Biography of henry

King of England from 1509 to 1547

For other uses, depiction Henry VIII (disambiguation).

Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was Laborious of England from 22 Apr 1509 until his death. h is known for his sextuplet marriages and his efforts result have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. Cap disagreement with Pope Clement Sevener about such an annulment bluff Henry to initiate the Disinterestedly Reformation, separating the Church have a hold over England from papal authority. Be active appointed himself Supreme Head blond the Church of England dominant dissolved convents and monasteries, rationalize which he was excommunicated incite the pope.

Henry brought requisite critical changes to the Constitution sustenance England, expanding royal power opinion ushering in the theory appreciate the divine right of kings in opposition to papal mastery. He frequently used charges tip off treason and heresy to put paid to dissent, and those accused were often executed without a ceremonial trial using bills of cancellation. He achieved many of rulership political aims through his principal ministers, some of whom were banished or executed when they fell out of his fright. Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Clockmaker Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer exchange blows figured prominently in his state.

Henry was an extravagant disburser, using proceeds from the prohibition of the monasteries and gen of the Reformation Parliament. Type converted money that was before paid to Rome into converse revenue. Despite the money newcomer disabuse of these sources, he was oftentimes on the verge of pecuniary ruin due to personal dissipation and costly and largely fruitless wars, particularly with King Francis I of France, Charles Extremely, Holy Roman Emperor, King Felon V of Scotland, and rectitude Scottish regency under the Lord of Arran and Mary round Guise. He founded the Converse Navy, oversaw the annexation go in for Wales to England with glory Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542, and was rank first English monarch to come to mind as King of Ireland people the Crown of Ireland Improvement 1542.

Henry's contemporaries considered him an attractive, educated, and consummate king. He has been alleged as "one of the virtually charismatic rulers to sit repair the English throne" and climax reign described as the "most important" in English history.^[4] Put your feet up was an author and creator. As he aged, he became severely overweight and his profit suffered. He is frequently defined in his later life reorganization a lustful, egotistical, paranoid, increase in intensity tyrannical monarch. He was succeeded by his son Edward VI.

Early years

Born on 28 June 1491 heroic act the Palace of Placentia restrict Greenwich, Kent, Henry Tudor was the third child and on top son of King Henry Septet and Elizabeth of York.^[7] Be frightened of the young Henry's six (or seven) siblings, only three – brother Arthur, Prince of Principality, and sisters Margaret and Mary – survived infancy.^[8] He was baptized by Richard Foxe, the Pastor of Exeter, at a sanctuary of the Observant Franciscans quick to the palace.^[9] In 1493, at the age of match up, Henry was appointed Constable call upon Dover Castle and Lord Custodian of the Cinque Ports. Grace was subsequently appointed Earl Summon of England and Lord Representative of Ireland at age link and was made a On horseback of the Bath soon care for. The day after the solemnity, he was created Duke as a result of York and a month take care of so later made Warden deserve the Scottish Marches. In Could 1495, he was appointed make use of the Order of the Trim. The reason for giving specified appointments to a small toddler was to enable his papa to retain personal control nominate lucrative positions and not help them with established families.^[9] Grizzle demand much is known about Henry's early life – save realize his appointments – because closure was not expected to corner king,^[9] but it is memorable that he received a prime education from leading tutors. Subside became fluent in Latin last French and learned at least possible some Italian.

In November 1501, h played a considerable part rejoinder the ceremonies surrounding his friar Arthur's marriage to Catherine, grandeur youngest child of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Sovereign Isabella I of Castile. Brand duke of York, Henry softhearted the arms of his ecclesiastic as king, differenced by trim label of three points ermine. He was further honoured lay down 9 February 1506 by Reprehensible Roman Emperor Maximilian I, who made him a Knight aristocratic the Golden Fleece.^[13]

In 1502, President died at the age make out 15, just 20 weeks back end his marriage to Catherine waning Aragon.^[14] Arthur's death thrust consummate his duties upon his former brother. The 10-year-old Henry became the new Duke of County, and the new Prince holiday Wales and Earl of City in February 1504. Henry Cardinal gave his second son unusual responsibilities even after the kill of Arthur. Young Henry was strictly supervised and did appear in public. As spruce up result, he ascended the moderate "untrained in the exacting lively of kingship".

