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I am normally not one for historical fiction, but a couple of years ago I read The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory and thoroughly enjoyed it. So much, in fact, that I immediately went and bought the rest of the series. Now the movie version with Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman is coming out and I’m going to have to check that out to see if it measures up to the book.
The whole thing really roused my interest in the Tudors (The Tudors the TV series is currently in my Netflix queue) and I spent an embarrassingly large amount of time on Wikipedia reading about them. Prior to the books, all I really knew about Henry VIII is that he got married to the widow next door and she’d been married seven times before (I kid, I kid).
In honor of the recent anniversary of his death (January 28, 1547), I give you eight random facts about Henry VIII.
1. Henry was never supposed to be King.
It was always intended that Henry’s older brother Arthur would take over from their father as the King of England. While Henry was merely the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and the Earl Marshal of England, Arthur held the Prince of Wales title. Arthur died rather unexpectedly at the age of 15, not long after getting married to Catherine of Aragon from Spain. Thus began Henry’s rein – he pretty much just stepped in and picked up where Arthur left off, including Catherine. Prior to his brother’s death, it was assumed that Henry would have a prosperous career with the Church. Pretty funny, considering how cavalierly he played with the Church’s rules to suit his marriages and divorces later in life.
2. He apparently compared his fourth wife to a horse.
Fast forward through Henry’s annulment with Catherine, the beheading of Anne Boleyn, and the death of Jane Seymour and we have wife #4, Anne of Cleves. His motives for marrying her were purely political – she was the sister of the Duke of Cleves, who was Protestant. The Duke was an important friend to have in case the Roman Catholics decided to invade England, and so the marriage was arranged. The problem? The picture that Henry based a large part of his decision on was apparently more than a little flattering. When he met her in person just prior to their marriage, he apparently compared her to a horse. They got married anyway, and by all accounts it was pretty miserable. The marriage was annulled and she received the title of “The King’s Sister,” which totally baffles me. If anyone can explain this to me, please do.
3. He had an affair with Anne Boleyn’s sister.
One of the plots in The Other Boleyn Girl is about Henry having an affair with Anne Boleyn’s sister, Mary. This really happened when Mary served as Catherine of Aragon’s lady-in-waiting for ten years. Her first two children are rumored to be Henry’s, but this was never proven. After her first husband died, Mary wed a commoner with no social status and was thus disowned by Anne. She is the ancestor of Winston Churchill, Princess Diana and Sarah, Duchess of York (among others).
4. He was a sickly fellow.
Henry’s health problems were vast. Although he was athletic in his youth, a jousting mishap left him unable to exercise. As a result, his waistline climbed to 54 inches. He had severe migraines and suffered from terrible insomnia. It’s speculated that he also suffered from gout, and eventually the jousting wound in his thigh became ulcerated (which may have actually helped to cause his death). Modern doctors suggest that Henry probably had type II diabetes.
5. Supposedly his last words were “Monks, monks, monks!”
This is also the name of a Houston-area law firm (well, almost: Monks, Monks, Monks & Hiran).
6. He was buried with his third wife.
Henry was buried at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle with third wife Jane Seymour. He considered her his only “true” wife, since she was the only one of the six to bear him a son.
7. He could be haunting Hampton Court Palace.
In October 2003, security at the Palace checked their surveillance tapes to see why one of the fire doors kept opening. As they watched, a strange figure appeared in the doorway and closed the doors. The figure appears to be wearing period dress. If Hampton Court is haunted, it’s with good reason: Jane Seymour died there after giving birth and fifth wife Catherine Howard was arrested there in 1542 for cheating on King Henry (which was treason at the time). When she found out she was being arrested, she fled down the long Gallery screaming for the King to save her.
8. He left his mark.
Despite his many marriages and his rage issues, Henry left quite a legacy. He, Alfred the Great and Charles II are traditionally referred to as the founders of the Royal Navy. He invested quite heavily in shipmaking, including the Mary Rose, which he named after his sister (although some speculate he was trying to impress Mary Boleyn).
By the way, one of the ways to keep track of Henry’s six wives and how they came to be separated from him is to use this little rhyme: Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived (even though they were technically annulments and not divorces).
What do you guys think? Fabulous leader or horrible tyrant? Both?
