Henry VIII
Henry VIII was a king of England a long time ago. He was born in 1491 and became king in 1509. He was king for nearly 40 years. People remember him because he made big changes and had six wives.
Step-by-step: Who was he and what did he do?
- Who he was: Henry was the ruler of England. That means he made important decisions for the country.
- What he liked: He loved big parties, fancy clothes, hunting, music, and big feasts with lots of food.
- Why people remember him: He wanted a son to be the next king. Because of that, he changed some rules about the church in England so he could make different choices about marriage. This is called starting the Church of England.
- His six wives: People often remember Henry for his six wives. There is an old rhyme to help remember them: "Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived." It tells, in a short way, what happened to each wife. Their names were:
- Catherine of Aragon
- Anne Boleyn
- Jane Seymour
- Anne of Cleves
- Catherine Howard
- Catherine Parr
Fun facts
- Henry liked to wear bright, fancy clothes and big hats.
- He was very interested in books and music, as well as sports like hunting and jousting.
- Because he changed the church, the way religion worked in England was different after him.
Quick quiz
- Q: Was Henry VIII a king or a farmer? A: A king.
- Q: How many wives did he have? A: Six.
- Q: Did he start a new church in England? A: Yes, he helped start the Church of England.
Easy activity
Draw a crown and color it. Around the crown, write one word for each thing Henry liked, such as "music," "food," "hunting," and "clothes." This will help you remember some things about him.
Want to learn more? Ask about one of his wives or what the Church of England is, and we can explore it together.