Susil

Profile

Username:
susil
Name:
Susil
Location:
Carthage, MS
Birthday:
01/05
Status:
Single
Job / Career:
Other

Stats

Post Reads:
137,706
Posts:
759
Photos:
4
Last Online:
> 30 days ago

My Friends

> 30 days ago
> 30 days ago
> 30 days ago
> 30 days ago
> 30 days ago
> 30 days ago

Subscribe

News From Mississippi

Life & Events > The Rise and Fall of Henry VIII
 

The Rise and Fall of Henry VIII

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

posted on July 14, 2010 1:38 PM ()

Comments:

There are a lot of novels about that time period, mostly about the women in his life. I love the ones about Elizabeth who was so wise and manipulative.
comment by elderjane on July 16, 2010 6:41 AM ()
Hi jeri; I really enjoyed the show on HBO where Helen Mirren played Elizabeth I, and her tangled love life, and how she had to be manipulative and sly in her dealings with the people around her to survive--she was one tough lady!
reply by susil on July 17, 2010 8:08 AM ()
Catherine of Arogan was Henry's first wife he divorced her as he did Anne of Cleves --he executed 2 wives Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard then left Katherine Parr as a widow ,, he wasn't a nice chap at all
comment by kevinhere on July 15, 2010 4:57 AM ()
must be the danger
reply by kevinhere on July 15, 2010 5:11 PM ()
Hi kev; why is it the bad boys are often the most interesting?
reply by susil on July 15, 2010 9:29 AM ()
In spite of all his excesses, he lived quite a long life for that time. Ironic that a daughter succeeded him in spite of everything he did to try to produce a male heir. Of course, there was Edward VII, but he died as a child.
comment by redimpala on July 14, 2010 4:09 PM ()
Hi red; In a time when lifespan was about 30 years, when there were no antibiotics or other real medical treatment, no immunizations or vaccinations etc. it's astonishing Henry lived as long as he did!
reply by susil on July 15, 2010 9:33 AM ()
What an interesting story. It's amazing to me how much information is available from all those centuries ago.
comment by troutbend on July 14, 2010 3:38 PM ()
Probably only because he was king, was so much info recorded--the forensics people were examining documents from the royal archives--I'd love to be able to read some of that!
reply by susil on July 15, 2010 9:36 AM ()
Very interesting. I love the medical info.
comment by nittineedles on July 14, 2010 3:17 PM ()
Hi nittin; the forensics guy demonstrated how an amputation was done back then--a crescent shaped knife was used to cut the flesh of the leg down to the bone in one "around" swipe--then a serrated saw could quickly cut through the bone, and the procedure done in a few minutes--unfortunately very few survived this surgery because of filthy tools and unwashed hands and no antibiotics, blodd loss etc.
reply by susil on July 15, 2010 9:44 AM ()
Hey Fredo, I can't remember if it was on History Channel or Nat'l Geographic Channel, but it will undoubtedly be shown again sooner or later.I'd love to see it again too.
PS I'm puzzled--what about the title? id I miss something?
comment by susil on July 14, 2010 2:50 PM ()
One of my favorites.I did not see this and was hoping that this was on DVD and check with Netflix and to no avail they do not have this.
Maybe later.Good review there.Was that the correct title on this.?thanks.Fredo
comment by fredo on July 14, 2010 2:30 PM ()
Sorry fredo; your reply above!
reply by susil on July 14, 2010 2:51 PM ()

Comment on this article   


759 articles found   [ Previous Article ]  [ Next Article ]  [ First ]  [ Last ]