King Henry VIII, born a year before Columbus’ journey to America, was a leader of the Protestant Reformation.
A Note on Ancestry
Ancestry during Henry’s day was critical in Europe. Succession fights over the rights to the crown were quite common; democracy was still in the nascent stages in Europe, though some institutions had developed. Of course, to be a King or a Queen, a Duke or a Duchess, or a Baron or Baroness was quite important during the Renaissance.
Henry VIII’s Ancestry
His father was Henry VII and his mother was Elizabeth, daughter of Edward. He was born the year before Columbus sailed to the Americas, into the House of Tudor (1485-1603), the House that has the rose as a symbol. To say that the history of the House of Tudor is sordid is an understatement; it is myriad. Like many of the family histories of Europe, it is rife with intrigue, murder, love, betrayal, and religious war.
When He Ruled, Why He Ruled
Henry VIII ruled from 1509-1547. Like most if not all royalty, he ruled by arbitrary power and because of it. Much of the Old World still has royalty, though power relationships have changed.
He was the subject of a play by Shakespeare (entitled King Henry VIII). The play is categorized as one of Shakespeare’s Historical Plays. It is also worth noting that Shakespeare lived in the 16th century as well and is the subject of great controversy and mystery. King Henry VIII was King of England and Lord of Ireland, and he spoke four languages. He established the Church of England and became its head. He is categorized here as a conservative because he was associated with the crown.
In some ways, Henry VIII was actually a reformer. He was leader of the Protestant Reformation. He had a number of wives and sought a divorce – unusual in that day. When he couldn’t get a divorce from the Pope, he established the Church of England and split with Catholicism.
King Henry VIII had six wives: Kathryn of Aragon, Ann Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Ann of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Katherine Parr. His wives are the subject of the next article in this series.
