Henry VIII – Wives, Children, Cause of Death and Height

Henry VIII, the second Tudor monarch, ruled England from 1509 until his death in 1547. He is best remembered for his six marriages, his break with the Catholic Church, and the three children who each went on to wear the crown: Mary I, Elizabeth I, and Edward VI. His reign reshaped English religion, politics, and society in ways that are still felt today.

Born on 28 June 1491 at Greenwich Palace, Henry was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. He was not expected to become king. That changed when his older brother, Arthur, died in 1502. Henry inherited the throne seven years later, at the age of 17, and quickly established himself as a charismatic and ambitious ruler.

Contemporary descriptions paint him as an unusually tall, athletic Renaissance prince. But the king who died at 55 was a very different figure — obese, in chronic pain, and trusted by few. Understanding that transformation is key to understanding Henry VIII.

How Many Wives Did Henry VIII Have? The Story of His Six Marriages

Henry married six times, a fact that has fascinated historians and the public for centuries. Each marriage served a different purpose, and each ended in a strikingly different way — annulment, execution, or death in childbirth.

Field	Details
Full Name	Henry Tudor
Title	King of England, Lord of Ireland
Born	28 June 1491, Greenwich
Died	28 January 1547, Whitehall
Cause of Death	Likely complications of obesity, possibly diabetes or infection (theories include syphilis, scurvy, or kidney failure)
Height	Approximately 6’2″ (188 cm) in his youth; later estimated at 6’1″ (185 cm) due to spinal issues
Spouses	Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, Catherine Parr
Children	Mary I, Elizabeth I, Edward VI (plus several illegitimate, including Henry FitzRoy)
Predecessor	Henry VII
Successor	Edward VI
Dynasty	Tudor
Religion	Roman Catholic (until 1534), then Church of England

Catherine of Aragon: The First Wife

Henry married Catherine of Aragon in 1509, shortly after becoming king. She was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain and had previously been married to Henry’s brother Arthur. For nearly 24 years, she was his queen. But she bore only one surviving child, Mary, and Henry, desperate for a male heir, sought an annulment. When the pope refused, Henry took the first steps toward breaking with Rome.

Anne Boleyn: The Second Wife

Anne Boleyn became Henry’s second wife in 1533 after a secret marriage. She gave birth to Elizabeth, the future Elizabeth I, but failed to produce a son. By 1536, Henry had turned against her. She was accused of treason, adultery, and incest, and was executed at the Tower of London.

Jane Seymour: The Third Wife

Jane Seymour married Henry just days after Anne Boleyn’s execution. She succeeded where the others had not: she gave birth to a son, the future Edward VI. But she died shortly after childbirth, in 1537. Henry considered her his true wife and chose to be buried beside her.

Anne of Cleves: The Fourth Wife

The marriage to Anne of Cleves in 1540 was a political alliance arranged by Thomas Cromwell. Henry found her unattractive and the marriage was annulled after only six months. Anne survived the annulment comfortably, outliving the king.

Catherine Howard: The Fifth Wife

Catherine Howard was young, about 17, when she married the 49-year-old king in 1540. Within two years, she was accused of adultery and executed at the Tower of London, the second of Henry’s wives to suffer that fate.

Catherine Parr: The Sixth Wife

Catherine Parr, married in 1543, was Henry’s last wife. She was a skilled manager of the household and helped reconcile Henry with his daughters. She survived him and died in 1548.

Did Henry VIII Have a Son? His Children and Heirs

Henry VIII had three legitimate children who survived infancy: Mary, Elizabeth, and Edward. All three became monarchs of England. He also acknowledged at least one illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset.

Mary I: The First Daughter

Mary was born in 1516 to Catherine of Aragon. She was declared illegitimate after Henry’s marriage to Catherine was annulled. She later became queen in 1553, known as Bloody Mary for her persecution of Protestants.

Elizabeth I: The Second Daughter

Elizabeth was born in 1533 to Anne Boleyn. She too was declared illegitimate after her mother’s execution. She eventually ruled as one of England’s greatest monarchs, ushering in the Elizabethan era.

