Henry VIII- The Man, the King, the Husband to Six Queens. Great Leaders Series

The class will begin with me introducing myself and getting to know the students by asking them their favorite Henry VIII fact or question. I welcome questions at any time during the class.

First: I will give a brief summation of who Henry VIII was and the legacy he inherited from his father Henry VII- the winner of the War of the Roses. This begun the line of Tudor rulers in England. What steps did Henry VIII take to solidify the Tudor line? Why was it is important to Henry VIII to have a son rather than a daughter?

Second: Wives 1 and 2 and the separation from the catholic Church and beginning of the church of England. After years of marriage, why did Henry want a divorce from Katherine of Aragon? We will discuss his attempts to convince the pope to give him a divorce, the invention of 'red-tape', and how he broke with the Catholic Church to create his own- leading to the and the dissolution of the monasteries. Then we will discuss Anne Boleyn and her influence of Henry VIII, their brief marriage, and the events leading to her execution.

Third: Wife 3- Jane Seymour, the birth of Edward VI (a son at last!), Wife 4- Anne of Cleves and the drama resulting from that poor match.

Fourth: Let's spend some money! Self promotion, building programs, a navy and everything. We will discuss Henry's extravagant spending, luxurious living, and his creation of the English navy. We will also briefly look at the wreck of the Mary Rose- the pride of Henry's fleet.

Fifth: Wife 5- Katherine Howard, Wife 6- Catherine Parr, and Henry's declining health and death. What influence did Henry VIII have still after his death, does his reign still play a role in the modern world? Do you think he was a good or successful king? Why do we still find him so fascinating five hundred years after his death?


Legacy: Why is he still a popular figure and do you think he is a great leader?

The class will end with discussing these questions.