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The Wives of Henry VIII

Divorced, beheaded, died; Divorced beheaded survived – this is the rhyme English schoolchildren memorize that tells the fate of each of Henry VIII's six wives. Henry married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, while he was still in his teens. This was to be the longest lasting of his marriages, but did not produce the male heir to the throne that Henry desperately wanted.

Henry’s efforts to officially annul the marriage through the Catholic Church and pursue lady-in-waiting Anne Boleyn ended with a split from Rome and control of the Church of England. But Henry’s new marriage was to be short lived, as were his four other marriages that came after it. And his wives were all very different in both looks and temperament, with little in common except for King Henry.

In this mini unit, learn about each of Henry’s wives by reading the story of each one, compare the wives in one glance, see a timeline of Henry’s life and marriages, watch a catchy video that will help you remember what happened to each wife, listen to a short and fun overview of Henry’s reign, create a Tudor wife portrait and write an essay comparing and contrasting two of the wives.

Reading

Meet the Wives

Henry’s Wives At-a-Glance

Timeline/Map

Henry VIII Timeline

Multimedia

Horrible Histories: Wives of Henry VIII

Whistle-stop Audio Tour of Henry’s Reign

Activities

Create a Tudor Wife Portrait (younger students)

Compare Two Wives Essay (older students)

Recommended Resource

Patience, Princess Catherine: A Young Royals Book

This rewarding historical novel opens in 1533, as Catherine of Aragon once again refuses to release King Henry VIII from their marriage, renounce her title, or recognize Anne Boleyn as queen. Imprisoned in a "moldering castle" and allowed no visitors and no contact with her daughter, Mary, Catherine reflects on her experiences, beginning with her voyage to England at age 15 to marry young Prince Arthur. Their unconsummated marriage lasts six months until his death in 1502.

Over the next seven years, Catherine lives with increasing poverty and decreasing prospects of marrying England's new crown prince, Henry. The novel creates a vivid portrayal of Catherine, her difficult life, and her brief periods of happiness with Arthur and Henry. (Booklist)

Author: Walter Dean Myers
Softcover
Amazon Price: $6.99

Read more about and purchase the book: Here