Edward VI: The Longed-For Son

Edward was born in 1537 to Jane Seymour. Henry finally had his male heir. Edward became king at age nine but ruled only six years before dying of illness in 1553.

What Was Henry VIII’s Cause of Death?

Henry VIII died on 28 January 1547 at the Palace of Whitehall in Westminster. He was 55 years old. Despite extensive historical study, there is no single agreed-upon medical cause of death.

Theories and Medical Evidence

Historians and medical experts have proposed several theories over the years. These include complications from obesity, diabetes, kidney failure, infection, and even syphilis. Others have suggested scurvy or the genetic disorder McLeod syndrome. None of these theories is definitively proven.

Obesity and Health Decline

What is clear is that Henry’s health deteriorated sharply after a serious jousting accident in 1536. He developed a leg ulcer that never properly healed and became increasingly obese. By his final years, he was unable to walk unaided and had to be carried around his palaces.

Final Days and Burial

Henry died in the presence of his last wife, Catherine Parr, and several courtiers. He was buried in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, next to Jane Seymour, the wife he considered his true queen.

How Tall Was Henry VIII? And Other Biographical Facts

Henry VIII’s Height and Appearance

Historic Royal Palaces records Henry VIII’s height as 1.87 metres, about 6 feet 2 inches. This made him unusually tall for the Tudor period. In his youth, he was described as athletic, broad-shouldered, and handsome. Later in life, his weight and declining health altered his appearance significantly.

Early Life and Youth

Henry was a gifted student. He spoke Latin, French, and Spanish, wrote poetry, composed music, and excelled at sports including wrestling, jousting, and archery. His early reign was marked by optimism and cultural flourishing.

Becoming King: The Tudor Succession

Henry became king on 22 April 1509, after the death of his father, Henry VII. He was the second son; his elder brother Arthur had died in 1502. The young king was immediately popular, seen as a refreshing contrast to his father’s more cautious rule.

Why Did Henry VIII Break with the Catholic Church?

The Great Matter: Anne Boleyn and the Annulment

Henry’s desire to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon set off a chain of events that changed England forever. When Pope Clement VII refused to grant the annulment, Henry moved to bypass papal authority entirely.

The Act of Supremacy and the Break with Rome

In 1534, Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy, declaring Henry the Supreme Head of the Church of England. This severed the English church from Rome and initiated the English Reformation. It was one of the most consequential actions of his reign.

Impact on English Religion and Politics

The break with Rome permanently reshaped religious and political life in England. It led to the dissolution of the monasteries, the redistribution of church wealth, and a shift in power from the papacy to the crown. It also laid the groundwork for the Protestant Reformation in England.

Key Events in the Life of Henry VIII: A Timeline

1. 1491: Born at Greenwich Palace. Source: Royal.uk
2. 1509: Becomes king after death of Henry VII; marries Catherine of Aragon. Source: Britannica
3. 1516: Birth of Princess Mary (later Mary I).
4. 1520: Field of Cloth of Gold meeting with Francis I.
5. 1527: Begins annulment proceedings against Catherine.
6. 1533: Marries Anne Boleyn; break with Rome; Elizabeth born.
7. 1536: Anne Boleyn executed; jousting accident; marries Jane Seymour.
8. 1537: Birth of Edward (later Edward VI); Jane Seymour dies.
9. 1540: Marries Anne of Cleves (annulled); marries Catherine Howard.
10. 1542: Catherine Howard executed.
11. 1543: Marries Catherine Parr.
12. 1547: Dies at Whitehall Palace. Source: Historic Royal Palaces

What Do We Know for Certain About Henry VIII?

Established Information	Information That Remains Unclear
Henry VIII had six wives.	Exact cause of death is debated; theories include syphilis, diabetes, obesity complications, or a combination.
He broke with the Catholic Church and established the Church of England.	Whether he suffered from McLeod syndrome (a genetic disorder) is speculative.
He died on 28 January 1547.	The full extent of his health decline after the 1536 jousting accident is not precisely documented.
He was succeeded by his son Edward VI.	Some details of his early life and personality rely on court chronicles that may be biased.
His height in youth was about 6’2″ according to contemporary armour measurements.

