THE HENRY VIII PAGE
Henry VIII has been a subject of interest
and study for centuries. One of Britain's most powerful rulers,
he came to the throne at eighteen and left it at fifty-six. He
married six times and left three children, only one of whom was
considered his legitimate heir at the time of Henry's death.
Henry VIII has worn many
faces since he came to the throne in 1509.
Bluff King Hal. The
Defender of the Faith. Lecher. Despot.
Poet. Musician. Theologian. Insane. Ruthless.
One of the authors of the Reformation. Statesman. Murderer.
Diabetic. Suffering from terminal syphilis.
Glutton. Athlete. Boy King.
Vicious Oppressor of Protestants and Catholics alike.
Composer. Writer. Lover.
Which mask reveals the real
Henry?
Short of getting into a time machine, it
is impossible to tell, of course. Even during his reign, Henry
presented many different faces to many different people.
Ambassadors to his court were puzzled by him, finding him
mercurial of mood. It might be useful to remember that it is
nearly impossible to view a historical figure without filtering
him through the mores and values of our own time. Though many of
Henry's actions seem brutal and repulsive to us now, it should be
remembered that he lived in a time when rulers were absolute, and
a bear baiting or execution involving drawing and quartering was
considered an afternoon's entertainment for the average
Englishman.
Frequently
asked questions about Henry VIII
Henry VIII
Links
Some advice (and
a lecture) for those of you doing research, homework, whatever.
To my Main Page.
Unfortunately, I have received so many requests that I do other people's research for them,
and even to write their research papers for them, that I have been forced to remove the
guestbook and my email address from the website. Please use my Henry VIII Links Page
to go to other sites that are more definitive and complete than this one, and the best
of luck with your research.