Bosworth

The first Tudor King was Henry VII

(1485-1509), who emerged from the War

of the Roses.

He defeated Richard III of York in the battle of Bosworth.

1509-1547 HENRY VIII Tudor

Henry VIII’s six wives

Who were they?!

Henry VIII

1. Catherine of Aragon

2. Anne Boleyn

3. Jane Seymour

6. Catherine Parr

5. Catherine Howard

4. Anne of Cleves

Catherine of Aragon

•First wife of Henry VIII

•Daughter of king and queen of Spain (political marriage)

•Very long marriage (22 years) with the aim of having a mail heir. Attempts failed (premature deaths or miscarriages) , only Mary was born (educated as a Catholic, later called Bloody for violence in persecutions against Protestants). Henry asked the Pope for divorce bur in vain.

•So he declared tha marriage ILLEGAL and broke with the Church

•He declared himself HEAD of a new Church

•Now he was free to marry again

Crucial point:

Henry wanted a mail heir at any cost to keep his family in power

SO HE GOT MARRIED AGAIN

Anne Boleyn ( one of the ladies-in waiting at Court)

She was beautiful and desirable as a woman. He inevitably fell in love with her

Also ambitious, clever

She gave birth to two babies who soon died, the only survivor was a baby daughter (Elisabeth) So the relations became worse and worse. Accused of adultery, she was imprisoned in the Tower and beheaded.

Jane Seymour (3rd marriage)

The woman he loved most. He wanted to be buried next to her.

Very short marriage (only 2 years) Died after the birth of Edward, the male heir (at last for Henry, after 27 years waiting!!)

the male

heir (Edward VI)

of the King

Henry VIII and

his wife Jane

Seymour

Anne of Cleves (4th marriage)

• German origins. Known only through a painting, which showed her much prettier, actually ‘as ugly as a horse. Totally unattractive.

• He could not refuse to marry her as

• Too late. They never slept together - good excuse to ask for divorce

Catherine Howard ( A rose without a thorn -5th

marriage) She was only 15 (Henry was nearly 50, very fat and ill). and absolutely beautiful, lively and graceful but also ambitious and empty-headed. She captured his love and money: she got rubies, diamonds, pearls and furs as presents.

Short marriage sexual affairs before marriage and a present love affair between Catherine and the Court Secretary was found out.

Catherine was locked in her room and then executed in the Tower.

Catherine Parr

•She was 31 when she married Henry (52)

•Even though in bad health she could not refuse a marriage proposal from a King

•Mature, intelligent woman, she a few years of her life (3) to the last years of the king’s life. She must have been more of a nurse than a wife.

It’s an allegorical painting: “ Henry VIII with his heirs”. To his right we can see Mary Tudor(Bloody) and the husband Philip II of Spain; to his left there’s Edward VI kneeling towards him. In the foreground is Elizabeth hand in hand with the allegory of Peace and Abundance.

Edward VI and his family

Henry VIII on one’s death-bed points to his son Edward VI as his heir who triumphs over the Catholic Church (the Pope + nobles

supporting him)