History UsefulNotes / TheHouseOfTudor

* Laura Andersen's ''The Boleyn King'' trilogy is set in an Alternate History in which [[ForWantOfANail Anne Boleyn did not miscarry and gave birth to a healthy boy]]. [[spoiler: Elizabeth I still becomes queen.]]

He was far more extravagant than his father. This was the man responsible for quite possibly the most extravagant diplomatic summit in history, the Field of the Cloth of Gold. There he proceeded to have a wrestling match with the King of France, Francis I. The French guy won; the English guy was displeased. His wife, meanwhile, had defeated a Scottish invasion in the north in which the Scottish king, the husband of Henry's sister Margaret, was killed. Needing to make peace with France, he arranged for his other living sister, Mary, to marry the king. This didn't quite go the way he planned. Henry and Mary had been very close as children, and when she begged him not to make her go through with the match, he knew how to get her to cooperate. He promised that once her much-older husband died (which he did, three months after the marriage), she could choose her second husband. But when the time came, Henry is alleged to have conveniently forgotten this promise, and sent one of his best friends, Charles Brandon, to collect his widowed sister - apparently unaware that Charles and Mary had secretly been in love for ''years''. Charles had barely landed in France when he and Mary eloped, and this marriage being outside of Henry's permission, it was technically treason. Luckily for the couple, Henry was too fond of them to stay angry for very long, so he consented to a second wedding in his court and named them Duke and Duchess of Suffolk. He and Catherine named their daughter Mary after his sister, whom they both loved, and he and Charles remained BestFriendsInLaw for their entire lives.

* Creator/RolandEmmerich's ''Film/{{Anonymous}}'' deals with the [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespeare]] authorship question, and is thus set in Elizabethan England.

Catherine's religious leanings were clear, but she toed the King's line for the most part. However, the Catholic faction at court had, by this point, largely realized that the Queen was very influential in Henry's court, and hatched a plot to get rid of Catherine Parr. It was simple: tell the King that his wife, the balm of his old age, was a secret Protestant and, what's more, a disobedient and unruly wife who talked back to him. Catherine, who enjoyed lively debate with her husband (especially if it caused him to enact more Protestant-friendly policies), played right into it, basically. She ''was'' a Protestant and she ''was'' intelligent and talked back to Henry. And Henry was infuriated by this, now seeing ulterior motives in Catherine's erudition.

This search took longer than expected, and it was nearly three years before Henry married again. This was partly due to the fluctuating politics in Europe that left Henry and his government constantly uncertain about with whom they needed to be allied; and partly because the European marriage market, ''shockingly,'' was not that keen on a king who had gone through three wives in five years, with Anne Boleyn's fate standing out in particular. Apparently, when Mary of Guise -- a French noblewoman who would later marry Henry's nephew James V of Scotland and give birth to [[UsefulNotes/MaryOfScotland Mary Queen of Scots]] -- learned that Henry had told the French ambassador that he was a big man and had need of a big wife, she glibly replied, "I may be a big woman, but I have a very little neck." When Henry's ambassadors were plying his suit to her, Christina of Denmark supposedly said, "If I had two heads, one should be at the King of England's disposal." While these stories are likely apocryphal, Christina and her relatives at least made no secret of her aversion to marrying Henry, particularly since Catherine of Aragon was ''her great-aunt.'' When she posed for a portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger (whom Henry had sent to paint all the prospective candidates for wife Number Four) she wore mourning dress, and given that she had been widowed over two years prior, her choice of wardrobe was very telling - mourning dress is supposed to be worn for six months, then into purple for six months for "half-mourning", then out of mourning; the fact she wore mourning dress ''a whole year later than she needed to'' was one hell of a sign. The wooing of both ladies went nowhere, and several other marriage negotiations also fell through.

Henry seems to have been overjoyed by Elizabeth’s birth; there’s no evidence whatsoever that he was angry or upset, and, in fact, we have letters written in Henry’s hand before her birth pleading with the midwives to put Anne’s life before that of the child ''even if the child was a boy''. But then further into their marriage Anne miscarried at least two separate pregnancies, both boys, each in the second trimester, and after three years the qualities which had attracted Henry in the first place (especially her strong-minded wilfulness) began to repel him. It didn't help Anne's case that, unlike Catherine, she was apparently unpopular with the common folk, who greatly sympathized with the former, "true" queen and blamed Anne for Henry breaking with Rome. Her enemies at court actively hated her, and she refused to tactfully ignore Henry's mistresses the way Catherine had done (Henry even once referred to Catherine as Anne's "better" when lecturing her on her lecturing ''him'' about his mistresses). None of her relatives or friends were powerful enough or willing enough to support and protect her -- ''or'' to kick up a fuss should anything obviously untoward happen to her. [[note]]In particular, she managed to alienate her uncle, Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, who wound up completely turning against her and even ''presided at her trial'' as Lord High Steward.[[/note]]

