How Many Wives Did Henry VIII Have?

My current guilty pleasure is watching The Tudors on DVD (a mother’s day present from my boys – clever chaps.) All of which set me thinking: How well do you know your Tudor history?

So here’s a simple question:

How Many Wives did Henry VIII have?

a)      6

b)      5

c)      4

d)      2

Now those of you with an English education will be counting on your fingers: Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived.

So would it surprise you to learn the correct answer is d)?  TWO wives.

History has it that Henry VIII had six queens (In order)

-         Catherine of Aragon

-         Anne Boleyn

-         Jane Seymour

-         Anne of Cleves

-         Catherine Howard.

-         Catherine Parr.

A young Catherine of Aragon.

Catherine of Aragon.

Henry VIII himself annulled this marriage in his capacity of the head of the Church of England.

Annulment is very different from divorce, in that it means a marriage never took place.

Prior to Henry taking control of the church, there were two grounds for annulment – none consummation or pre-contract.

Henry argued that since Catherine had previously been married to his deceased brother, Arthur, it was “God’s Law” that the marriage did not stand, regardless of what the Pope thought, and declared they had never been married.

Natalie Dormer as 'Anne Boleyn' (apologies to the purists out there.....)

Anne Boleyn.

This time it was the Pope who declared the marriage invalid, since in the eyes of the Catholic Church, King Henry was still married to Catherine of Aragon.

Ironically, shortly before Anne’s execution, Henry annulled the marriage himself, which begs the question: - If they weren’t married, how could her supposed ‘infidelity’ amount to treason?

The famous Holbein portrait of 'Anne of Cleves.'

Anne of Cleves.

Both reasons for annulment, none consummation and pre-contract, came into play here. Henry found Anne’s physical appearance so repulsive that he wasn’t able to consummate the marriage…and… Anne was contracted to marry Francis, Duke of Lorraine, until Henry’s advisors singled her out.

In the long run Anne did rather well from her none-marriage, since Henry, glad to be easily rid of yet another ‘wife’ showered her with gifts and gave her the honoury title of ‘Beloved sister.”

Catherine Howard.

Catherine Howard.

It seems likely Catherine Howard was unfaithful before and during the marriage to Henry. When he found out, once again he used his power to declare the marriage invalid and had Catherine executed. Another none- marriage!

Jane Seymour.

And Finally.

The TWO incontrovertible marriages were to Jane Seymour (who died from puerperal fever after giving birth to Edward) and Catherine Parr (who out lived Henry, remarried, and then died in childbirth.)

Catherine Parr.

Does it bother you, that programmes such as 'The Tudors' take liberties with historical accuracy? Does it matter that the lead actor, Johnathan Rhys Meyers, doesn't have Henry's famous red hair...or is it a more important to popularise history and bring it to life?

Leave your comments below.