Saw a fascinating show last night about historical forensic specialists, examining documentation regarding what caused the death of King Henry VIII.
Henry's brother Arthur died young, leaving a widow, Catherine of Aragon. Henry's father married him off to Catherine to preserve a political alliance. They had to get a special dispensation from the Catholic church to allow Henry to marry his brother's widow. Catherine swore her marriage to Arthur had never been consumated, thus she and Henry were allowed to wed.

Contemporary writers say the young Henry was very good looking, as one put it, he was fairer than most women. Henry was taller than men of his time; almost six feet tall (when average height was around 5ft 6in.) His suits of armor attest to that--and the codpieces of the armor attested to the size of his manhood. He was an accomplished musician, author, poet and excelled at jousting, hunting and tennis. He was also an avid gambler and dice player. He was vain about his legs which were an example of perfection. He showed off his legs by wearing hosiery with garters, which started a fashion fad. It also led to circulatory problems which years later contributed to his death.

Henry was attractive, charismatic, educated and accomplished--and had an iron clad determination that whatever he wanted he should get. Early on, he was injured in a jousting accident that injured his legs, but he recovered. His personal life was tumultuous as he divorced, remarried, executed and got rid of wives that couldn't produce a male heir. Henry was able to get women pregnant, but stillbirths, and early death of infants foiled his desire for a son. The forensics people found no documentation that Henry had syphilis, which has been long held to be the problem.

In 1536, Henry, wearing a heavy suit of armor, was in another jousting mishap. The tip of his opponent's lance hit him hard in the middle of his forehead, and he fell off his armored horse, which fell atop him. He was out, unable to speak for 2 hours. Anyone less strong and healthy would have died. His legs were reinjured and never healed, despite a cadre of doctors who used leeches and bleeding for "cures." He had bouts of severe migraine headaches the rest of his life. His personality changed. Anyone who displeased him was executed, thousands perished at his command, even as he was obsessed with his public image.

Forensics think he suffered from spells of malaria, survived smallpox,
and had diabetes Type II. His legs exuded foul smelling pus from draining sores. Henry could be smelled approaching from three rooms away. Doctors wrote he was often constipated; he drank copious amounts of ale and ate meats--vegetables were considered food for peasants. At his death, he weighed 400 lbs. As a final indignity, it was said that when he died, his body exploded inside his casket.
If time travel were possible, Henry VIII is one person I'd like to meet. Henry in his heyday would have been an awesome experience.

Henry VIII, House of Tudor, born June 28 1491, died January 28, 1547.

susil