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The 6 Wives of Henry VIII And How They Died

Published: May 14, 2024 by Liam Frady

Who were the wives of Henry VIII? Some things have entered pop history for notorious reasons, like the search for an heir by King Henry VIII of England. The Tudor king married 6 times in total before dying a mad, despotic tyrant of a monarch.

The Search for an Heir

The important thing to keep in mind with the many wives of Henry VIII is he was looking for a son to succeed him as king. The man sired many children, but a son was his top priority. Unfortunately, this had somewhat dire consequences for a few of his wives.

Catherine of Aragon

The first of the wives of Henry VIII was Catherine of Aragon, married in 1509. Their marriage would be annulled, resulting in a massive scandal with the Catholic Church before all was said and done. Catherine gave birth to Mary I, who would later become queen.

Anne Boleyn

Part of why Henry VIII annulled his marriage to his first wife was his infatuation with Anne Boleyn. Her marriage was a brief one to the English king, resulting in merely 3 years together before annulment. Like another of the wives of Henry VIII, she would be executed by the state in 1536.

Jane Seymour

Immediately after the execution of Anne Boleyn, the Henry VIII remarried. This time it was Jane Seymour. Their union was brief, lasting from 1536 to 1537. Seymour would sire the sole son to Henry VIII’s throne, King Edward VI. However, the poor woman died 12 days after giving birth from a fever.

Anne of Cleves

Before adding another marriage to his tally, Henry VIII cooled his heels for a few years. 1540 would see his brief marriage to Anne of Cleves. The marriage lasted for six months and had perhaps the happiest ending for all the wives of Henry VIII. Anne of Cleves would die in 1557, having outlived the Tudor king and his other brides.

Catherine Howard

This was another union that produced no children, much to the consternation of the king. As one of the wives of Henry VIII, Catherine Howard’s union was likewise quite short. They were only married for a year and a half before she was beheaded by the English government in 1542.

Catherine Parr

Interestingly, Catherine Parr had a prior marriage before becoming the Queen of England. This was something Catherine of Aragon had in common with the woman. Catherine Parr was the last of the wives of Henry VIII, marrying when she was 31 and the Tudor king was well into his 50s. The union produced no children, and she would end up widowed by Henry VIII. Catherine Parr would die following the birth of her only child, Mary Seymour, from childbed fever.