The other point his detractors make is that during his reign he had at least 10,000 people put to death, often including his closest advisors and friends, as well as some of England's greatest thinkers such as Bishop John Fisher and Sir Thomas More (not to imply the other deaths were any less tragic). Some historians put the number at closer to 70,000. His daughter, the so-called 'Bloody' Mary, gets a bad rap for killing around 300, so it only seems fair to flag this up. [[note]]Doing the math, Henry took at least 260 heads each year of his reign, while Mary took about 60 each year of her much shorter reign. Yeah... Bloody, Bloody Henry.[[/note]]

The other point his detractors make is that during his reign he had at least 10,000 people put to death, often including his closest advisors and friends and some of England's greatest thinkers such as Bishop John Fisher and Sir Thomas More (not to imply the other deaths were any less tragic). Some historians put the number at closer to 70,000. His daughter, the so-called 'Bloody' Mary, gets a bad rap for killing around 300, so it only seems fair to flag this up. [[note]]Doing the math, Henry took at least 260 heads each year of his reign, while Mary took about 60 each year of her much shorter reign. Yeah... Bloody, Bloody Henry.[[/note]]

In other matters, that whole "Virgin Queen" thing? Debatable. Good Queen Bess had at least two well-publicized affairs -- the question is whether the hard-headed Elizabeth would have taken the risk of the damage an illegitimate royal pregnancy would have caused[[note]]One notable historian, Dr Paul Doherty, claims that ''Unkempt and exhausted, 800 miles from England the shipwrecked young man prepared to meet his interrogators in a Madrid courtroom one June day in 1587. Suspected of spying after his ship ran aground just days earlier in the Bay of Biscay, the unshaven sailor feared for his life. But it was not the threat of incarceration that troubled him, but the repercussions of the secret he was about to reveal. Asked to identify himself, he replied: "I am the bastard son of Queen Elizabeth of England and her lover Robert Dudley."'', though whether there is any truth to this is unknown.[[/note]]. The first, long-lasting one was with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, her [[VictoriousChildhoodFriend childhood companion]]. If she was ever in love with anyone, she was in love with him; he was certainly in love with her, and had been since she they met when she was ''eight'' and just an illegitimate child, so the rumours of him wanting her for the crown are somewhat unjustified (although he probably saw that as a juicy bonus too!). But alas, sadly for Elizabeth, he was married, until his first wife Amy died under dubious circumstances that made their marriage impossible. [[note]]A number of modern medical historians believe that her death was caused by breast cancer; however, she was ''found dead from a fall down a flight of stairs.'' Other historians believe it may have been suicide, since she rather pointedly sent all her servants away on the morning of her death. In any case, an inquest was held and her husband was found innocent, but the damage was done. Historians generally think it unlikely, as if Dudley have to have been a complete fool to think he could get away with it, considering the enormous scandal and conspiracy theories which immediately sprang up after her death. This even makes some historians believe his wife ''was'' murdered, but by the ''enemies'' of Dudley, who knew that he would immediately fall under suspicion, and make his ''ever'' marrying Elizabeth impossible. This is just another theory, however, and no-one will ever know for sure.[[/note]] Leicester died shortly after the defeat of the Armada. Elizabeth mourned for a few months and then took up with the second Earl of Essex, also named Robert. He was, essentially, her boy-toy. She had reigned longer than he'd been alive. Incidentally, he was also Leicester's stepson through Leicester's second marriage. Unlike his stepfather, however, this Robert didn't know how to keep his mouth shut and got a big head. Bess was mildly displeased by this, so, like they did many times before, axe and head and block met again. As for political matches, it seems that she took her courtship with Francis (French: François), Duke of Anjou, at least somewhat seriously. Despite their age difference (Elizabeth was considerably older than her suitor) they seem to have been quite fond of one another. For a time Elizabeth even wore a frog-shaped earring Francis sent her, a likely reference to her nickname for him ("my little frog").

