The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Henry VIII is known as the English Monarch who had six wives and here I will tell you a little bit about each of his wives. But first, an entertaining YouTube video:-
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
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| Motto and Crest | “Humble and Loyal”
Pomegranate with crown. |
“The Most Happy”
Crowned falcon on tree stump with red and white flowers. |
“Bound to Obey and Serve”
Crowned phoenix rising out of a castle with red and white roses. |
| Date of Birth | 16th December 1485 | Warnicke thinks 1507, but most historians think 1501 due to a letter that Anne wrote in 1513 when she was a maid of honour in Brussels – this position would be open to a 12/13 year old not a 6 year old. | Thought to be 1508 or 1509
Elizabeth Norton thinks between Oct 1507 and 1508 because 29 ladies rode in her funeral procession (1 for each year). |
| Who were they? | Catalina de Aragón.
Daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain. Previously married to Prince Arthur but marriage was not consummated. |
Daughter of diplomat, Thomas Boleyn, and Elizabeth Boleyn (nee Howard) | Eldest daughter of Sir John Seymour and Margery Wentworth |
| Date of Marriage and Duration | 11th June 1509 | Either November 1532 or January 1533
Just over 3 years. Betrothed for 7 years. |
30th May 1536
17 months |
| Death | 7th January 1536 | 19th May 1536 | 24th October 1537 |
| Cause of Death | Traditionally assumed to be cancer, although autopsy points to coronary thrombosis. | Beheaded for treason, adultery and incest by a French swordsman | Thought to be an infection following childbirth. |
| Age at Death | 50 | Either 35 or 29 | Around 29 |
| Children | Mary (later Mary I)
Born 18th February 1516 |
Elizabeth (later Elizabeth I)
Born 7th September 1533 |
Edward (later Edward VI)
Born 12th October 1537 |
| Biography | “The Divorce of Catherine of Aragon: The Story as Told by the Imperial Ambassadors Resident at the Court of Henry VIII by J A Froude | Eric Ives’ “The Life and Death Of Anne Boleyn” Joanna Denny’s “Anne Boleyn: A New Life of England’s Tragic Queen” Retha Warnicke’s “The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn” |
Elizabeth Norton’s “Jane Seymour: Henry VIII’s True Love” |
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| Motto | “God Send Me Well to Keep”
A gold escarbuncle. |
“No Other Will than His”
Crowned red and white thornless Tudor rose |
“To Be Useful in All That I Do”
Crowned maiden rising from a Tudor Rose. |
| Date of Birth | 22nd September 1515 | 1518/1521 | 1512 |
| Who were they? | Daughter of Johann III, Duke of Juliers-Cleves and Maria, heir of Juliers | Cousin of Anne Boleyn, daughter of Lord Edmund Howard and Elizabeth Tilney. | Second child and eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Parr of Kendal, Westmoreland and Maud Green. |
| Date of Marriage and Duration | 6th January 1540
6 months |
15th July 1540
About 19 months |
12th July 1543 (Henry was her third husband)
Until Henry VIII’s death on 28th January 1547. |
| Death | 6th July 1557 | 13th February 1542 | 5th September 1548 |
| Cause of Death | Unknown | Beheaded for adultery and treason | Illness following childbirth |
| Age at Death | 41 | Late teens/early 20s | About 31 |
| Children | None | Non | Daughter Mary Seymour by her 4th husband Sir Thomas Seymour. |
| Biography | Elizabeth Norton’s “Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII’s Discarded Bride” | Lacey Baldwin Smith’s “Catherine Howard: The Queen Whose Adulteries Made a Fool of Henry VIII” | Susan James’ “Catherine Parr: Henry VIII’s Last Love” |
Thanks to members of The Anne Boleyn Files Wiki for filling in the information on the Six Wives of Henry VIII.