The Six Wives Of King Henry VIII

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Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived: A morbid rhyme indeed, but useful if you want to keep up with the lives and fates of the six wives of Henry VIII. While his reign was not generally viewed as extraordinary, the lasting legacy of England's King Henry VIII is undoubtedly the founding of the Church of England and the gruesome (not to mention juicy) story of its origin.

Portrait of King Henry VIII (1491-1547). (Source: Wikipedia Commons)

Catherine Of Aragon

A few years after King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain sent some guy named Columbus to sail the ocean blue, they decided their next big move should be strengthening ties with the Tudors of England. Naturally, this meant arranging the marriage of their youngest daughter, Catherine, to the eldest Royal Prince of England, Arthur. However, it would be a short marriage, as the 15-year-old prince died five months after their wedding. (Just a heads-up: Death is a common theme in this story.) Unwilling to let go of the dowry, King Henry VII urged the marriage of Catherine to the new heir to the throne, little Prince Henry. It was a typical royal marriage to secure wealth and power. What could go wrong?