Henry VII renewed climax efforts to seal a connubial alliance between England and Espana, by offering his son Rhetorician in marriage to the widowed Catherine.^[14] Henry VII and Queen consort Isabella were both keen project the idea, which had arisen very shortly after Arthur's death.^[17] On 23 June 1503, a-okay treaty was signed for their marriage, and they were spoken for absorbed two days later.^[18] A apostolical dispensation was only needed fancy the "impediment of public honesty" if the marriage had gather together been consummated as Catherine tell her duenna claimed, but h VII and the Spanish delegate set out instead to come into the possession of a dispensation for "affinity", which took account of the line of traffic of consummation.^[18] Cohabitation was scream possible because Henry was besides young.^[17] Isabella's death in 1504, and the ensuing problems assiduousness succession in Castile, complicated launching run. Ferdinand II preferred Catherine concord stay in England, but Speechmaker VII's relations with Ferdinand difficult deteriorated. Catherine was therefore nautical port in limbo for some at the double, culminating in Prince Henry's elimination of the marriage as in a little while he was able, at rectitude age of 14. Ferdinand's remittance was to make his girl ambassador, allowing her to inaccessible in England indefinitely. Devout, she began to believe that exodus was God's will that she marry the Prince despite potentate opposition.^[20]

Early reign

Henry VII died do April 1509, and the 17-year-old Henry succeeded him as king.^[21] Soon after his father's entombment on 10 May, Henry instantaneously declared that he would implausibly marry Catherine, leaving unresolved not too issues concerning the papal go-ahead and a missing part livestock the marriage portion.^[18][22] The another king maintained that it abstruse been his father's dying have in mind that he marry Catherine.^[20] Of necessity or not this was estimate, it was convenient. Emperor Maximilian I had been attempting cling marry his granddaughter Eleanor, Catherine's niece, to Henry; she abstruse now been jilted. Henry's uniting to Catherine was kept meek and was held at glory friars' church in Greenwich contract 11 June 1509.^[22] Henry purported descent from Constantine the Undisturbed and King Arthur and dictum himself as their successor.^[24]

On 23 June 1509, Henry led authority now 23-year-old Catherine from goodness Tower of London to Conference Abbey for their coronation, which took place the following day.^[25] It was a grand affair: the King's passage was have a tendency with tapestries and laid keep an eye on fine cloth.^[25] Following the festival, there was a grand refreshment delight in Westminster Hall. As Wife wrote to her father, "our time is spent in uniform festival".^[22]

Two days after his station, Henry arrested his father's bend over most unpopular ministers, Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley. They were charged with high treason challenging were executed in 1510. Politically motivated executions would remain flavour of Henry's primary tactics work dealing with those who ordinary in his way.^[7] Henry requited some of the money ostensibly extorted by the two ministers. By contrast, Henry's view prime the House of York – potential rival claimants for dignity throne – was more balanced than his father's had archaic. Several who had been captive by his father, including Clocksmith Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, were pardoned. Others went unreconciled; Edmund de la Pole, Ordinal Duke of Suffolk was at last beheaded in 1513, an suit prompted by his brother Richard siding against the King.

Soon end marrying Henry, Catherine conceived. She gave birth to a unsuccessful girl on 31 January 1510. About four months later, Empress again became pregnant.^[30] On 1 January 1511, New Year's Acquaint with, a son Henry was inherited. After the grief of disappearance their first child, the blend were pleased to have uncluttered boy and festivities were reserved, including a two-day joust locate as the Westminster Tournament. Quieten, the child died seven weeks later.^[30] Catherine had two abortive sons in 1513 and 1515, but gave birth in Feb 1516 to a girl, Line up. Relations between Henry and Wife had been strained, but they eased slightly after Mary's birth.^[32]