In other matters, that whole "Virgin Queen" thing? Debatable. Good Queen Bess had at least two well-publicized affairs -- the question is whether the hard-headed Elizabeth would have taken the risk of the damage an illegitimate royal pregnancy would have caused[[note]]One notable historian, Dr Paul Doherty, claims that ''Unkempt and exhausted, 800 miles from England the shipwrecked young man prepared to meet his interrogators in a Madrid courtroom one June day in 1587. Suspected of spying after his ship ran aground just days earlier in the Bay of Biscay, the unshaven sailor feared for his life. But it was not the threat of incarceration that troubled him, but the repercussions of the secret he was about to reveal. Asked to identify himself, he replied: "I am the bastard son of Queen Elizabeth of England and her lover Robert Dudley."'', though whether there is any truth to this is unknown.[[/note]]. The first, long-lasting one was with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, her [[VictoriousChildhoodFriend childhood companion]]. If she was ever in love with anyone, she was in love with him; he was certainly in love with her, and had been since she they met when she was ''eight'' and just an illegitimate child, so the rumours of him wanting her for the crown are somewhat unjustified (although he probably saw that as a juicy bonus too!). But alas, sadly for Elizabeth, he was married, until his first wife Amy died under dubious circumstances that made their marriage impossible.[[note]]A number of modern medical historians believe that her death was caused by breast cancer; however, she was ''found dead from a fall down a flight of stairs'', which didn't look very good at the time. Other historians believe it may have been suicide since she made rather a point of sending away all of her servants on the morning of her death. In any case, an inquest was held and her husband was found innocent, but the damage to his chances of marrying Elizabeth was done.[[/note]] Leicester died shortly after the defeat of the Armada. Elizabeth mourned for a few months and then took up with the second Earl of Essex, also named Robert. He was, essentially, her boy-toy. She had reigned longer than he'd been alive. Incidentally, he was also Leicester's stepson through Leicester's second marriage. Unlike his stepfather, however, this Robert didn't know how to keep his mouth shut and got a big head. Bess was mildly displeased by this, so, like they did many times before, axe and head and block met again. As for political matches, it seems that she took her courtship with Francis (French: François), Duke of Anjou, at least somewhat seriously. Despite their age difference (Elizabeth was considerably older than her suitor) they seem to have been quite fond of one another. For a time Elizabeth even wore a frog-shaped earring Francis sent her, a likely reference to her nickname for him ("my little frog").

The other point his detractors make is that during his reign he had at least 10,000 people executed, including some of England's greatest thinkers such as Bishop John Fisher and Sir Thomas More (not to imply the other deaths were any less tragic). Some historians put the number at closer to 70,000. His daughter, the so-called 'Bloody' Mary, gets a bad rap for killing around 300, so it only seems fair to flag this up. [[note]]Doing the math, Henry took at least 260 heads each year of his reign, while Mary took about 60 each year of her much shorter reign. Yeah... Bloody, Bloody Henry.[[/note]]

The other point his detractors make is that during his reign he had at least 10,000 people executed, including some of England's greatest thinkers such as Bishop John Fisher and Sir Thomas More (not to imply the other deaths were any less tragic). Some historians put the number at closer to 70,000. His daughter, the so-called 'Bloody' Mary, gets a bad rap for killing around 300, so it only seems fair to flag this up.[[note]]Doing the math, Henry took at least 260 heads for each year of his reign, while Mary took about 60 for each year of her much shorter reign. Yeah... Bloody, Bloody Henry.[[/note]]

The other point his detractors make is that during his reign he had at least 10,000 people executed, including some of England's greatest thinkers such as Bishop John Fisher and Sir Thomas More (not to imply the other deaths were any less tragic). Some historians put the number at closer to 70,000. His daughter, the so-called 'Bloody' Mary, gets a bad rap for killing around 300, so it only seems fair to flag this up.[[note]]Doing the math, Henry took at least 260 heads for each year of his reign, while Mary took about 60 for each year of hers. Yeah... Bloody, Bloody Henry.[[/note]]

In the first nine years of their marriage, Catherine bore Henry three boys and three girls. Unfortunately, two were stillborn, three died in infancy, and only one, Mary, survived. [[labelnote: more]]In order: 1. a stillborn girl, not named; 2. a son, named Henry and nicknamed "Little Prince Hal," made Duke of Cornwall, christened with great pomp, died at 52 days old, received royal funeral; 3. a stillborn boy, not named; 4. a son, named Henry, made Duke of Cornwall, survived less than a month; 5. a daughter, Mary I, see below; 6. a daughter, not named, survived less than a week. Had they all (or even just ''one'' of the boys) survived, things would have been very different. Furthermore, given the House of Trastámara's predisposition towards mental illness (which Catherine of Aragon seems to have dodged) it is possible European royal history might have been even more dramatic.[[/labelnote]] Henry carried on his husbandly duty and waited, in vain, for further issue, his worry and impatience at his lack of an heir growing as the years passed. How much of the fertility problems were down to Catherine -- whose family had a history of dying in childbirth or giving birth to children who died young [[note]]Her sister, Isabella, had a son who died young at the age of 2 and she died in childbirth ''having'' him; her sister Maria had lots of living children -- 8 out of 10 of her children survived to adulthood -- but only two living Portuguese grandchildren: Maria Manuela -- who had a son who was totally bat-shit insane -- and João Manuel, Prince of Portugal, who had diabetes, married his double first cousin, and died young leaving only one son... who later died young in battle anyway; her sister, Juana, did relatively well with ''no'' stillborn children, but had the whole "possibly being crazy" thing going for her, and the Trastamaras on the throne died out anyway due to incest, so take from that what you will; and John got his wife pregnant, died, and then the baby was stillborn anyway[[/note]] and who had a habit of ''fasting'' while in prayer, ''while pregnant'' -- is still hotly debated.