What Was Henry VIII’s Lasting Impact on England?

Henry VIII fundamentally altered the course of English history. His break with the Roman Catholic Church created the Church of England and set the stage for the Protestant Reformation. His political centralization strengthened the monarchy at the expense of the nobility. And his desperate pursuit of a male heir produced three future monarchs — Mary I, Elizabeth I, and Edward VI — each of whom shaped the country in vastly different ways.

Compared with his father, Henry VII, who rebuilt the treasury after the Wars of the Roses, Henry VIII spent lavishly on war, palaces, and court spectacle. Compared with his daughter Elizabeth I, whose long reign brought stability, Henry’s rule was turbulent and marked by political and religious upheaval.

The image of Henry VIII — the obese, tyrannical king with six wives — has been reinforced by centuries of popular culture. But historians emphasize that the young man who took the throne in 1509 was intelligent, athletic, and deeply cultured. The transformation from Renaissance prince to ailing despot is one of the most dramatic arcs in royal history. To learn more about the family he belonged to, see The Tudor Dynasty: A Complete Guide.

What Do Primary Sources and Historians Say About Henry VIII?

“If it please you, my darling, to hear that I am well, I pray you will be the same.” — Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, from a love letter, 1527.

Source: Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, via British History Online

“He was a man of great stature, both of body and mind.” — Holinshed’s Chronicles.

Source: Holinshed’s Chronicles, 1577

“Henry VIII was a monster, but a very human one.” — Historian David Starkey.

Source: David Starkey, historian

These sources give us a glimpse of the contradictions at the heart of Henry VIII. He could be tender and romantic in private, as the love letter to Anne Boleyn shows. But he could also order executions and dismantle institutions without hesitation. The historical record, from government papers to court chronicles, continues to be studied by scholars seeking to understand this complex figure. For more on the woman who changed his reign forever, see Anne Boleyn: Biography and Execution.

Summary: Who Was Henry VIII, and Why Does He Still Matter?

Henry VIII was King of England from 1509 to 1547, a monarch whose personal desires reshaped his nation’s religion, politics, and identity. He had six wives, three surviving legitimate children, and a drive for a male heir that altered the course of English history. His break with Rome established the Church of England. His death at 55 left a young son on the throne and a kingdom in transition. The contradictions of his character — the cultured prince who became a domineering king — continue to fascinate historians and the public alike.

Frequently Asked Questions About Henry VIII

How many children did Henry VIII have?

Henry VIII had three legitimate children who survived infancy: Mary I, Elizabeth I, and Edward VI. He also had at least one acknowledged illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy.

Who was Henry VIII’s first wife?

His first wife was Catherine of Aragon, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. He married her in 1509 and they were together until 1533.

Who was Henry VIII’s last wife?

His last wife was Catherine Parr, whom he married in 1543. She outlived him and died in 1548.

Where is Henry VIII buried?

He is buried in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, alongside his wife Jane Seymour.

How did Henry VIII become king?

He became king upon the death of his father, Henry VII, on 22 April 1509. He was the second son; his elder brother Arthur had died in 1502.

What was Henry VIII’s personality?

He was described as intelligent, athletic, and charismatic in his youth, but later became paranoid, obese, and prone to violent outbursts.

How tall was Henry VIII?

According to Historic Royal Palaces, Henry VIII stood approximately 6 feet 2 inches (1.87 metres) tall, making him unusually tall for his era.

Did Henry VIII have a son who became king?

Yes. His son Edward VI became king after Henry’s death in 1547, though he ruled only six years before dying at age 15.

Why did Henry VIII break with the Catholic Church?

Henry broke with Rome after the pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. He declared himself Supreme Head of the Church of England in 1534.

When did Henry VIII die?

He died on 28 January 1547 at the Palace of Whitehall in Westminster. He was 55 years old.