Even in memory, Henry the 8th is an impressive and imposing English monarch. Remembered for his cruelty to those who questioned him, it is often forgotten the great leader he had been in the early stages of his reign. Even within his outbursts of cruelty, Henry often accomplished what other kings had failed to do, turn the medieval world on its head.
Henry was the youngest son of Henry the 7th, the first King of the tutor line. His father had been a great king, uniting the country after the long War of the roses, which had been a battle of succession for the thrown. Of course, as royal protocol follows, it was not expected that Henry would be king at all (although illness and death were common in Tudor England, and all over Europe.)
Arthur, Henry’s eldest brother was to become king, and would marry Catharine of Aragon, the daughter of the powerful Ferdinand and Isabelle of Spain. Of course this marriage, unknown to anyone ,would later toss England into a heated debate lasting years.
Even before his brother could take the thrown, Arthur died of a illness, one of the many plagues that were constant throughout medieval Europe, leaving the young Catharine a widow. Although it is hard to say whether Henry was hesitant in his Fathers plan, Henry married Catharine after his father‘s death, under the assurance she had never consummated the marriage. This would not become a second thought until in 1525.
Its during this 25 year time span that often Henry’s reign, and the good relations with his wife is over looked. In fact most popular literature has wiped the story from the books all together. However, bits of this early pieces, leave interesting views of the events that would follow. For example, Henry was a devout Catholic, and was named protector of the Faith, by the pope. He even made his wife regent, while Henry led political and military campaigns across the English Channel.
While Catharine was an accomplished women, receiving one of the best educations any women of the time could get, her looks and her ability to have children faded, which depressed Henry, whom wanted nothing more then a son to carry on with the Tutor Dynasty.
In the background, one of the most powerful families of the time were finding ways to give the King what he wanted. The Howard’s, at cold war with the Seymour’s, had placed their youngest Daughter, Mary, as the Kings lover, and she would eventually bore him a son. Unfortunately, as Henry is known to do, he got bored and her sister, Anne Boyln would be thrust upon the King. This would be deadly for her, and turn England upside down.
While the divorce proceedings that were to follow have been at the fore front of research, it is important to remember the theological debate that was raging behind the scenes. Henry looked through the bible and works countless times over the course of the divorce, and theory goes he was sure the reason Catharine could not produce sons was, because she had been married to his brother and had in fact consummated it. Of course, to medieval Europe, this was incest, as much as sleeping with your own child.
This was common knowledge, even to those with limited education. To Henry, the matter would be solved quickly, when the Pope had realized Catherine had in fact been the wife of Arthur, body and soul. Unfortunately, far too few believed this was actually the case, and Anne Boyln was getting impatient.
Brought up in the French court, and far more worldly then her sister, Anne possessed the guts and education to entice Henry with the idea’s of the reformation. This is what the Howard’s needed, because it was the ideals of the reformation, that would shape Henry’s next idea.
The reformation, as most know, was started by Martin Luther. Although it was never meant to be a start of a new religion, it was meant to start debate with Church elders over the corruption of the Catholic
Church. While this did not have any direct effect theologically on Henry’s divorce case, at the time, it had called into question the power of the Pope, the centre to Henry’s argument.
Henry began to believe that he, not the Pope, was directly under God. He would pas a number of acts, including that no other but the King would have supreme power within England, and that Princes did not play second fiddle to the Pope.
Of course, the Pope fought back with excommunicating the King, which was disregarded as the divorce proceedings were finally in full swing after 6 years. However, it is important to remember, the newly created Church of England, under Henry, was in fact mostly Catholic. He did disband monasteries and nunneries , because of their ties to Rome, but this was mostly based on material gain. The Church doctrine itself did not change drastically well into Elizabeth’s Reign.
To demonstrate this point, after a few years of marriage, Anne herself would face the court on Witch craft and Adulatory charges, claiming it was Anne that had forced Henry away from the righteous path of Christian Kings. Needless to say Henry had enjoyed the power of his own church, but had clung desperately to the original texts and teachings of the catholic Church. In fact, it is Henry’s private life, like most monarchs, that shaped policy, however, in the case of Henry the 8th, it has (maybe with good reason) over shadowed his policy and consequences to his people.
What did it do to England? It would send England into confusion, and pit it against the powerful Catholic countries of France and Spain. To the average person, it was suddenly a question of Pope or King, which in reality made little difference in the long run, besides if you could keep your life or not. It would not be until Mary, his eldest daughter, took the thrown that England would see a huge upheaval over religion, at least more so then it was used to, leaving the common people in the cross hairs.
While England prospered under Henry, and later his son Edward, the final image the world has of Henry, is the murdering, cruel husband and King, whom died alone, over weight and cranky. Certainly his legacy should mean more, although his popular image has lead to an extensive amount of work, such as this.
Henry is known for his Wives, and the policy they had inspired, but a better look at the man is needed in the following years, if not for the scholars, but for the general public. While it is near impossible to argue he was not lead by lust in some of his endeavours, Henry was also a seemingly smart man, and capable Leader, although due to health his ability would slowly diminish.
He did do what other kings may have failed to do, turning England and the European continent on its head, over one of humanities most sacred establishments and ideas: Religion.