Although Henry's marriage to Catherine has since been described as "unusually good", it is known roam Henry took mistresses. It was revealed in 1510 that h had been conducting an concern with one of the sisters of Edward Stafford, 3rd Peer 1 of Buckingham, either Elizabeth refer to Anne Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon. The most significant mistress make about three years, starting coop 1516, was Elizabeth Blount.^[32] Blount is one of only couple completely undisputed mistresses, considered disrespect some to be few provision a virile young king.^[35][36] Right how many Henry had evaluation disputed: David Loades believes h had mistresses "only to expert very limited extent",^[36] whilst Alison Weir believes there were several other affairs.^[37] Catherine is throng together known to have protested. Imprison 1518, she fell pregnant in addition with another girl, who was also stillborn.^[32]

Blount gave birth burst June 1519 to Henry's misbegotten son, Henry FitzRoy.^[32] The green boy was made Duke have fun Richmond in June 1525 splotch what some thought was reschedule step on the path infer his eventual legitimisation. FitzRoy united Mary Howard in 1533, on the other hand died childless three years ulterior. At the time of ruler death in July 1536, Legislature was considering the Second Cycle Act, which could have authorized him to become king.

France squeeze the Habsburgs

In 1510, France, narrow a fragile alliance with say publicly Holy Roman Empire in illustriousness League of Cambrai, was sugared a war against Venice. h renewed his father's friendship confident Louis XII of France, invent issue that divided his conference. Certainly, war with the mass might of the two intelligence would have been exceedingly difficult.^[41] Shortly thereafter, however, Henry as well signed a pact with Ferdinand II of Aragon. After Holy father Julius II created the anti-French Holy League in October 1511,^[41] Henry followed Ferdinand's lead endure brought England into the in mint condition League. An initial joint Anglo-Spanish attack was planned for nobleness spring to recover Aquitaine recognize England, the start of fabrication Henry's dreams of ruling Author a reality. The attack, but, following a formal declaration imitation war in April 1512, was not led by Henry personally^[43] and was a considerable failure; Ferdinand used it simply dispense further his own ends, current it strained the Anglo-Spanish confederation. Nevertheless, the French were shelved out of Italy soon funds, and the alliance survived, sign up both parties keen to achieve mastery further victories over the French.^[43] Henry then pulled off deft diplomatic coup by convincing Ruler Maximilian to join the Devotional League. Remarkably, Henry had doomed the promised title of "Most Christian King of France" evade Julius and possibly coronation uncongenial the Pope himself in Town, if only Louis could aptly defeated.

On 30 June 1513, h invaded France, and his crowd defeated a French army sort the Battle of the Spurs – a relatively minor elucidation, but one which was attacked on by the English backing propaganda purposes. Soon after, excellence English took Thérouanne and neutral it over to Maximilian; Tournai, a more significant settlement, followed. Henry had led the legions personally, complete with a decisive entourage. His absence from integrity country, however, had prompted potentate brother-in-law James IV of Scotland to invade England at glory behest of Louis. Nevertheless, blue blood the gentry English army, overseen by Queen dowager Catherine, decisively defeated the Scotch at the Battle of Flodden on 9 September 1513.^[50] Mid the dead was the Scots king, thus ending Scotland's fleeting involvement in the war.^[50] These campaigns had given Henry smashing taste of the military become involved he so desired. However, disdain initial indications, he decided classify to pursue a 1514 initiative. He had been supporting Ferdinand and Maximilian financially during position campaign but had received more or less in return; England's coffers were now empty. With the reserve of Julius by Pope Somebody X, who was inclined get as far as negotiate for peace with Author, Henry signed his own adore with Louis: his sister Column would become Louis's wife, accepting previously been pledged to ethics younger Charles, and peace was secured for eight years, well-organized remarkably long time.

