Henry VIII : How many wives did he really have?
Created | Updated Feb 25, 2009
For many years People have believed that Henry VIII had 6 wives but infact he had two wives.
Anne of Cleeves` marriage to Henry was annulled, which is totally different from divorce. Legally, this means the marriage never took place. There were two grounds for then annulment, the two never consummated the marriage, ie: they never had sexual intercourse. Even today refusal or the inability to consummate is grounds for annullment. Anne of Cleeves was also betrothed to Francis, Duke of Lorraine. At that time, the formal act of betrothel was a legal bar to marrying someone else.
this leaves us with five, as all parties agreed no legal marriage had taken place.
Henry`s second marriage to Anne Boleyn was declared illegal by the Pope, because henry was married to his first wife Catherine of aragon.
Henry after naming himself the new head of the Church of England, delcared that his first marriage was invalid on the grounds that a man could not sleep with his brother`s widow. The king cited the Old Testament, which he claimed as "Gods law" whtether the Pope liked it or not.
depending on whether you believe the Pope or the King this brings us to either four or three marriages.
Henry annulled his marriage to Anne Boleyn just before he had her executed for adultery.This was somewhat illogical if the marriage had never existed, Anne could hardly be accused of betraying it.
He did the same with his fifth wife, Catherine Howard/ all the evidence suggests she was unfaithful to Henry before and during their marriage.this time. henry passed a special act maiking it treasonable for a queen to commit adultery.
so that leaves four annulments and only two incontestably legal marriages.
Apart from Henry`s last wife, Catherine Parr( who infact outlived him) the lady who got off with the lightest was Anne of Cleeves. after their annulment the King showered her with gifts and the official title of "beloved sister" she visited court often swapping cooks, recipes, and household gadgets with the man who had never been her husband.
Anne of Cleeves` marriage to Henry was annulled, which is totally different from divorce. Legally, this means the marriage never took place. There were two grounds for then annulment, the two never consummated the marriage, ie: they never had sexual intercourse. Even today refusal or the inability to consummate is grounds for annullment. Anne of Cleeves was also betrothed to Francis, Duke of Lorraine. At that time, the formal act of betrothel was a legal bar to marrying someone else.
this leaves us with five, as all parties agreed no legal marriage had taken place.
Henry`s second marriage to Anne Boleyn was declared illegal by the Pope, because henry was married to his first wife Catherine of aragon.
Henry after naming himself the new head of the Church of England, delcared that his first marriage was invalid on the grounds that a man could not sleep with his brother`s widow. The king cited the Old Testament, which he claimed as "Gods law" whtether the Pope liked it or not.
depending on whether you believe the Pope or the King this brings us to either four or three marriages.
Henry annulled his marriage to Anne Boleyn just before he had her executed for adultery.This was somewhat illogical if the marriage had never existed, Anne could hardly be accused of betraying it.
He did the same with his fifth wife, Catherine Howard/ all the evidence suggests she was unfaithful to Henry before and during their marriage.this time. henry passed a special act maiking it treasonable for a queen to commit adultery.
so that leaves four annulments and only two incontestably legal marriages.
Apart from Henry`s last wife, Catherine Parr( who infact outlived him) the lady who got off with the lightest was Anne of Cleeves. after their annulment the King showered her with gifts and the official title of "beloved sister" she visited court often swapping cooks, recipes, and household gadgets with the man who had never been her husband.
