Posts tagged Henry VIII
The Final Catherine
Catherine_Parr_from_NPG.jpg

This week, we wrap up our series on Henry VIII with his final wife, Catherine Parr. They had the most successful of his later marriages before his death. We discuss their time together, the succession, and his ultimate legacy.

Tyrant King
Thanks to politiciansandhiphop.tumblr.com for this gem!

Thanks to politiciansandhiphop.tumblr.com for this gem!

As we discussed last time, Henry VIII spent seven years trying to divorce Catherine of Aragon. It only took him another 7 years to rack up 4 more wives, so he definitely learned to get on with it. Join us this week for a tale of hypocrisy, beheadings, love, childbed fever and more! We trace Henry VIII’s journey from romantic reformist to a tyrant king who learns the swiftest way to get what he wants is the execution block. He didn’t turn into a tyrant overnight, but his journey through wives 2-5 got him there in the end. Just fair warning, 16th century executions were gruesome, y’all! As are our pronunciations this episode, sorry!

References:

The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Alison Weir

Henry VIII: The King And His Court, Alison Weir

Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII, David Starkey

The "Great Matter"
anne boleyn.jpg

This week we cover the start of Henry VIII's relationship with Anne Boleyn and its consequences. His desire to annul his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne led to the King's "Great Matter," his six year quest for divorce. Henry tried many methods to navigate the religious and political obstacles in his way, and his ultimate solution would set England on an irreversible course toward Reformation. 

Such A King As Never Before
Young Henry VIII

And we're off into the saga of Henry VIII! Was he a tyrant, a killer of wives, a reformist, or was he just a man who really, really, needed a son? We chat his early years as a young, dashing king, his early, power couple years of marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and the reasons it all started to sour. There's war, continental politics, Papal kidnapping and more!

References:

The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Alison Weir

Henry VIII: The King And His Court, Alison Weir

Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII, David Starkey

Catherine of Aragon
Season 2: We're Back!
Tudor Rose

We're Back! Since we've been gone we've had a royal baby, a royal wedding, and so much more! Join us as we catch up on what's been happening in the Kensington world over the last few months! We also briefly chat the history of the Wars of the Roses, as we get into our next royal subject, Henry VIII! Was he just a British Bluebeard, or was the situation more nuanced than that?