Comments (37)
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This is a great article… I’ve always known I was descended from Henry VIII, but never knew anything else… Thanks!
posted by Dallas MacDonald on 2-20-2008 at 9:40 am
Stacy, I totally understand where you are coming from. I just read “The Other Boleyn Girl” last month, and I’ve been thirsting for knowledge about the Tudors ever since. I think the history of the English monarchy is very interesting. My other favorite in the Tudor line is Lady Jane Grey the nine day queen. Fascinating story. Women in that time period had absolutely no say in their life. They were used as currency for the betterment of the family. I absolutely loved this post. Thanks!
posted by MW on 2-20-2008 at 9:42 am
Great post.
Should I read “The Other Boleyn Girl?”
posted by beth on 2-20-2008 at 9:49 am
Read The Other Boleyn Girl last month myself. Now reading the sequel, The Boleyn Inheritance.
Thanks for the facts! :)
posted by synical on 2-20-2008 at 9:53 am
I’m not sure if you are aware of the books by Margaret George..specifically “The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers ” It’s a huge paperback, and this is one review from Amazon.com
“This is an enthralling book which takes you back to the 16th century in all its splendor. Magnificently hefty, Henry VIII fills every page with artful words and one heck of a story. “
posted by Brian s on 2-20-2008 at 10:05 am
Wow, Stacy, I could have written those first two paragraphs myself. I have a mini-obsession with Henry VIII and with Elizabeth I that I feed with the occasional biography, novel and film. I haven’t seen the Tudors yet, though it was on my queue before I canceled Blockbuster. I’m looking forward to the movie, with tempered enthusiasm, also wondering how it will hold up compared to the book.
@beth: I recommend TOBG, for its fascinating glimpse into life at court (more interesting than it may sound). It’s also a compelling story. But watch out, as you can see it may create a habit.
posted by Jess on 2-20-2008 at 10:10 am
The Private Life of Henry VIII, with Charles Laughton, is still pretty entertaining, 70-some years later.
posted by muffy on 2-20-2008 at 10:14 am
When Henry divorced Anne of Cleeves he had a bit of a conundrum. He couldn’t send her home since that would break the alliance with her family. If he kept her in England, her social rank would be very low since she’d be just another foreign princess. This lack of social standing would also be an insult to her and her family. Giving her the title of King’s Sister gave her precedence over almost everyone else at court which seemed to satisfy everyone (I think only the queen and Henry’s daughters would have out-ranked her, but I’m not entirely sure).
posted by Camille on 2-20-2008 at 10:16 am
Great article! It’s funny that you should post this today because just last night I finished reading “The Other Boleyn Girl.” I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down. And as soon I was finished, I also spent an embarrassingly long amount of time on Wikipedia reading about all the royal drama. If only I was this interested back when I taking all my world history classes!
posted by Pame on 2-20-2008 at 10:33 am
One of Henry’s main problems with Anne was not just her appearance (which, from the side, is quite awful) was her dress. The Holbein portrait that you include shows her wearing a VERY Germanic style which was unpopular in England (they tended more toward the French, where Anne Boleyn was raised). So, not only was she unattractive, she was also unstylish.
posted by christina on 2-20-2008 at 11:19 am
I love court intrigue and may now have to pick up TOBG. Thanks for the insight and a new obsession, Stacy!
posted by kitsana_d on 2-20-2008 at 11:36 am
I just stumbled across a brilliant website for any devotee of the Tudor life and times. It’s tudorhistory.org. Amazing information and picture galleries. They even have a picture of Hever Castle (one of the many settings in TOBG – Anne was banished there after a fateful attempt at engagement to Henry Percy). By descriptions in the book, I didn’t think it was very impressive at all. I was pleasantly surprised.
Beth – you really should read TOBG if you have any interest in this time period. But be warned, there are four other books in the series. One about Katherine of Aragon, Katherine Howard, Anne of Cleves, Elizabeth I, and one that combines stories of both Elizabeth I and her sister Mary.
posted by MW on 2-20-2008 at 11:37 am
a better known rhyme, though less precise:
Henry the 8th to six wives was wedded.
One died, one survived, two divorced, two
beheaded.
posted by little gator on 2-20-2008 at 1:24 pm
I loved The Other Boleyn Girl as well. Can’t wait for the movie, even though Eric Bana should NOT be playing Henry VIII…but that’s a different subject entirely.
TOBG is not very historically accurate though. For a more accurate look at Henry VIII and his wives, Tudor-philes should read Henry VIII: The King and His Court and The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. Those books aren’t “stories” though, like TOBG; rather, they’re actual biographies.
