Henry VIII

Henry VIII (1491–1547) was one of England’s most famous kings. During his 38-year reign, this Tudor monarch is mostly remembered for marrying six times and for starting the English Reformation, which turned England into a protestant country. Learn more about this clever, handsome and popular king who won the hearts of the English people, but was also seen as a bully and a tyrant. Then use our printable resources below to test your findings.

Fun Facts

• Henry’s three children – Edward, Mary and Elizabeth – all grew up to become Tudor monarchs (Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I).
• Henry had an extravagant lifestyle and died owing a lot of money. During his lifetime, he built (or altered) over 50 palaces and royal houses, including St James’s Palace and Hampton Court.
• Use this rhyme to remember what happened to Henry’s six wives: ‘Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived.’

A Quote from Henry VIII

“Of all losses, time is the most irrecuperable for it can never be redeemed.”

A short biography of Henry VIII

Henry VIII was born in 1491 in Greenwich Palace, England, to King Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York. Henry had an older brother, Arthur, and two sisters, Mary and Margaret.

As a young prince, Henry had a privileged education. He learnt many languages and could sing and play instruments. He also loved sport and hunting. But his life changed dramatically at the age of ten, when his 15-year-old brother Arthur died, leaving Henry next in line to the throne.

Seven years later, in 1509, Henry’s father died, and Henry became King of England. He was just 17 years old. In need of a wife, he decided to marry Arthur’s widow, a Spanish princess called Catherine of Aragon, who had only been married to Arthur for a few months before he died. Henry needed the Pope’s permission, however, because the Bible said a man should not marry his brother’s wife.

Henry was a handsome, clever king and loved hosting expensive parties. But he didn’t like people disagreeing with him! During his reign, he greatly expanded the power of the monarch, which meant he could order people who fell out of favour to be imprisoned, or even executed!

Henry and Catherine were married for nearly 24 years, but they only had one surviving child, a girl called Mary. Henry became increasingly desperate for a son to inherit his throne. Frustrated at his situation, he fell in love with one of Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting (assistants), Anne Boleyn.

Henry wanted to divorce Catherine so he could marry Anne, but the Pope refused. So Henry took matters into his own hands! He split from the Catholic Church, creating a separate Church of England, of which he called himself the Supreme Head. He then passed a law that gave the death penalty to anyone who questioned his authority, and set about divorcing Catherine to marry Anne.

Followers of the new church were known as Protestants (while Catholics followed the Roman Catholic Church). In the years that followed, there was much unrest between the two groups and religion in England changed forever. Henry also began to close Catholic convents and monasteries, taking their land and wealth.

Henry was still desperate for a son, and when Anne only produced a daughter, Elizabeth, Henry had Anne executed! He married his next wife, Jane Seymour, just a few days later. Jane was one of Anne’s ladies-in-waiting. Together they had a son called Edward, but Jane tragically died days later due to complications from childbirth.

Henry went on to have three more wives. He married Anne of Cleves, a German princess whom he had never met, but he didn’t like her at all and decided to divorce her. Next came Catherine Howard, another of Anne’s ladies-in-waiting, who was just 17. But when she fell in love with someone else, Henry had her executed. Henry was married to his last wife, Catherine Parr, for four years until his death.

Henry is also remembered for increasing the size of the navy, for uniting Wales and England, for declaring himself King of Ireland and for going to war with France.

In 1536, Henry had an accident while jousting and wounded his leg. Afterwards, he was unable to exercise and – thanks to his extravagant love of food – became very overweight. A painful ulcer on his leg also made him rather bad tempered! He died in 1547, aged 55, leaving his son to become King Edward VI at just nine years of age. Henry is buried at Windsor Castle next to Jane Seymour, the wife who tragically gave her life to provide his son and heir.

Our Henry VIII Resources