Henry V111 on our London walks.
2009 sees the 500th anniversary of Henry V111 coming to the throne of England and this man, the most famous of English monarchs, features a great deal on our London walks.
Henry was born at Greenwich Palace on June 28th 1491. The palace itself no longer survives but we do cover its site on our Greenwich London walk.
He was the son of Henry V11 and was the younger brother of Prince Arthur who was due to succeed Henry V11 as King.
In November 1501 Prince Arthur married Katharine of Aragon, an event that was marked by the gift of a magnificent stained glass window that can still be seen inside the church of St Margaret’s Westminster, a lovely little church that cowers under the mighty shadow of Westminster Abbey, and which is featured on both our Royal and Political London walks.
But on April 2nd 1502 tragedy struck when Prince Arthur died.
A papal dispensation was obtained to allow Henry, Arthur’s younger brother to marry the widow Katherine of Aragon and they were betrothed in June 1503. They were married in June 1509 and shortly afterwards, on June 24th 1509 Henry became King Henry V111.
From 1512 to 1513 Katherine acted as Regent whilst Henry was away campaigning in France. The war was a costly affair that brought little gain to England although, quite ironically as it transpired, Henry became a crusader on behalf of the Pope, with whom the King of France was then at war.
In 1516 Katherine gave birth to a daughter who they named Mary. She would later become Mary 1st.
1520 Henry and Francis 1st of France met at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, a lavish event which was intended to secure a lasting friendship with the French King. A few weeks later Henry made a secret agreement with the Holy Roman Emperor not to ally with France.
In 1521 Henry’s loyalty to the Church and his denunciation of Martin Luther in his [Henry's] Defence of the Seven Sacraments led Pope Leo X to give Henry the title Defender of the Faith.
But Henry was becoming frustrated at Katherine’s inability to provide him with a son and heir. He had a brief affair with Mary Boleyn and then became obsessed with her sister Anne Boleyn, who was a lady in waiting to Queen Katherine.
Henry set Thomas Wolsey the task of persuading the Pope to consent to a divorce between him and Katherine. When Wolsey failed to do so Henry dismissed him in 1529.
In the 1530’s Henry, together with a panel of clerical academics, created a theory of Royal Sovereignty that recognised the monarch as subject only to God and to no other earthly ruler and he thus became the supreme head of the Church in England.
In 1532 Anne Boleyn became pregnant and in January 1533 Henry, having divorced Katherine, married Anne. A daughter, whom they named Elizabeth was born in September 1533. This daughter would be the future Elizabeth 1st.
In 1534 Henry broke with Rome and the Act of Supremacy was passed which made him the head of the Church in England.
In 1535 Sir Thomas More and Bishop Fisher of Rochester were executed for refusing to acknowledge Henry as head of the church.
In 1536 Anne Boleyn was arrested and charged with treason, adultery and incest, she was executed in May of that year.
On 30th May 1536 the King married his third wife Jane Seymour.
As head of the Church he then began the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
In 1537 Jane bore Henry his longed for son who they named Edward. This boy would be the future Edward V1. However Jane died shortly after giving birth.
In 1540 Henry married Anne of Cleves but, since he found her repulsive to look at, the marriage was quickly annulled.
In June 1540 the 49 year old King married the 19 year old Catherine Howard. However, she was executed for adultery on 13th February 1542.
Henry was now dogged by ill-health, his weight ballooned and he suffered with putrid leg ulcers.
In July 1543 he married his final wife Catherine Parr.
Henry V11 died on 28th January 1547.
Tags: Defender of the Faith., Greenwich Palace, Henry V111, Katharine of Aragon, London walks, Prince Arthur, St Margaret's Westminster
