10 interesting facts about Henry VIII

When you think of Henry VIII, you probably picture a rotund monarch with a bad temper and a rather unfortunate track record with wives. But there's so much more to this Tudor king than meets the eye! Let's dive into some fascinating facts about one of England's most infamous rulers.

1. He Was Never Supposed to Be King

Henry was actually the second son of Henry VII, and his older brother Arthur was groomed to take the throne. But when Arthur died suddenly at age 15 in 1502, everything changed. Ten-year-old Henry suddenly became the heir apparent. From that moment forward, he spent his formative years knowing he'd be king – unlike his father who had to fight for the throne, or his brother who was always destined for it.

2. Young Henry Was Basically a Renaissance Superhero

Before age caught up with him, Henry was over six feet tall, powerfully built, and an absolute athlete. One Venetian ambassador described him as having a "round face so very beautiful that it would become a pretty woman" (awkward compliment, but you get the idea). He could speak Latin, French, Ancient Greek, and Spanish, played the lute and organ, sang, played tennis, and jousted. He was essentially the Tudor version of a superhero – if superheroes also had terrible relationship skills.

3. He Was a Dancing King (Literally)

Henry absolutely loved to dance! At age 10, he grabbed his sister Margaret as a partner at his brother Arthur's wedding and "flung off his coat and cavorted around in his doublet and hose." As a young man, he "exercised himself daily in dancing," and one ambassador noted that the king "does wonders and leaps like a stag". Picture that next time you see a portrait of grumpy old Henry!

4. A Jousting Accident Changed Everything

In January 1536, Henry suffered a catastrophic jousting accident at Greenwich when his horse fell on him, leaving him unconscious for two hours. The accident left him with chronic leg ulcers that plagued him for the rest of his life, causing constant pain. This injury essentially ended his athletic career and contributed to his massive weight gain in later years. Some historians believe this accident also affected his personality, though that's still debated.

5. From Fit to... Not So Fit

By the time he died in 1547, Henry weighed nearly 400 pounds and had a 54-inch waist. He needed wooden chairs to carry him around and hoists to lift him onto his horse. That's quite a transformation from the athletic young man who could leap like a stag! His weight gain was partly due to his injuries preventing exercise, and partly because – let's be honest – the man loved a good feast.

6. He Didn't Write "Greensleeves"

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that famous folk song everyone attributes to Henry? Scholars have confidently ruled it out – Greensleeves is based on an Italian style that only arrived in England long after Henry's death. Though he WAS a genuine composer and musician, this particular tune isn't his handiwork.

7. He Actually Defended the Catholic Church... Before Breaking From It

Here's an ironic twist: Before separating from the Catholic Church, Henry wrote a 30,000-word response to Martin Luther's Protestant theses, praising the Catholic Church. The Pope was so impressed he gave Henry the title "Defender of the Faith" in 1521. A few years later, of course, Henry would break from Rome entirely just so he could divorce Catherine of Aragon. The title stuck though – British monarchs still use it today!

8. All Three of His Children Became Monarchs

Henry had a daughter Mary with Catherine of Aragon, Elizabeth with Anne Boleyn, and a son Edward with Jane Seymour. All three children would rule England after Henry's death, with Elizabeth, the last Tudor monarch, ruling for a celebrated 45 years. Not bad for a king who was obsessed with having a male heir!

9. He Was the "Father of the Royal Navy"

Henry became known as "the father of the Royal Navy" thanks to his enormous investment in the fleet. During his reign, he increased the number of royal warships from five to around 50, and created the first British naval dock at Portsmouth. One of his famous ships, the Mary Rose, sank in 1545 and was raised from the seabed in 1982 – you can still see it today!

10. He Was Absolutely Loaded (With Palaces)

By his death, Henry had accumulated 50 royal palaces – a record for the English monarchy. Hampton Court Palace was one of his favourites, where he had more than 60 musicians on his payroll and kitchens that served hundreds of meals daily. The man certainly knew how to live in style, even if his spending left the royal coffers in a "sorry state" for his son Edward VI to deal with.

11. His Succession Plans Were a Mess (And His Son Ignored Them Anyway)

In his quest for the perfect heir, Henry declared both of his daughters illegitimate at various points in their lives. Mary was declared a bastard when he divorced Catherine of Aragon, and Elizabeth suffered the same fate after Anne Boleyn's execution. Fortunately, his last wife Catherine Parr convinced him to restore them to the line of succession in his final will – after Edward, of course. But here's the kicker: Edward VI completely disregarded his father's wishes! In his own "Devise for the Succession," the teenage king bypassed both his half-sisters and named Lady Jane Grey as his successor instead. That didn't work out so well – Jane was queen for just nine days before Mary seized the throne. Henry would have been rolling in his grave!

So there you have it – Henry VIII in all his contradictory glory. Athletic poet, dancing king, tyrannical ruler, and serial husband. Whatever else you can say about him, the man certainly wasn't boring!

What surprised you most about Henry VIII? Let me know in the comments below!