible in English in 1539 CE. In addition, he had several children who died soon after birth and an illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, who died at age 17. Henry VIII (1491–1547) was the second king in the Tudor dynasty who famously had six wives and established the Church of England. Henry VIII would have three more wives, but no more children to carry on his line. He was 15 years old. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Her spoiled brat of a brother not only went overboard at the altar; he also spoiled Margaret's marriage by killing her husband. Nonsuch was not completed until after the king's death and, after going through various owners, was finally demolished in the 17th century CE. Seeking to annul his union to Catherine of Aragon, he separated the English church from the Catholic hierarchy. Tragically, Jane died shortly after and Henry genuinely mourned her passing; of all his wives it is significant that this was the one he wished to be buried alongside. Henry married Elizabeth of York (b. Mary Tudor was the only child of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon to survive into adulthood. Web. Although he visited England during Mary I's reign he was nowhere near England at the time of Henry VIII's death. In Charles, the crowns of Spain, Burgundy (with the Netherlands), and Austria were united in an overwhelming complex of power that reduced all the dynasties of Europe, with the exception of France, to an inferior position. Europe was being kept on the boil by rivalries between the French and Spanish kingdoms, mostly over Italian claims; and, against the advice of his older councillors, Henry in 1512 joined his father-in-law, Ferdinand II of Aragon, against France and ostensibly in support of a threatened pope, to whom the devout king for a long time paid almost slavish respect. The next scene in this momentous drama came in 1536 CE when Henry presented Parliament with a bill to abolish all monasteries in his kingdom, the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Married six times, he left a minor heir and a … Not for nothing was he a champion of the medieval tournaments his father had loved to organise. He was baptised by Richard Fox, the Bishop of Exeter, at a church of the Observant F… Catherine was executed in the Tower of London in February 1542 CE. Henry changed tack and his sister, Mary (b. In 1518 CE, Henry settled for the status quo in Europe and a mutual defence agreement was signed with France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. One of his successors as sole minister to the king was an equally ambitious individual, Thomas Cromwell (l. c. 1485-1540 CE), son of a blacksmith. Certainly not everyone, however, was in agreement with Henry's break from the Pope. The sixth and final wife was Catherine Parr, already a two-time widow. Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! The House of Lancaster had finally defeated the House of York but Henry, crowned Henry VII of England in October 1485 CE, was intent on creating a brand new ruling house: the Tudors. These, and the children they bore, were: The king's first marriage to Catherine of Aragon produced six children but all except one died in infancy. He was the second monarch of the Tudor dynasty, succeeding his father, Henry VII of England. Consultant editor for the. In short, Henry was an intelligent and charismatic character who charmed all he met. It is important to remember though, that Henry was not dead set on reforming the doctrine of the Church; his commitment to traditional Catholic practices such as mass, confession and clerical celibacy, is evidenced in the 1539 CE Act of Six Articles. Henry was buried in Saint George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, next to his late third wife, Jane Seymour. The son of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth York, Henry VIII … The king's next eldest son, Henry, born on 28 June 1491 CE at Greenwich Palace, became the heir to the throne and in 1503 CE he was made the Prince of Wales. Despite Henry's sister Margaret (b. Both men would be tried for treason. The Dissolution of the Monasteries was a policy introduced in 1536... Edward VI of England reigned as king from 1547 to 1553 CE. When Henry VII died of illness on 21 April 1509 CE, Prince Henry became king. 30 people found this helpful. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2021) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Henry VII had seen off a few final challenges to his rule and set about filling the state coffers as much as he could, strengthening the crown and weakening the nobility in the process. Henry was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV. Both Wolsey and Cromwell would eventually displease the king - the former for his lack of success in resolving the 'great matter' and the latter for the Anne of Cleves debacle. However, when the king discovered that Anne had had an affair and his eye had been caught by his next wife, he ordered her execution. Unfortunately, Arthur died the next year aged just 15. Henry, perpetually in search of a male heir, went through an incredible six wives. Edward was only nine and he would die of tuberculosis in 1553 CE aged 15. When Thomas Cromwell took over the case, Henry's will was pushed to its logical conclusion: England would run its own Church free from the obligations of Rome. As he passed his prime he became suspicious, capricious, devious and sometimes cruel. However, of his several invasions across the Channel, none were particularly successful, despite a minor naval victory at the Battle of the Spurs (16 August 1513 CE). Catherine of Aragonby Unknown Artist (Public Domain). The simple fact that women gave birth to heirs to the throne gave them a pivotal role; some Tudor women were more active in shaping their role in history than others. