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King Henry VIII: The Man Who Married Six Times!

King Henry VIII, the infamous King of England. He’s a fixture in British history and a name that everyone knows. He was a powerful and influential ruler, but his most famous accomplishment was undoubtedly the fact that he married…six times.
Yes, that’s right – the King who was married six times. That’s one marriage for every two wives! King Henry VIII was a man who wasn’t afraid of commitment – or at least, not afraid of proposing multiple times!
But why did King Henry VIII marry so often? Well, it would be wrong to assume that it was just because he was an attention-seeking monarch, although an argument could be made for that! His marriages served a variety of different purposes, from providing him with a male heir to cementing diplomatic relationships. He certainly wasn’t a serial romantic, either; his marriages were carefully calculated and politically motivated.
Let’s explore a bit more about King Henry VIII, his six wives, and his extraordinary life.

King Henry VIII

King Henry VIII was born in 1491, the second son of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. His elder brother, Arthur, was set to be the next King of England, leaving Henry with a life of leisure and security.
However, when Arthur died suddenly in the spring of 1502, Henry was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. At the age of 11, he became heir to the throne, and suddenly the course of history was changed.
At the age of just 17, he was crowned King Henry VIII of England. He was young, ambitious, and determined to make his mark. He wanted to be remembered as a great ruler, and so he set about making his grand plans a reality.

King Henry’s Wives

The six wives of Henry VIII
The six wives of Henry VIII
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon

King Henry VIII’s first wife was Catherine of Aragon. She had been married to his brother Arthur before he died, and Henry had been betrothed to her since he was a young boy. They were married in 1509, after Henry became King.

Catherine had already borne him a daughter, Mary, but unfortunately, she was unable to produce a male heir. This was a major problem, as Henry wanted an heir to continue his line. As a result, he decided to find another wife who could provide him with a son. He had other children, his first known son Henry Fitzroy was born in 1519, but they had to be born in wedlock (ina  marriage) to become heir to the English throne, otherwise the marriage could well have lasted.
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn

His next wife was Anne Boleyn, a lady-in-waiting to Catherine. She was young, beautiful, and a very clever woman. Henry was instantly taken with her, and he soon proposed marriage to her.

But this was difficult, as Catherine was still his wife. To get around this problem, Henry petitioned the Pope to annul his marriage to Catherine. Unfortunately, the Pope refused, and so Henry decided to take matters into his own hands. He declared himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England, allowing him to get the annulment he desired.

He was now free to marry Anne, and so he did. Unfortunately, she too was unable to produce a son. After four pregnancies, and one living daughter, Anne was arrested on false charges of adultery and treason. She was beheaded on 19 May 1536.

Jane Seymour 1
Jane_Seymour

Henry’s third wife was Jane Seymour, another lady-in-waiting to Catherine. She finally provided him with a son, Edward. However, Jane died shortly after giving birth. You’d think he could stop there, but royalty always needs an heir and a spare. Something you may have heard on the news with the current royal family.

AnneCleves
Anne of Cleves

Henry’s fourth wife was Anne of Cleves, a German princess. The marriage was arranged as part of a diplomatic alliance between England and the German state of Cleves. But Henry didn’t care much for her, and soon their marriage was annulled.The portrait sent was said to flatter her a bit too much for his liking. When she turned up, he felt he’d been catfished.

Catherine Howard
Catherine Howard

His fifth wife was Catherine Howard. She was young, beautiful, and a cousin of Anne Boleyn. Unfortunately, she was also very promiscuous, and she was eventually executed on charges of adultery.

Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr

Finally, Henry’s sixth wife was Catherine Parr, who had been married twice before. She was older and more mature than his previous wives, and she was much better able to handle the demands of being Queen. They were married for six years, and she provided Henry with much-needed companionship in his old age. Unfortunately, the poor lady survived Henry VIII but died only a year later in childbirth.

So there you have it – the story of King Henry VIII, the man who married six times. He was a powerful and influential king, and his marriages served a variety of different political, diplomatic, and personal purposes. Any achievements he made were dwarfed by his reputation for marrying. His legacy was surpassed by his daughters, whose dynasty ended with tthem.

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