1. The Six Wives of Henry VIII

2. was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death.
He was Lord, and later assumed the Kingship, of Ireland, and continued the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France.

3. Bet you didn’t know that Henry was…
second-born son of Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth
raised to become the Head of the Church of England, so he studied theology
a devout Catholic
married his brother’s widow = Catherine of Aragon (Catholic King of Spain Ferdinand and Queen Isabella’s daughter)

5. How about some background?
Catherine was born in Spain in 1485
At the age of 3, she was betrothed to Prince Arthur (he was 1 year younger)
She travelled to England to meet and marry Arthur when she was 15, in November 1501
Arthur died in April 1502 after 6 months of marriage, leaving her a widow by 17
The alliance between Spain and England was now in jeopardy
It was decided that Catherine would marry Henry – when he was older (he was 6 years younger)

6. The Pope and Kings of Spain and England agreed to the Dispensation
HOWEVER...
Henry VII needed to obtain special permission from the Pope (known as a papal dispensation) for this marriage
Catherine stated that the marriage was nullified as it was not consummated
Dispensation necessary, as it could have been seen as incestuous and unacceptable to God, according to Leviticus:
‘Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife; it is thy brother’s nakedness’ (Leviticus 18:16)
‘If a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing; he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless’ (Leviticus 20)
The Pope and Kings of Spain and England agreed to the Dispensation

7. Marriage #1: Henry and Catherine of Aragon 1509- 1533
Married in 1509 and crowned King and Queen that same year
At first, said to have a happy marriage
Male heir (Henry, Duke of Cornwall) died at 2 months
Three other babies died
Finally had a surviving daughter, Mary (Feb )

8. Those old wild oats...
H8 takes a mistress, Emily (Bessie) Blount, and had a male heir – Henry Fitzroy
Realized he could produce a male heir
Wanted a legitimate one
Also his affair with Mary Boleyn, sister to Anne, produced a son, Henry Carey (later Lord Hundson)

9. Problem as seen by H8
Believed that God prevented him and Catherine from having a male heir
Wanted to know what he did to deserve God’s wrath
Decided it was because he married Catherine

10. H8 speaks to the Pope Now what is H8 going to do?
H8 speaks to Pope Clement VII and tries to let him know that the dispensation received earlier was meaningless = wants an annulment
However, Catherine’s nephew, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V opposed the annulment
Clement favours Charles over Henry
Now what is H8 going to do?

11. So what did Henry do?? This debate lasted about 6 years
Catherine did not want an annulment, and wanted to secure her position and that of her daughter Mary
During this time, Henry falls in love with one of Catherine’s ladies, Anne Boleyn
1533, Anne became pregnant- this made matters speed up quite a bit as she was carrying his heir (boy??)
So what did Henry do??

12. Henry 8 = Supreme Head of the New Church of England
He rejected the power and authority of the Pope
Had Archbishop of Canterbury issue an annulment of his marriage to Catherine
Catherine was separated from Mary
Catherine became `Princess Dowager’
Mary was exiled and deemed illegitimate

13. Marriage #2: H8 and Anne Boleyn 1533-1536
Became the scapegoat for all of the unpopular decisions made during their marriage
‘a woman who is the scandal of Christendom’

14. Anne’s marriage to Henry
Gave birth to daughter, Elizabeth, Sept
Henry proclaimed her his heir, though she was 17 years younger than Mary
Anne miscarried next two pregnancies (both boys)
This caused her to lose favour with Henry
How does Henry get rid of Anne?

15. Anne the Heretic ‘The Tudors’
Henry has her arrested and charged with adultery, witchcraft and incest
Eventually tried for adultery and treason
Executed by a skilled swordsman from France
‘I have heard that the executioner is very good. And I have a little neck.’
(BTW- Anne was buried in a pine coffin that was too small for her – they tucked her head in beside her  )
‘The Tudors’

16. Marriage #3: Henry and Jane Seymour 1536- 1537
24 hours after Anne’s execution, Henry announced his engagement to Jane
Gave birth to a son, Edward
Jane dies due to complications with childbirth
Marriage lasted one year
DYK: Jane is the only one of Henry's wives to be buried next to him

18. Marriage #4: Henry and Anne of Cleves 1540
Married Anne not based on love, but on political alliance
Did not like or love Anne – called her a ‘Flanders Mare’
Married and divorced in referred to as the ‘King’s sister’

19. Marriage #5: Henry and Kathryn Howard
16 days after end of #4, married 19 year old Kathryn
(H8=49)
Rumoured infidelity – a lot of it! - during the marriage led to her execution

20. Marriage #6: Henry and Katherine Parr
Henry was her 3rd husband
Was an influence on Elizabeth and Edward
She buried Henry 8
Married Jane Seymour’s uncle upon Henry’s death

21. Tudor Family Tree

22. The Six wives video tribute
The Six wives video tribute