Post on 30-Dec-2015
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