Tragedies That Shook Royal Families Around The World

King Henry VIII’s Lust For Love And Murder

Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images

The idea of a monarch having six wives now might seem utterly bizarre, but back in the 1500s, King Henry VIII would marry anything that moved. Any woman that married Henry was bound to a tragic life.

His first wife, Catherine of Aragon, lost five children either during birth or soon after, with the only surviving girl becoming Mary I. The marriage was annulled after 24 years and Catherine died imprisoned. His next wife, Anne Boleyn, was executed after failing to produce a son. Jane Seymour, his next victim, produced a son and died two weeks later. Anne of Cleves came out of her marriage to Henry relatively unscathed, remaining a friend to him until death. Catherine Howard was convicted of adultery and beheaded, while Catherine Parr remained married to the King until his death in 1547.