Lessons
General introduction to the Tudors, England of this period, and resources we will use during the course....
Who were the Tudors?
England at the start of the Tudor dynasty.
Henry before Kingship.
Main resources for Henry VIII and his Wives.
Lesson 2: Loyal Heart: Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.
A Spanish princess, brought up in one of the most powerful kingdoms in Christendom, Catherine of Aragon had been readied almost from birth to be...
Coronation of Catherine and Henry. (Primary material written by Edward Hall)
Henry at the beginning of his reign.
Henry's court
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine and Henry
Lesson 3: Without Male Heir. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
Sexy, talented, quick witted, Anne Boleyn was no doubt the grand passion of Henry’s life, and Henry VIII turned his kingdom upside down to have her...
When Henry met Anne Boleyn.
The Fresh Young Damsel.
Anne as Queen.
The English Reformation.
The Murder of Anne Boleyn
Lesson 4: Entirely Beloved. Henry VIII and Jane Seymour
Plain Jane, and quiet like a mouse – or was she really? Who was this woman like that gave to Henry the only ‘royal’ son to live to succeed him – and...
Plain Jane?
Jane and Henry
Send us a Prince
Lesson 5: My Sister, My Wife. Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves.
Bad body smell, long nose, flabby breasts - Henry’s soon divorced Flander’s mare. But did Henry and Anne just simply get off on the wrong foot? (Or...
Henry the Widower
Anne of Cleves - or a close shave with Henry.
The six month Queen.
Lesson 6: The Blushing Rose Without a Thorn. Henry VIII and Katherine Howard.
From the light relief of Henry and Anne of Cleves, we go to more Tudor tragedy – when an ‘old before his time’ King becomes besotted with a teenage...
The Thornless Rose
Yours as Long as Life Endures
Back to Henry's court
Lesson 7: Surviving Henry. Henry VIII and Katherine Parr.
Married for the third time, Katherine was wise enough to survive her marriage to this royal spouse – but that doesn’t mean all went smoothly in time...
Henry's Health
Katherine Parr: 'Your Majesty is my Master.'
Henry's death
Lesson 8: The Legacy of Henry and his Wives.
Final conclusions about the legacy of Henry and his six queens, and additional resources for further research....
The lion's cubs
The wives surviving Henry.
Bibliography
