King Henry VIII: Randy Royal or Prudish Prince

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Today we are exploring the, seemingly, diametrically opposed schools of thought when it come to the erotic escapades of Henry VIII. Was he a lust driven, bed-hopping womaniser? Or was he actually a prude?

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Linked videos and playlists:

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Images (from Wikimedia Commons, unless otherwise stated):

Portrait of Henry VIII of England attributed to Meynnart Wewyck (c.1509). Held by the Denver Art Museum.

Photograph of Henry VIII’s armour, made c.1515 (photographed by Michel Wal, 2008). Held by the Royal Armouries, on display in the White Tower, Tower of London.

Henry VIII’s tonlet armour for the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520. Photograph: Gary Ombler/Royal Armouries. Reproduced at https://www.theguardian.com/artanddes...

Portrait of Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan by Hans Holbein the Younger (1538). Held by the National Gallery.

16th century woodcut of the coronation of Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragon. From Stephen Hawes, A Joyfull Medytacvon to All Englande (1509), printed Wynkyn de Worde, 4to, n.d. (Cambridge University Library).

Detail showing Henry VIII tilting in front of Katherine of Aragon from the Westminster tournament roll (1511). Courtesy of the College of Arms.

Portrait of Anne Stafford by Ambrosius Benson (c.1535). Held by the Saint Louis Art Museum.

Portrait of Archduchess Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy, in widow's dress, by Bernard van Orley (c.1510-1520). Held by the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.

Screenshot from https://www.british-history.ac.uk/let...

Portrait of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, wearing the collar of the Order of the Garter by the Master of the Brandon Portrait (c.1530). Held in a private collection.

Portrait of Queen Mary I attributed to Lucas Horenbout (or Hornebolte) (c.1525). Held by the National Portrait Gallery.

Portrait of Henry Fitzroy by Lucas Horenbout (or Hornebolte) (c.1533-1534). Held by the Royal Collection.

Portrait of Anne Boleyn by an unknown English artist (late 16th century, based on a work of circa 1533-1536). Held by the National Portrait Gallery.

Portrait of Henry VIII by Joos van Cleve (c.1531). Held by the Royal Collection.

Portrait of Katherine of Aragon by an unknown artist (c.1520). On long-term loan to the National Portrait Gallery by Church Commissioners for England, 2011.

Photograph of the grave of Catherine of Aragon in Peterborough Cathedral, taken by Diliff (2014).

Portrait of Jane Seymour by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1536–1537). Held by the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Portrait of Edward VI as a Child by Hans Holbein the Younger (1538). Held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Portrait of Francis I of France by Jean Clouet (between 1527 and 1530). Held by the Louvre Museum.

Double portrait of James V and Mary of Guise by an unknown artist (16th century). Held by Falkland Palace, Fife.

Portrait of Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1539). Held by the Louvre Museum.

Portrait thought to be of Catherine Howard, from the workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1540–1545). Held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Letter from Catherine Howard to Thomas Culpepper (1541). Held by the National Archives.

Portrait of Katherine Parr attributed to Master John (c.1545). Held by the National Portrait Gallery.

Portrait of Katherine, Duchess of Suffolk, by an unknown artist, after Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1551–1558). Held in a private collection, Grimsthorpe Castle.


Quoted texts:
The Reformation of the Church of England by John Henry Blunt (1868), p.112. For the Pasquaglio letter and the Sebastian Giustinian letter.
The English Historical Review, Volume 1 (1886).

Also consulted, were:
Natalie Grueninger, The Final Year of Anne Boleyn (2022).
Kelly Hart, The Mistresses of Henry VIII (2010).
Amy Licence, The Six Wives and Many Mistresses of Henry VIII (2014)
State Papers Online.
Other relevant entries from The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online.

#History #Tudor #Six