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Henry_VIII_of_England/. Famous for his six wives as he searched for a male heir, the king was charismatic and domineering. Born at Greenwich Palace, Henry Tudor was the third child and second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. The Treaty of More renews friendly relations between England and France. His special interests include pottery, architecture, world mythology and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share in common. Henry had therefore received little tutoring in politics and government, and was happy to rely on his friend Wolsey to advise him. Corrections? Henry VIII Tudor, King of England was born on 28 June 1491 at Greenwich Palace, Greenwich, London, England.2 He was the son of Henry VII Tudor, King of England and Elizabeth Plantagenet.3 He married, firstly, Catarina de Aragón, Infanta de Aragón, daughter of Fernando II, Rey de España and Isabella I, Reina de Castilla, on 11 June 1509 at Grey Friars Church, Greenwich, London, England… Ireland proved a little more difficult, but the king's ambition to create a centralised kingdom is indicated by his adoption of the title 'King of Ireland' in 1541 CE where previous English kings had only called themselves 'Lord of Ireland'. It provoked a serious reaction in England, and Henry concluded that Wolsey’s usefulness might be coming to an end. Henry had an older brother, Arthur, who was born in 1486. He was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York . King of England, born 28 June, 1491; died 28 January, 1547.. Despite Campeggio's efforts, nothing was resolved. The king died on 28 January 1547 CE at Whitehall Palace in London, he was 55 years old. Henry VII was keen to maintain friendly relations with Spain and so Prince Henry, after special permission was gained from the Pope, was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Henry VIII also made good use of Parliament and that institution went from strength to strength as his reign went on. Sometime in December 1532 CE, Anne, perhaps seeing a baby as the best way to rid herself of her rival Catherine, did sleep with the king and became pregnant. Catherine suffered the same fate as Anne Boleyn when she, too, was accused of having an extramarital affair with a member of the court, one Thomas Culpeper, and an incriminating love letter was produced at her hearing before Parliament. Born on June 28, 1491, he was the second son of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York. "Henry VIII of England." A good many subjects were keen to see reform in the Church and so continue the Protestant Reformation movement that was sweeping across Europe. Helpful. You are very keen to implement your dreams and your plans. Cite This Work In order to escape his first marriage, Henry set himself against the Pope and so began the Reformation of the Church in England whereby it broke away from Rome and the English monarch became its supreme head. Henry VIII of England ruled as king from 1509 to 1547 CE. Henry Tudor had defeated and killed Richard III of England (r. 1483-1485 CE) at the Battle of Bosworth in August 1485 CE in the last major action of England’s dynastic dispute known as the Wars of the Roses (1455-1487 CE). Henry VIII was born on the 28th of June 1491 in Greenwich, near London. The prince was also a fine archer, horseman and tennis player, and when he was at rest he composed poetry and music and brushed up on his impressive knowledge of theology. Constantly changing alliances between nations dominated Europe in the 16th century. Henry's mother, Margaret Beaufort, was a descendant of the Lancastrian branch of the House of Plantagenet. Many regarded the Church as too rich and too full of priests abusing their position. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Henry and his ministers exploited the dislike inspired by his father’s energetic pursuit of royal rights by sacrificing, without a thought, some of the unpopular institutions and some of the men that had served his predecessor. The most notable episode of unrest was in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire where Catholics gathered in protest in the so-called Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 CE. Contrary to the later and more famous portraits of Henry VIII, in his youth the king cut an athletic figure and, 1.9 metres (6 ft 3 in) tall with red hair and beard, an imposing one. Further, it was unlikely that Catherine and Arthur, being so young at the time, had ever slept together and so the 'Prohibition of Leviticus' did not in this case apply. 5.0 out of 5 stars Really well written, perfect for the expert and the novice. Early on, his subjects admired and praised him, but as he grew more un… A son of Henry VII, he was the second monarch of the Tudor dynasty, succeeding his father. A larger-than-life figure, Henry centralised government, further absorbed Wales into his kingdom, saw to the Dissolution of the Monasteries, formed the Royal Navy and built magnificent palaces such as St. James' in London. He was born in 1491. Prince Arthur of England, first husband of. Anne Boleyn. Unfortunately for Henry, Pope Clement VII (r. 1523-1534 CE) was keen to keep good favour with the most powerful ruler in Europe at the time, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles V of Spain (r. 1519-1556 CE), who was, significantly, the nephew of Catherine. In fact, Henry VIII even likely caused the destruction of the tomb of his namesake: Henry I. Henry I was the son of William the Conqueror, and reigned for nearly 30 years from 1106 to 1135. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Henry VIII (28 Jun 1491–28 Jan 1547), Find a Grave Memorial no. English was made the official language, and Welsh was banned in official circles. 1466 CE), daughter of Edward IV of England (r. 1461-70 & 1471-83 CE), on 18 January 1486 CE and he even combined the livery badges of York and Lancaster to create a new royal symbol: the Tudor Rose. Born in 1457, to Margaret Beaufort and Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, Henry Tudor became, through his mother's side of the family, the leading claimant to the Lancastrian throne during the English civil war known as the War of the Roses. Waltham Abbey is the last monastery in England to close. Cartwright, Mark. We are now World History Encyclopedia to better reflect the breadth of our non-profit organization's mission. During Henry's early years, hi He Adored His Sister (At First) Edward absolutely adored his eldest sister Mary, once writing “I … Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Henry was the second son of Henry VII, first of the Tudor line, and Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV, first king of the short-lived line of York. Wolsey was eventually accused of treason but he died on his way to trial in 1530 CE. He was 17 years old, 64 tall, athletic, handsome, exuberant, and intelligent. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Six feet tall, powerfully built, and a tireless athlete, huntsman, and dancer, he promised England the joys of spring after the long winter of Henry VII’s reign. Please support World History Encyclopedia Foundation. These include various degrees of pain, restless leg syndrome, burning, bleeding, itching, fatigue and unsightly appearances due to swelling and discoloration. , Duke of Richmond ( b and the novice probably suffered from diabetes circulatory... 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