Henry VIII By Xavier Jackson

Would you consider Henry VIII a good or bad king? Essential Question: Would you consider Henry VIII a good or bad king?

Who is Henry VIII? Henry VIII born June 28, 1491 was the King of England during the Renaissance Era. He was married six times and had several children. Some of his children died at birth or through miscarriages. He played a major role in the English Reformation and helped to turn his country into a Protestant nation. His only son Edward VI became King after his death on January 28, 1547. Henry VIII loved athletics, art, music, and culture. He was an educated man, loved to gamble, jousting, and hosted tournaments and banquets. He suffered from gout and it was believed that he died from obesity and untreated type II diabetes.

Facts about his family Henry VIII was born Henry Tudor to Henry VII of England and Elizabeth York, in Greenwich Palace. He had six siblings, however only three of his sibling survived. He had a brother named Arthur, sister named Margaret and another sister named Mary. Henry’s first wife Catherine, was the wife of his oldest brother Arthur. Arthur died at age 15.

The English Reformation From 1514-1529, Henry VIII trusted Thomas Wolsey, a Catholic cardinal to be in charge of all political policies. In 1534 he put himself in charge of the Church of England. Wolsey was arrested for not giving Henry his annulment. This gave notice to the Pope that he would not obey even the highest of clergy if it meant overriding what he wanted. After he put himself in charge, the Christian church left and formed the church of England.

Desire for a male heir During this time period, Royalty, especially, were strict on having a male figure in charge, so that when the King dies, their son gains the throne. After numerous attempts with multiple wives, he started obtaining mistresses to aid with this challenge. Finally, October 1537, his wife Jane Seymour conceives a son and named him Edward VI.

Henry’s many wives Catherine of Aragon born 16 Dec 1485, m. 1509-1533, divorced, died 7 Jan 1536, and buried 29 Jan 1536 Anne Boleyn known as most happy, born between 1500-1509, m. 1533-1536, executed 19 May 1536, and buried 19 May 1536 Jane Seymour known as bound to obey and serve, born 1508-1509, m. 1536-1537, buried 13 Nov 1537 Anne of Cleves known by God send Me well to keep, born 22 Sept 1515, m. 1540-1557, died 16 July 1557, buried 4 August 1557 Kathryn Howard known by No other will than his, born c. 1521, m. 1540-1542, executed 13 Feb 1542, buried 13 Jeb 1542 Katherine Parr known by To be useful in all that I do, born 1512, m.1543-1547, died 5 Sept 1548

How he “divorced” his first wife The church refused Henry’s request for divorced due to the Holy Roman Catholic beliefs in England. The marriage between Henry and his wife, Catherine of Aragon was to be seen as a role model to the people of England. Henry rejected the power of the Pope in England and had the Archbishop of Canterbury grant his annulment. Henry used the book of Leviticus which says if you marry your brother's wife you would be childless. He considered his marriage not legally binding even though Catherine says she and Henry VII never consummated the marriage.

After his Death King Henry VIII was always known for being athletic and having a slim build, however when he died he was around 400 lbs. His waistline went from a 32 to a 52. Henry was believed to have suffered from stress and used food to comfort him. He ate large quantities of highly fatty meats other foods that was not conducive to his much needed diet. He was buried along side the only wife he acknowledged, Jane Seymour. His son Edward became king.

Accomplishments Henry VIII became an accomplished musician, he played the lute, organ, and harpsichord. Henry VIII learned four languages: Latin, Spanish, French and Italian. Henry VIII studied mathematics and theology. Henry VIII composed hymns, ballads and two Masses. Henry VIII liked to hunt, wrestle, and joust. Henry VIII was excellent with his knowledge of Foreign Policy. He had excellent battle tactics and was rewarded for his victories.

Facts Henry VIII preferred hunting and hawking over business of governing, he like to have fun. Henry VIII was an author. Henry VIII had a bad reputation with women. Henry VIII was a hypochondriac. Henry VIII did not age well. He was not able to protect himself from getting sick because of his poor health habits. He ate a lot of calories and greasy foods. Henry was obese and suffered from ulcers on his legs which made it difficult for him to stand and walk. Henry VIII sent more men and women to their death than any other monarch.

EQ: Was Henry VIII a good or bad king? Henry VIII was a bad king. He used his power to get his way. He rejected the decision of the Pope about divorce, he had mistresses because he was not able to produce a male heir with several of his wives, he had wives executed, and he did not acknowledge the very existence of his daughters. Henry said his only “true” child was his son Edward IV, from his wife Jane Seymour. Henry VIII was also not a good role model, he loved gambling, Jousting and had many indulgences.

Works Cited http://www.biography.com/people/henry-viii-9335322#english-reformation http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon41.html http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/henry-the-8th/ http://tudorhistory.org/wives/ http://www.encyclopedia.com/people/history/british-and-irish-history- biographies/henry-viii/

Picture Citations https://www.pinterest.com/syburnmcdonald/history-english-reformation-1496-1688/ http://www.biography.com/people/henry-viii-9335322 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England https://dribbble.com/shots/1794604-Good-King-Bad-King