The King's TBI

 

   Many people become train wrecks by causing  lots of damage to their circle of acquaintances but are soon forgotten by history. Not so with Henry VIII. Henry dragged England into foolish wars, destroyed an ancient religious culture, and killed friends and family because they got in his way then regretted some of  it on his deathbed. 

  My initial reaction is to call Henry a bad dude, but who am I to judge? Going deeper into Henry's complicated story causes me to reconsider. Henry had started life as the spare heir to his older brother Arthur, Prince of Wales. When Henry was 10. Arthur died of no one is sure what. At the time it was called "a malign vapor".

  Arthur had married Catherine of Aragon shortly before his death. This was an important diplomatic tie with Spain and Henry was expected to take his brother's place as Catherine's husband. Henry was allowed to wait until he was 17 to marry the 23 year old Catherine. Henry's father died soon after and Henry became king. He immediately executed two of his father's ministers he didn't like. This was how he went on to handle people who got in his way throughout his reign. He would accuse anyone he didn't like of treason and have them beheaded.

  Henry and Catherine got along well and she soon gave him a son, the heir Henry believed he needed. Unfortunately baby Henry died at seven weeks. Catherine had several stillbirths. Failed pregnancies would plague Henry through his following marriages. Henry blamed his wives but historians now think he had a genetic condition that led to the failed pregnancies.

   Henry joined Spain in a war against France. Henry dreamed of gaining a large chunk of land in France but the war was a failure. Henry again invaded France and had some minor success but England was broke and Henry signed a peace treaty with France. Henry now turned to getting a male heir by having his marriage to Catherine annulled so he could marry Anne Boleyn. The bishop who failed to to get the annulment was accused of treason but died before he could be beheaded.

   Henry took England out of the Catholic Church so he could form his own church and marry Anne. Catholic clergy who resisted Henry's actions were executed. The church controlled a quarter of the farmland in England, and by dissolving the monasteries Henry could sell the lands and refill his treasury.

   Henry went on to behead two wives and the ministers he believed were responsible for not finding him a suitable wife. With increasing age, Henry's behavior became more unpredictable. What was his problem? In his younger days Henry had been handsome and athletic. When he was 44 he was badly injured in a jousting accident. The accident may have affected  Henry's personality and temperament. He had also suffered head injuries in jousts. More recent studies indicate he had a blood disease that led to his physical and mental decline. Whatever the reason, it was dangerous to be around Henry for those he didn't like.

   I haven't mentioned any of Henry's good qualities. I just read a series of excerpts from historians from Henry's day up to the present. He was a mixed bag is the best and the worst that can be said of him. I'll have to leave it at that.