Henry VIII

King Henry VIII of England and Ireland, third child and second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, was born on June 28, 1491. Henry VIII was born, like all other monarchs except Henry VII, at Greenwich Palace. His two brothers, Prince Arthur and Edmond, Duke of Somerst, and of his two sisters died before their father. Henry VIII was the only son. Margaret Tudor and Mary Tudor were the only daughters to survive. It is said the King Henry was destined for the church and that his powers were thrust upon him. He was the first monarch, English monarch, to be educated under the influence of the Renaissance. Henry was an accomplished scholar, musician, and athlete. With the death of his brother, Arthur, and the death of his father, Henry VIII toke the throne.

Henry VIII had been engaged to his brother’s widow, Catherine of Aragon. Henry VIII protested against the marriage, but in the end, in a few months the marriage was complete. This was mostly due to the pressure lead on by Catherine’s father. At first young King Henry VIII toke little interest in politics and for the first 2 years of him taking the throne, his affairs were managed by the pacific Richard Foxe and Warham. Cardinal Wosley became supreme, Henry was immersed his other interest, including sports.

Henry VIII became interested in the navy and toke on learning of new subjects. His new found interest led to the new design of war-like plans on France. Henry VIII followed an English army across the Channel in 1513, “and personally took part in the successful sieges of Therouanne and Tournay and the battle of Guinegate” (Jokinen, 2012), which led to the peace of 1514. Ferdinand deserted the English alliance and everything Spanish. There was talk of a divorce between Henry VII...

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... removed all obstacles to the divorce from Catherine and to the legalization of Henry VIII's marriage with Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn had failed Henry VIII once again with no male heir to the throne, she was them sentence to death with the conviction of Adultery. Henry VIII then married Jane Seymour. She gave birth to Edward VI, who then died in 1537.

Wolsey left Ireland to wallow in its own disorder. In 1535 Sir William Skeffington was sent to apply English methods and artillery to the government. Henry VIII, instead of being merely lord of Ireland dependent on the pope, was made by an Irish act of parliament king, and supreme head of the Irish church. So peaceful was Ireland in 1542 that the lord-deputy could send Irish kerns and galloglasses to fight against the Scots.