Alison Weir has also written about Henry VIII’s children in detail, and ventured into historical fiction with Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey. All fascinating people to read about!
Good post! Thank you!
posted by Melodye on 2-20-2008 at 1:44 pm
We stayed in Henry VIII’s hunting lodge when we went to England. We slept in the room next to what was his. We were the only one’s staying there at the time at the time and at 11pm I walked around to see a little of the place. I walked into the room next to ours and screamed – there he stood – Henry VIII….I was so freaked out….it was a life-sized wax statue….so freaky. He was HUGE!!
posted by patty on 2-20-2008 at 3:07 pm
LOVE Phillipa Carr by the way, great historical fiction. She also writes under other names – I like all of them:
Victoria Holt
Jean Plaidy
posted by patty on 2-20-2008 at 3:11 pm
I loved TOBG! I’ve also read The Constant Princess, about Catherine of Aragon, and The Queen’s fool, about a Jewish girl in the court of Mary and also Elizabeth I. I’ll definitely be onto others by Phillipa Gregory because she’s fantastic and so much fun to read.
posted by tricia on 2-20-2008 at 3:15 pm
my favorite history era and soap opera! anne of cleeves and henry actually became good friends by some reports. She supposedly became a trusted confidant and they got along much better after the divorce.
another fun fact: anne boelyn had six fingers which was part of the reason the common folk hated her, it was a sign of witchcraft
posted by Katie on 2-20-2008 at 5:23 pm
Glad to know I’m not alone in my fascination of the Tudors! Haven’t read TOBG yet, but have read the Margaret George book mentioned earlier, GREAT READ!! Another good one, is The Last Boleyn by Karen Harper. It focuses on Mary Boleyn’s life.
posted by Gretchen on 2-20-2008 at 6:14 pm
I’m am so obsessed w/ the Tutors! They are better than any soap opera on T.V., and it’s all true. Henry VIII is the perfect example of absolute power corrupts absolutely.
TOBG and all the books mentioned above are good. I enjoy David Starkey’s work too. Anyone with an interest should check these out!
posted by Beth on 2-20-2008 at 7:56 pm
I haven’t read The Other Boleyn Girl, but it sounds interesting. Two nights ago I finished The Queen of Subtleties by Suzannah Dunn, also about Anne Boleyn. I really enjoyed it. Chapters narrated by Anne just prior to her beheading are alternated with chapters narrated by the king’s confectioner, which presents an interesting juxtaposition of Anne’s views of developments and how the common subjects saw things. So I recommend it to anyone else who reads much about Henry and his wives.
posted by Manda on 2-20-2008 at 8:23 pm
TOBG is a great book. If you are obsessed with that era, try the book Queen’s Bastard: A Novel by Robin Maxwell. Elizabeth’s life was evey bit as exciting as Henry’s. I can’t wait for the movie!
posted by Heather A on 2-20-2008 at 8:54 pm
As a souveneir of his trip to England my husband brought home a set of paperback books for our 9 year old son. The series is called “Horrible Histories” by Terry Deary. They are put out by The Daily Telegraph and are similar in style to Captain Underpants.(Cartoony pictures, bad jokes, etc) My son’s favorite is called “Even More Terrible Tudors”. The books are funny, but I got to say, ask him about Henry VIII (”Horrible Henry”), Edward VI (”Little Ed”) or Queen Elizabeth I (”Bad Bess”)and he’ll ramble on for 20 minutes. If you can get your hands on any of them – “The Blitzed Brits”, “The Smashing Saxons”, “The Slimy Stuarts”, “The Measly Middle Ages” to name a few – do, they’re great.
posted by Sue on 2-20-2008 at 9:09 pm
I enjoy Philippa Gregory’s novel too; but, they are fiction. Most historians believe that Mary was the older sister and mistress of the king of France before Henry VIII. So, if you want a complete picture, best to read books based by historians. I enjoy Alison Weir, but there are many others. I think the books about Elizabeth I’s life are most interesting.
posted by Rebecca on 2-20-2008 at 10:41 pm
My family is descended from Catherine Howard. My young child loves the fact we are related to a queen. Right now, my child is too young to understand the true history. I too, love the Tudors, and books, fiction and non-fiction about them.
posted by kudzuhomecomingqueen on 2-21-2008 at 7:37 am
tip: try renting out “Anne of A Thousand Days” – came out in the 60’s, starring Genevieve Bujold as Anne. Very good movie.
