Who is henry viii

But the lack of a male heir—especially after he fathered a healthy illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy, in —gnawed at the king. The king decided to seek a papal annulment that would free him to remarry.

Wolsey was forced from power for his failure and died in awaiting trial for treason. In Henry and Anne Boleyn were married, and their daughter Elizabeth was born. Mary was declared illegitimate and Elizabeth named his heir. In January of Henry was unhorsed and injured during a jousting tournament.

When news of his accident reached the pregnant Anne, she miscarried, delivering a stillborn son. Henry then spurned her, turning his affections to another woman of his court, Jane Seymour.

Within six months he had executed Anne for treason and incest and married Jane, who quickly gave him a son the future Edward VI but died two weeks later. Anne of Cleves was a political bride, chosen to cement an alliance with her brother, the ruler of a Protestant duchy in Germany.

The marriage only lasted a few days before Henry had it annulled. He then married Catherine Howard, but two years later she too was beheaded for treason and adultery. In the last years of his reign Henry grew moody, obese and suspicious, hobbled by personal intrigues and by the persistent leg wound from his jousting injury.

His final marriage, to the widow Catherine Parr in , saw his reconciliation with Mary and Elizabeth, who were restored to the line of succession. His 9-year-old son Edward VI succeeded him as king but died six years later. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Greenwich Palace and the Tudors. Icons: The Armada Portrait.

Buy Now. Discover the rich royal history of the area where Henry VIII built his first tournament ground, Elizabeth I took daily walks in the Park, and where Charles II raced early royal yachts against his brother Visit Us.

Search Want to search our collection? Just months after being stripped of her title of queen, Henry had Katherine beheaded in February Oil on Panel, 16th Century Private Collection. Katherine had many ties to the royal family from a young age. She was named after Katherine of Aragon, and the Parr family were close to the original royal couple.

Her friendship with Mary, Henry's daughter, was how she eventually met Henry. However, she convinced Henry she was loyal to him. Henry trusted her so much that in the event of his death, he named her Queen Regent. The king died at fifty-five in January Though remembered as one of Henry's wives, Katherine has her place in history: with four husbands, Katherine Parr is England's most-married queen.

She was also an important patron of letters and the arts, as well as being the first woman to be published under her own name. She was a key early influence on her stepdaughter Elizabeth I. Discover more. The Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I. Buy Now. Discover the rich royal history of the area where Henry VIII built his first tournament ground, Elizabeth I took daily walks in the Park, and where Charles II raced early royal yachts against his brother Icons: The Armada Portrait.