Posted on 02/02/2009 3:43:41 PM PST by PotatoHeadMick
Those six wives? the first five he crushed to death.
I also read that he smelled to high heaven. That is why wife number 5 ran around on him.
Henry VIII has been described as the original host of “Queen for a Day”.
OK, google it, one of the first TV giveaway shows, ancient history. But still a good joke JMHO.
Or check out the 1971 PBS production of “The Six Wives of Henry VII”.
This is my favorite period in history as well as my love for the Tudors and all their drama.
I often wonder if he didn’t suffer from diabetes (of course the reopening the wound didn’t help, but unmanaged, diabetes can cause severe mood swings and confusion.
They have to tell us he would be classified as excessively obese?? Duh!!
Well, #5 was also 17 and he was quite nasty I’d imagine. They say he was prone to rotted food in his rotted teeth. Not very appealling to any woman, but for an immature 17 year old, probably a fate worse than death.
Interestingly, Henry VIII was probably one of the best educated and brightest monarchs in British history. His daughter (Elizabeth I) is considered by some historians to have been extremely bright. (They often overuse the word “genius”).
All the same, I am still a “House of York” person and resent the hatchet job that the Tudor propagandists did on Richard III. Josephine Tey (”The Daughter of Time”) and Sharon Kay Penman (”The Sunne in Splendor”) have writen some interesting (fictional) books on that subject.
Let me see now: 20 stones = 280 pounds.
He was 6’1”.
Yes, I would say he was quite round.
There are some scholars who believe that he and his sister Margaret suffered from Type II Diabetes. They both displayed many of the symptoms.
A buddy in the roofing industry from years ago wore a 52 long sport coat and fits this to a tee... My goodness, he could eat.
I have often wondered that myself (about the diabetes I mean). I LOVE this period of history—it’s better than a soap opera. Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser have great books on his six wive—have you read either of them?
I love BOTH of them!! And Phillipa Gregory too.
Yet, to see his early armor he was quite a strapping fellow. The diabetes angle is interesting.
Another big Tudor history fan here. Thanks for the book tips. Have you read Margaret George’s big fat historical novel “The Autobiography of Henry VIII with Notes by His Fool, Will Somers”? Very readable and for the most part well researched.
The House of Stuart is the only legitimate Royal House in the UK. Those damn German pretenders need to be kicked back to Hanover.
NO! I will put that on my book list right now!
I am currently reading “Bloody Mary” as I haven’t really focused alot on her spefically and wanted to get some more background on her.
You will love it, I promise, and it’s a big, fat satisfying book. Is “Bloody Mary” good? I’m currently reading “Mary, Queen of Scots” also by Margaret George. It’s okay, but not nearly as compelling as her Henry VIII book.
What was more interesting was the "feature" of his armor (shown to some extent in your photo) that was intended to protect the "royal jewels."
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