Image

1. Fear Duty Father Self Husband Image Look into the mind Return to Website Of King Henry VIII

2. Henry was the Second in line for the throne after his Father’s favourite son Arthur. Henry was a true sportsman and liked to win, though his opponents preferred to lose. Henry VII was seen as a usurper of the throne and not the rightful heir. So, why did the most loved, well respected King in Europe, turn into the most despised, hated, feared King in History? Henry VII was a money hoarder and not popular because of taxes. Henry’s one and only true friend, Charles Brandon had lots of high living image. Henry had to compete. Tudor England was still developing and seen as weak by European monarchy. Francis I of France had a high image, good looks and a sportsman too, Henry’s main opposition in the image stakes. Henry VIII knew he needed to please all the people, the commoner and the aristocracy. Image Henry gave lots of money away to the poor, always their hero in his early year’s, he tried hard to keep their support. Henry was very clever though his Father disliked him. He built up a Superman image, but too many factors stopped him maintaining it. Leaving him to fall back on the easiest, fear and power. Catherine was a good political marriage for Arthur, so Henry married her too. Catherine of Aragon was well loved by the people and lost trust in Henry because of the divorce. Ann had little chance to take her place, Henry tried to help but failed. Showing of wealth was the best image criteria in Tudor times.

3. Self consciousness low at first thanks to father’s affection for Arthur. Be opposite to Father’s careful ways to promote the people’s affection. Only Charles Brandon plays hard to win in sport, others too scared to win. Promoting fear starts to take over. What changes a man’s character so much to make him the most hated of Monarchs? Loss of beloved Grandmother, Margaret Beaufort early in reign leads to having nobody to talk to about problems. Clothing becomes more flamboyant as body starts to fill and sporting image reduces. Listens to councillors, takes advise but wants to lead not be led. Wolsey takes the royal workload. Self Starting to make rash decisions with no way of saving face by rescinding wrong moves. Marriage to Catherine successful until her Father, Ferdinand betrays him. Cannot trust wife now. Anna Von Cleves not recognising Henry forces bad response with no way out. Henry needed a good PR man with a long term plan, instead it was repair the damage all the time. Pope show his power over decisions by Henry, even Wolsey cannot change the outcomes. People don’t like Henry any more so Henry gives up trying to please. Starts a era of extreme cruelty.

4. To keep the Tudors the most powerful family in England. To create powerful allies by marriage and military help. To provide an Heir to the Tudor line. What were the pressure’s on a young monarch. Could Henry cope? To advance England in the eyes of the European monarchies. To create a powerful court as a grand example to all nobility. To keep the country from bankruptcy and still promote well being to foreign ambassadors. Duty To increase the love of the people for their monarch and their loyalty to the house of Tudor. To keep the people fed, happy and under the thumb. To keep down the Plantagenet threat from older nobility with ambitions for their young. Maybe too ambitious for himself and England . To bring back the glories of past monarchs, emulate King Arthur, Black Prince. To govern well and produce fair laws.

5. Henry must have feared failure to keep the Tudors in power. Carrying through rash decisions made courtiers very edgy about opposing bad decisions. Henry feared not providing a son for the country to celebrate. The people and the nobility certainly had fear of their King, did Henry have fear also? Henry made Catherine a scapegoat for not having a surviving son and heir, after proving himself with Fitzroy. After Ann Boleyn, from a powerful family, courtiers not eager to bring their family into the life of the Royal court. Fitzroy’s early death put back the pressure of an heir apparent. His burial was in secret. Reprisals for not following the reformation of the church was a deadly affair, especially for a Noble with land to lose. Fear If Henry lost against a noble in sport, other than Charles Brandon, the people would think he was losing his powers. Henry created the fear which came back in a vicious circle. Losing the Spanish allies created a naval invasion fear, the loss of the Roman Catholic Church increased this fear. Build forts and a navy to counter any threat. Arthurian legend is too hard to emulate. The Europe of Henry was much different to the successes of the Black Prince. Fear created fear for everybody.

6. Mary was a product of real love between Henry and Catherine, she was brought up a staunch Roman Catholic. Keeping the children apart too long created barriers between Mary and Elizabeth. Pressure to produce a son reduced the affection for Mary. Fitzroy would have outranked her if he survived. The Father planted the seeds of being a Father without the thought of how good a Father! Making Mary look after Edward like a nurse maid created hate and fear of her future. Henry was jealous of his brother Arthur, not just because of the Throne, but the love he got from their Father. So much anguish to take over the Catholic Church would have been for nothing if Mary came to power. Father Fitzroy’s early death put back the pressure of an heir apparent. Losing a son again broke Henry’s heart. Henry’s actions bred sibling fears, and put the future of a Tudor England into jeopardy. Ann gave Henry a stillborn son, a healthy daughter, Elizabeth. Not good enough to dispel fears. Henry loved his children as a good Father should until his Kingship got in the way. Henry failed miserably as a Father Jane gave Henry a son, Edward. Losing Jane 14 days later broke Henry’s heart again.

7. Catherine and Henry, such a loving couple. Or is that a myth? Jane was quiet, unassuming and available, she became Henry’s lover. She came from a family more loyal than the Howards. Did Catherine tell Ferdinand all that was occurring in Henry’s England? Why six wives? Why be married after a son is born? A divorce, an annulment why did Henry become to dislike Catherine so much? Jane was Henry’s love of his life, a re-enactment of the first 10 years of marriage to Catherine. Ann was Mary Boleyn’s sister, Mary made Henry feel young again, full of energy. Ann became an obsession. Anna Von Cleves could have been a match made in heaven except for the error of the first meeting. She became Henry’s lifelong advisor after the divorce. Husband Ann was too coy, too unavailable and soon became boring after marriage. Catherine Howard, too promiscuous, Henry too old and sick to cope with such a young wife. Adultery an obvious outcome. Possible helped along by Henry’s secret enemies in his own court. Henry wanted a companion, a friend, an ally who could look after him and him alone. Ann failed to produce a son, she was not well like by the people, she could not compete with Catherine in popularity. She became a liability, lots of reasons to get rid of her for Henry. Henry didn’t know how to be a good Husband.