Henry VIII: King of England

1343 Words3 Pages

As a monarch, the life of Henry VIII is one of which many do not attempt to describe because of the rich amount of history that goes along with him. No king has left such a profound impact on the past accounts of his country, or has been the focus of controversial topics that have made lasting contributions to his country. His means were immoral, but because of the greatness that he achieved, we look beyond his imperfection. On June 28, 1491, at Greenwich Palace, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York had their second son named Henry VIII. It was important for a king to have as many heirs as possible because of the mortality rate during this time in England. Henry became the heir to the throne after the death of his older brother, Arthur in 1502. Seven years later he succeeded to the throne of England. He was known for his personality; his intelligence, curiosity, and his ability to learn. In his adolescence he enjoyed music and entertainment. Not to mention, he held many events that included tournaments and banquets. In his adolescence he was athletic and he enjoyed activities such as jousting, hunting, tennis and archery. Also, he played many instruments, and wrote both books and music as well. However, as he became older, he became fat and his interest in having a son grew stronger (The Tudors: Henry VIII). “For most certainly the duke struck the king on the brow right under the guard of the headpiece on the very skull cap or basinet piece to which the barbette is hinged for strength and safety, which skull cap or basinet no armorer takes heed of, for it is always covered by the visor, barbette and volant piece, and thus that piece is so protected that it takes no weight” (Cavendish). Henry enjoyed the sport of jousting. Needles... ... middle of paper ... ...etroit: Gale Research, 1993. 172-186. Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online. Gale. North Carolina Libraries for Virtual Education (NCLIVE). 23 November 2013 http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/DLBC_Online/nclivecu/BK1498985023 Jokinen, Anniina. "Portraits of King Henry VIII: Hans Holbein and His Legacy." Portraits of King Henry VIII: Hans Holbein and His Legacy. N.p., 23 May 2009. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. "King Henry VIII: Biography, Portraits, Primary Sources." King Henry VIII: Biography, Portraits, Primary Sources. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. Pollard, A. F. Henry VIII. London: Longmans, Green, 1951. Print. "Primary Sources: King Henry VIII Has a Jousting Accident, 1524." Primary Sources: King Henry VIII Has a Jousting Accident, 1524. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. "Primary Sources - Letter of Catharine Parr to Her Husband, KingHenry VIII, July 1544."

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