When we were planning our trip to England in 2018 I read a thick history about England’s history. With the knowledge I gained along with lots of Masterpiece Theatre, I was able to pass the test given to new citizens to the United Kingdom. I felt extra smug when I learned Meghan Markle had flunked the test the first time she took it.
I wonder if Meghan got any questions about Henry VIII's six wives. By the time we took off for England I only got as far as Henry VIII in my history book, so I do very well on trivia question about this king. He's fascinating and repellant at the same time.
He only got to be king because his father Henry VII had stepped in and taken the throne to put an end to the Wars of the Roses. The kingdom was in a shambles after the wars and Henry the elder, an excellent administrator, put things back in order. Henry's older brother Arthur died leaving the way open for Henry. In fact Henry took over Arthur's wife Catherine of Aragon.
Henry became king in 1508 at the age of 18. He was tall, athletic and good looking. Everyone loved him. He and Isabella got along well, but after 24 years of marriage she had produced only a daughter and not the son Henry felt he needed to succeed him.
Henry took a liking to Anne Boleyn but could not get an annulment from Catherine so he started his own church whose new bishops gave him the annulment he wanted. Catherine was demoted to Princess of Wales and moved into her own castle where she died of cancer three years later.
Anne and Henry also got along well, but Anne too produced only a daughter and no sons. It was no more Mr. Nice Guy for Henry. He got rid of Anne by making up treason charges against her and having her beheaded. The day after Anne's execution, Henry got engaged to Jane Seymour.
Jane and Henry got along very well and very soon she produced the male heir as was her duty, according to Henry. Unfortunately, Jane died of complications of childbirth two weeks later. Now Henry decided to find a wife in Europe. The Germans proposed Princess Anne of Cleves. Henry sent his official artist to Cleves to make a portrait. Once Henry met Anne he felt the artist had been too kind to Anne. For diplomatic reasons, Henry went ahead with the wedding but made no attempt to have another heir with Anne.
After six months Henry had the marriage annulled. Anne was demoted to "the King's beloved sister." She was given a castle of her own where she lived another 17 years. Next up was Lady Catherine Howard. He was 49, she was around 18, no one knows for sure. Henry was foolish to marry this young girl. Catherine was even more foolish to betray a husband who could have her head. He went after the boyfriends as well, beheading two of them on this day in 1541. Catherine lost her head the following February.
Henry had time for one more wife. Two years after Catherine’s beheading he married his third cousin Catherine Parr. Though Catherine was relatively young, she remained faithful to Henry and busied herself making a happy home for Henry's children, Mary, Elizabeth and little Prince Edward.
Henry grew obese in his later years and had to be moved about in a fancy wheelchair. He died at age 55. Edward took over but died at age 15. Catherine of Aragon's daughter Mary became queen, but she died after five tumultuous years. She preferred burning her enemies rather than beheading them.
Elizabeth was the one who lasted. She had watched her father’s escapades and never married. An entire age is named after her.
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| Queen Meghan I? It could happen. |
Henry was a wanton murderer who beheaded Anne Boleyn. Hers was only a start. He should have been publicly drawn and quartered and his head mounted on a stake in the city square with a sign below that read, "This is what we do to wife abusers of any stripe or rank. Check your chromosomes, you ejits: the sex of a child is determined by the man not the woman."
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