posted by sulew on 2-21-2008 at 8:00 am
I’ve studied a little of Henry, since I also study the needlework of his era…
He loved his first wife, was married to her for over 20 years and didn’t want to divorce, was only forced to when she wasn’t able to bear him a living son (many of her children died shortly after birth)…
Kings of the time didn’t actually EAT at the common table w/ the court, they ate in their private suite and would then attend dinner to socialize…the portrayal of him being a chicken-leg weilding glutton is all false…(this from the Hampton Court Palace tour)…
There is another rhyme used that describes how each of his wives fared – ‘Divorced, Beheaded, Died…Divorced, Beheaded, Survived’…
If you enjoy this time period, you should read the Phillippa Gregory books…they are researched and written well…
posted by donner on 2-21-2008 at 9:23 am
If you are interested in Henry VIII, definitely check out the book, “The Six Wives of Henry VIII.”
One of my all-time non-fiction picks!
posted by Sarah on 2-21-2008 at 11:07 am
Another Phillipa Gregory/Tudor family obessive here. Mary Boelyn’s family were actually horrified that she became the French king’s mistress. Also, Katherine Howard (the rose without a thorn), Henry’s 5th wife and the second “beheaded”, was a cousin to the Boelyn family (Mary and Anne’s mom was a Howard). She’s one of the main characters of The Boelyn Inheritance, which also tells Anne of Cleves’ story and Jane Boelyn’s (Anne and Mary’s sister-in-law) story.
posted by Allyson on 2-21-2008 at 12:50 pm
Thanks for the post. I became interested in the Tudors since I came across A brief gaudy hour by MC Barnes. BTW, Anne of the Thousand is a great film. I always replay the last scene between Henry and Anne over and over.
posted by Suzie on 2-21-2008 at 1:37 pm
The actual name given Anne of Cleves was “The Flanders Mare.” A more subversive version says he called her “a fat mare with glanders” (a horse disease in which the throat glands swell and make it pant).
Henry VIII probably had syphilis from all his dallying, which was most likely what caused the unhealing ulcer on his leg, and more than likely caused the bizarre change in his personality later in life. It is polite fiction to blame his weight gain solely on a “jousting accident.”
posted by Susan on 2-22-2008 at 1:03 am
He was a brilliant man, and he gave us Queen Elizabeth I, I don’t think I can complain too much… well except for the drawing and quartering and heads on spikes thing, but other than that, no conplaints.
posted by Allyson on 2-22-2008 at 11:16 am
I really can’t complain about King Henry VIII, he was a great scholar, well published, and fathered Queen Elizabeth I, what more can you ask for? Well, you could have asked him not to kill Thomas More, and there was the whole drawing & quartering with heads on spikes that appeared less than pleasant, but other than that…
posted by Allyson on 2-22-2008 at 11:21 am
You lot are bloody wierd. Hahaa. You are actually interested in this crap?
hahaa. Im only doing it for homework!
posted by Iby on 2-26-2008 at 12:49 pm
Despite its historical inaccuracies, TOBG is a good starting point for those who want to learn about the era, but were either overwhelmed or bored to tears in history class. Has anyone here seen the first movie version of TOBG, from the BBC, I believe?
Although it is fiction and not history, I wonder if Philipa Gregory was correct in her assertion (in The Boleyn Inheritance) the Henry’s dislike of Anne of Cleves wasn’t due to her physical appearance or the unfashionable clothes she wore, but to her rejecting his kiss when he met her in disguise. The king was fond of dressing up in disguise with his men and dancing and masquing ‘unrecognised’. In truth, everyone knew who he was, but Anne, never having seen him, did not recognise him and was disgusted by his foul breath when he kissed her. For someone like Henry, that would be almost unforgivable, and he was at this point spiteful and mean.
I prefer the young King Harry, the ‘Handsomest Prince in Christendom’.
posted by Ori on 3-2-2008 at 12:23 am
They sure did perty everyone up in the movie, The Other Boelyn Girl!! If King Henry III was not a king at that time, he would have to paying or praying for a wife!! lol! I vote in Eric Bana as King..lol! yum
posted by Beth on 2-8-2009 at 11:05 pm
stupid homework….henry the eighth. you just had to kill some of your wives.
posted by Katherine on 9-26-2009 at 4:34 pm