A Monarch A Month - Henry VIII

Hello all!

So, if you're reading this, you will notice it has been back-posted - I'd scheduled it for the 18th - but the 18th of October. What a silly billy!

We've now reached Monarch number 20 on Bothy Threads' Kings And Queens which, you will definitely know by now, I am stitching at the pace of one monarch per month.

And what a way to celebrate number 20 and almost the halfway mark with none other than probably the most famous monarch in British History, Henry VIII, who, I think, is actually looking more friendly than he should!

Henry VIII from Kings and Queens by Bothy Threads

Started - 1st September 2020

Finished - 6th September 2020

Total stitching time - 6 hours 5 minutes

And here comes my biggest test so far.... how on earth to summarise Henry and his reign (and his wives!) into 300 words! Well, it was going to be impossible, so I've doubled up, writing 300 on his life and reign and 300 on his 6 marriages because, afterall, that's probably what he's most famous for. Obviously a lot has been left out; I've just cherry-picked my favourite parts!

HENRY VIII
Preceded by Henry VII (father)

Succeeded by Edward VI (son)
Lived - 1491-1547
Reigned - 1509-1547
Married - 6 times
Fathered - 3 sons, 4 daughters and 1 acknowledged illegitimate son

Henry VIII became King following the death of his father.

He inherited a stable country and vast personal fortune, although spent heavily on an extravagant lifestyle and new ships for his navy.

He suffered leg wounds in a jousting accident in 1536, which worsened over the years as his weight increased. It is about this time that his personality became more paranoid, moody and tyrannical.

Henry made various alliances with France, Spain, and Rome only to break them when it suited him. He eyed the French crown but failed to achieve anything significant there.

He broke from the Catholic Church and ordered the Dissolution of the Monasteries; the land and wealth acquired from this helping to replenish the treasury.

He liked having titles:
- Defender Of The Faith - 1521 for decrying Protestantism and defending Catholicism (a title he kept when he swapped faiths!)
- Supreme Head of the Church of England - 1534 Acts of Supremacy
- King of Ireland - 1542 Crown of Ireland Act

He also believed in the Divine Rights of Kings, claiming monarchs were God On Earth and therefore answerable to no-one.

He had no problem executing those who opposed him, or got in his way, often on trumped-up charges of treason, including two wives, two chief ministers and numerous nobles.

His daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, were separately barred from succeeding to the throne but Henry reconciled with and restored them to the line of succession before his death.

Henry died in 1547 from general ill health, leaving the crown to his 9 year old son. He is buried in St George's Chapel Windsor.


Henry VIII and his wives: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.

1509 - married his brother's widow Catherine of Aragon (allowed with Pope's approval)

- fathered 3 daughters and 3 sons, although only Mary survived
- became fed up of Catherine not producing a male heir
- became enamoured with Anne Boleyn
- wanted a divorce based on it being wrong to marry his brother's widow
- broke from Catholicism in order to do so
- divorced Catherine 1533

1533 - married the feisty and intelligent Anne Boleyn

- fathered one daughter, Elizabeth, after which Anne had many (male?) miscarriages
- became fed up of Anne not producing a male heir

- became enamoured with Jane Seymour

- started believing Anne had bewitched him into marriage

- listened to (probably trumped-up rumours) she had had affairs, including with her brother

- divorced in 1536
- executed for treason two days later

1536 - married the quiet and demur Jane Seymour

- fathered one son, Edward
- died soon after childbirth 1537
- Henry was distraught; he had loved her deeply
- recommended he remarry for a Protestant alliance

1540 - married Anne Of Cleves

- found her dull and ugly
- marriage never consummated
- divorced Anne 1540
- because Anne had agreed to a divorce she was spared the axe
- she was given property and money and was thereafter known as The King's Sister

1540 - married the young Catherine Howard

- her youthful spirit made Henry feel young again
- discovered to be having an affair with Henry's page, Thomas Culpepper
- accused of having an affair with Francis Dereham, to whom she had been previously engaged
- divorced 1541
- executed for treason 1542

1543 - married the mature Catherine Parr

- she nursed him and tended to his wounds
- still married at time of death


So next month, the young Edward VI.

Take care,
Rachel x