In the first nine years of their marriage, Catherine bore Henry three boys and three girls. Unfortunately, two were stillborn, three died in infancy, and only one, Mary, survived. [[labelnote: more]]In order: 1. a stillborn girl, not named; 2. a son, named Henry and nicknamed "Little Prince Hal," made Duke of Cornwall, christened with great pomp, died at 52 days old, received royal funeral; 3. a stillborn boy, not named; 4. a son, named Henry, made Duke of Cornwall, survived less than a month; 5. a daughter, Mary I, see below; 6. a daughter, not named, survived less than a week. Had they all (or even just ''one'' of the boys) survived, things would have been very different. Furthermore, given the House of Trastámara's predisposition towards mental illness (which Catherine of Aragon seems to have dodged) it is possible European royal history might have been even more dramatic. [[/labelnote]] Henry carried on his husbandly duty and waited, in vain, for further issue, his worry and impatience at his lack of an heir growing as the years passed. How much of the fertility problems were down to Catherine -- whose family had a history of dying in childbirth or giving birth to children who died young[[note]]Her sister, Isabella, had a son who died young at the age of 2 and she died in childbirth ''having'' him; her sister Maria had lots of living children -- 8 out of 10 of her children survived to adulthood -- but only two living Portuguese grandchildren: Maria Manuela -- who had a son who was totally bat-shit insane -- and João Manuel, Prince of Portugal, who had diabetes, married his double first cousin, and died young leaving only one son... who later died young in battle anyway; her sister, Juana, did relatively well with ''no'' stillborn children, but had the whole "possibly being crazy" thing going for her, and the Trastamaras on the throne died out anyway due to incest, so take from that what you will; and John got his wife pregnant, died, and then the baby was stillborn anyway[[/note]] and who had a habit of ''fasting'' while in prayer, ''while pregnant'' -- is still hotly debated.

In the first nine years of their marriage, Catherine bore Henry three boys and three girls. Unfortunately, two were stillborn, three died in infancy, and only one, Mary, survived. [[labelnote: more]]In order: 1. a stillborn girl, not named; 2. a son, named Henry and nicknamed "Little Prince Hal," made Duke of Cornwall, christened with great pomp, died at 52 days old, received royal funeral; 3. a stillborn boy, not named; 4. a son, named Henry, made Duke of Cornwall, survived less than a month; 5. a daughter, Mary I, see below; 6. a daughter, not named, survived less than a week. Had they all (or even just ''one'' of the boys) survived, things would have been very different. Furthermore, given the House of Trastámara's predisposition towards mental illness (which Catherine of Aragon seems to have dodged) it is possible European royal history might have been even more dramatic.[[/labelnote]] Henry carried on his husbandly duty and waited, in vain, for further issue, his worry and impatience at his lack of an heir growing as the years passed. How much of the fertility problems were down to Catherine -- whose family had a history of dying in childbirth or giving birth to children who died young[[note]]Her sister, Isabella, had a son who died young at the age of 2 and she died in childbirth ''having'' him; her sister Maria had lots of living children -- 8 out of 10 of her children survived to adulthood -- but only two living Portuguese grandchildren: Maria Manuela -- who had a son who was totally bat-shit insane -- and João Manuel, Prince of Portugal, who had diabetes, married his double first cousin, and died young leaving only one son... who later died young in battle anyway; her sister, Juana, did relatively well with ''no'' stillborn children, but had the whole "possibly being crazy" thing going for her, and the Trastamaras on the throne died out anyway due to incest, so take from that what you will; and John got his wife pregnant, died, and then the baby was stillborn anyway[[/note]] and who had a habit of ''fasting'' while in prayer, ''while pregnant'' -- is still hotly debated.

He was only 18 when he came to the throne. The public adored the young king and queen, who were both widely regarded as attractive and charismatic. Incidentally, while many folks know, due to the famous portrait shown above, that Henry VIII was, like his 21st century namesake, Duke Henry of Sussex ([[UsefulNotes/TheBritishRoyalFamily Prince Harry]]), a redhead, Catherine was a redhead as well, despite the many portrayals of her in fiction as raven-haired or brunette. Henry engaged in some WackyFratboyHijinx in his early years as King; he and some male buddies once burst into the Queen's bedchamber dressed as Myth/RobinHood and his Merry Men. By most accounts, their marriage was largely happy for the first several years.