This week we’re going to have a post about the Henry VIII era every day. If I haven’t said it before, let me say it again – we are super cool people!
Want to kick it off with some #QuickFireThoughts on which of his wives Henry VIII was actually in love with. It’s one of those fairly meaningless questions which can’t be proved wrong or right either way – but hopefully you’re getting the gist of this blog by now.
Of course, ‘love’ is a subjective term at the best of times. It’s not 100% clear what it means to us today, let alone how we decipher it against the backdrop of the Tudor marriage market and different expectations about fidelity on the part of the husband. But ultimately love is timeless. What we’re looking for in this post, are indications of Henry’s passion and commitment to his respective spouse; feelings driven more from the heart than a logical pragmatism and a passion that was deeper than physical.
Let’s go.
- Katherine of Aragon – He was certainly enthusiastic about marrying her and treated her (in public) fairly well to start with. But there were probably other motives. He was keen for the alliance with Spain (of which her father was effectively King) and wanted to appear like a man rather than a boy. A prestigious wife helped with that. Alison Weir argues that Henry’s ‘love’ for Catherine was never really passion. I think she is probably right. As I’ve argued in another post, Henry was probably unfaithful to Katherine within a year of their marriage.
- Anne Boleyn – Surely this is a no-brainer? I guess you could argue it was infatuation rather than love but I think that’s splitting hairs. I also don’t think the violent reversal in his feeling suggests it was never love to start with and that, in part, may have been fuelled by feelings of betrayal. Yep, with Anne it was love; heart and soul. Until it became hate.
- Jane Seymour – Hmm…tricky one. She was in the right place at the right time and being the polar opposite of Anne certainly helped. And who knows what would have happened had she lived. But we have to go on what we have – and remember that no love is without questionable motives. She was the Queen that he always mourned and remembered. As Roxette might say, “it must have been love.”
- Anne of Cleaves – Actually I have an unusual but credible theory on this. There is newly discovered evidence that – ah sorry, can’t keep this up! No. Just, no!
- Catherine Howard – Perhaps the trickiest one of all. But I’m going for no. I think it was lust. He was hurt by her betrayal but I’m not sure the feelings ran deep. But I am prepared to be out-argued on this one…
- Katherine Parr – He admired her. Respected her. Cared for her. But it’s difficult to see that a flame was burning. During her time, he still lauded the memory of Jane – but then she had given Henry his only son. It’s a toss up, but I’m going to land on ‘no.’
And now…over to you geeks. Have I underestimated his feelings for Catherine Howard? Were his feelings for his first wife genuine love that faded with time? Were his lasting affections for Jane entirely rooted to the fact that she had delivered a son? I want to know what you think!
I’m a Tudor history geek. I actually think that Henry wasn’t ‘in love’ with any of his wives. There were political reasons for a couple of his marriages. Anne Boleyn was lust, not love. Catherine Howard the same, plus he was on the rebound from his major disappointment with Anne of Cleaves, and with Lady Latimer he just wanted a nurse!
Interesting, interesting. I’m not sure if it were just lust with Anne Boleyn it would have survived all the obstacles for as long as it did. Lots of historians now question the ‘Katherine Parr as nurse’ theory; but it’s possible.
I guess at the end of the day, we’ll never know…
Jane Seymour……gave him a son.
What about Mary Boleyn……he did love her…but Ann played a dangerous game and lost her head for it.
I believe Henry just loved himself.
I believe Henry loved Mary Boleyn,but her sister played a dangerous game and lost her head.
He thought well of Jane Seymour but lost her in giving birth to Edward. Which he died young.
U know about the curse Elizabeth York put on all the Tudors first sons. Seems to have some truth to it.
Henry was the second son of Lizzie and Henry the 7th. Of course the 1st one died fairly young after marring Katherine of Aragon. Which she claimed the marriage was never consemated. Then married Henry the 8th..
But could never give him a son…..the curse served it’s purpose. Then Ann Boleyns daughter ruled for over 40 years. Queen Elizabeth the first….the best ruler England has ever known!!
I think it was Jane Seymour because he wanted to be buried next to her !!! That says a lot !!!!! He was madly in love with her !!!!
I am sure 💯 percent 😁
He definitely loved Catherine of Aragon. There’s no doubt about that in my mind. He was deeply in love with her for years. I have been studying the Tudors, particularly Henry’s relationships with his wives, for 6 years in detail (I’ve probably read all the contemporary records and accounts about his marriages), and I’ve come to the conclusion that the love he had for Catherine of Aragon for the first several years of their marriage was greater than the love he had for any of his wives later on. This is just the opinion I’ve formed after reading about all these people for a long time.
You say that he cheated on her within a year of their marriage, and yes, he did, but he also cheated on Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour within a year of their marriages to them! And even in the 6 years where Henry and Anne were courting, he was always having affairs.
And he didn’t just treat Catherine well in public. He treated her very well in private too, for many years. A lot of people think that he would have been angry at Catherine when she lost 4 babies in a row before Mary was born. People assume this because Henry was annoyed at Anne’s two miscarriages and because he was desperate for a son. But the truth is that he was very sympathetic to Catherine when she had her miscarriages and when their baby son Henry died. He comforted her a lot. And after she lost her fourth baby in 1514, she was upset because of the loss, and Henry arranged for a masque to be performed in her chambers to cheer her up. She couldn’t leave the chambers because she was still in confinement. It wasn’t just in public that he treated her well.
And no, you didn’t underestimate his feelings for Catherine Howard, and yes, his lasting affection for Jane Seymour was because of Edward and because she died before he could tire of her. That’s for sure.
As for Anne Boleyn, I don’t think it was true love. I think at first it was lust, and her refusal only made his longing grow. He chased her for years and waited 6 years to marry her, because she wouldn’t sleep with him otherwise. But when he finally did marry her and sleep with her, his passion for her quickly cooled, and he was looking into divorcing her as early as 1534. He even told her to her face in late 1534 that he shouldn’t have married her. It’s a classic case of ‘the thrill of the chase’.
Ok, as previously mentioned, I’m sure he loved Catherine in the beginning at least. Anne Boleyn was an infatuation, Jane Seymour was her polar opposite, and I don’t really understand her. She wasn’t considered beautiful and is described as rather plain, she wasn’t notably charitable, and she wasn’t nice- I’ve heard about her screaming at maids, making sure that everyone respected her as queen which included not mixing much with people and was an absolute brat. Her opening the locket with Henry’s face in it in front of Anne Boleyn is just low. But she gave him a son, so I think he liked the idea of that. Anne of Cleves he most definitely did NOT love, but I think he grew to be somewhat fond of her throughout the years where she was described as his sister. Katherine Howard was a hot teenager, I think this was like having a pet dog or something for him; she was a possession that he showed off, literally ‘pawing’ at her in public. Katherine Parr was a pretty face, and an educated one who brought his children together. I don’t think he loved her, and he almost had her arrested, but she saved herself.
In summary, I think he loved the conquest, and nothing more.