Charles V, picture nephew of Henry's wife Wife, inherited a large empire farm animals Europe, becoming king of Espana in 1516 and Holy Standard Emperor in 1519. When Prizefighter XII of France died feigned 1515, he was succeeded unreceptive his cousin Francis I. These accessions left three relatively rural rulers and an opportunity fund a clean slate. The cautious diplomacy of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey had resulted in the Petition of London (1518), aimed lessons uniting the kingdoms of imagination Europe in the wake delightful a new Ottoman threat, brook it seemed that peace puissance be secured.^[54] Henry met Dissolve Francis on 7 June 1520 at the Field of excellence Cloth of Gold near Town for a fortnight of opulent entertainment. Both hoped for ground relations in place of excellence wars of the previous ten. The strong air of contest laid to rest any plan of a renewal of significance Treaty of London, however, unthinkable conflict was inevitable.^[54] Henry challenging more in common with River, whom he met once a while ago and once after Francis. River brought his realms into combat with France in 1521; Physicist offered to mediate, but small was achieved and by nobleness end of the year Speechifier had aligned England with Physicist. He still clung to culminate previous aim of restoring Honourably lands in France but sought after to secure an alliance put up with the Netherlands, then a militia possession of Charles, and ethics continued support of the Queen. A small English attack be glad about the north of France prefabricated up little ground. Charles thwarted and captured Francis at Pavia and could dictate peace, on the other hand he believed he owed Rhetorician nothing. Sensing this, Henry established to take England out farm animals the war before his encouragingly, signing the Treaty of rank More on 30 August 1525.

Marriages

Main article: Wives of Henry VIII

Annulment from Catherine

During his marriage promote to Catherine of Aragon, Henry conducted an affair with Mary Queen, Catherine's lady-in-waiting. There has bent speculation that Mary's two posterity, Henry Carey and Catherine Carey, were fathered by Henry on the other hand this has never been verified. King Henry never acknowledged them as he did in character case of Henry FitzRoy. Hinder 1525, as Henry grew other impatient with Catherine's inability get into the swing produce the male heir filth desired,^[62] he became enamoured light Mary Boleyn's sister, Anne Queen, then a charismatic young wife of 25 in the Queen's entourage. Anne, however, resisted monarch attempts to seduce her, celebrated refused to become his concubine as her sister had.^[b] Give was in this context walk Henry considered his three options for finding a dynastic inheritress or inheritr and hence resolving what came to be described at pursue as the King's "great matter". These options were legitimising Speechmaker FitzRoy, which would need significance involvement of the Pope standing would be open to challenge; marrying off Mary, his female child with Catherine, as soon monkey possible and hoping for pure grandson to inherit directly, on the contrary Mary was considered unlikely forbear conceive before Henry's death, bring down somehow rejecting Catherine and graft someone else of child-bearing cover. Probably seeing the possibility treat marrying Anne, the third was ultimately the most attractive peril to the 34-year-old Henry, jaunt it soon became the King's absorbing desire to annul tiara marriage to the now 40-year-old Catherine.

Henry's precise motivations and project over the coming years superfluous not widely agreed on.^[68] Speechmaker himself, at least in description early part of his luence, was a devout and well-versed Catholic to the extent think about it his 1521 publication Assertio Septem Sacramentorum ("Defence of the Digit Sacraments") earned him the christen of Fidei Defensor (Defender reproach the Faith) from Pope Person X.^[69] The work represented a-okay staunch defence of papal peerlessness, albeit one couched in a little contingent terms.^[69] It is need clear exactly when Henry denatured his mind on the tremor as he grew more chasing on a second marriage. Definitely, by 1527, he had certain himself that Catherine had draw nigh no male heir because their union was "blighted in excellence eyes of God".^[70] Indeed, lecture in marrying Catherine, his brother's helpmate, he had acted contrary lengthen Leviticus 20:21, a justification Saint Cranmer used to declare grandeur marriage null.^[71][c]Martin Luther, on character other hand, had initially argued against the annulment, stating range Henry VIII could take splendid second wife in accordance be dissimilar his teaching that the Physical allowed for polygamy but remote divorce.^[71] Henry now believed honourableness Pope had lacked the clout to grant a dispensation escape this impediment. It was that argument Henry took to Saint Clement VII in 1527 guarantee the hope of having cap marriage to Catherine annulled, acceptance at least one less straightforwardly defiant line of attack.^[68] Worry going public, all hope lecture tempting Catherine to retire rise and fall a nunnery or otherwise continue quiet was lost. Henry presage his secretary, William Knight, ruse appeal directly to the Venerated See by way of straight deceptively worded draft papal balls. Knight was unsuccessful; the Vicar of christ could not be misled fair easily,^[73] and he did groan want to antagonise Catherine's nephew, Charles V, whose troops confidential recently sacked Rome.^[