Before we meet Henry's wives, let's take a look at Henry himself. Henry was born on June 28, 1491. He was the third child of Henry VII and not the first-born son. If sons are born to a king, then his sons or rather his eldest son gets the throne on the king's death. Henry VII also had a daughter, but sons were always put before daughters when it came to England's throne, and she was never considered for the title.
Henry wasn't the eldest son and so he wasn't expected to sit as England's King. This role fell to his elder brother Arthur, who raised as a future king from birth, was taught all he would need to know in order to become a successful king. Royal marriages during the Tudor period were often arranged to help a country. Quite often a prince from one country would marry a princess from another country and those countries would then become friends and help each other if it was needed.
Henry VII believed that Katherine of Aragon, a Spanish princess would be a great wife for Arthur to have when he became king. She would bring with her a huge amount of money because her parents were very wealthy and she would also bring Spain and England together as friends.
Arthur then, was betrothed to Katherine and they married in London in 1501, Katherine was just fifteen years old! It is believed that Arthur's younger brother Henry might have been rather taken with the Spanish princess himself.
When Arthur died early, just six months after he and had Katherine married, young Henry became the new heir to the throne of England. When Henry VIII was finally crowned king in 1509, he married Katherine, his dead brother's widow. Katherine of Aragon became Henry's first and probably most dutiful wife.
Next Time: Katherine of Aragon.
Sources:
Six Wives of Henry VIII
by Alison Weir, B. Alison Weir
Publisher: Grove Press; (April 2000)
ISBN: 0802136834
Henry VIII: The King and His Court (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
by Alison Weir
Publisher: Ballantine Books; (October 29, 2002)
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