Henry Viii - the Man and the King

Henry VIII, the Man and the King

1) Many people saw the change of monarch as the dawning of a new age- including Thomas More. There was a large contrast between Henry VII and his successor Henry VIII. In his final years, Henry VII lived like a mean man- rarely appearing in public, and being known for extracting money from his wealthier subjects- being feared but not widely respected.

The new king in contrast was young, energetic, accessible and spent money with an abandon. Henry VIII announced that it was 'out with the old and in with the new'.

2) Some statements may have been exaggerated, due to their enthusiasm about what they imagined would be the future of accession by a promising young king. It was also customary or monarchs to be written about in glowing terms- it was a literary convention of the age. What often was describes was the glory that was meant to be an integral part of royalty, rather than the reality of what the witness was observing.

3a) appearance:

* Tall, large-framed, well proportioned and muscular

* Knew how to make the best of his physical attributes'

* Paid great attention to the clothes he wore

b) interests:

* Competitive physical activity eg. hunting on horseback, jousting, tennis

* Established and maintained reputation of being a fine athlete in his prime

* Fewer mistresses and illegitimate children that most male rulers of his time. Not interested in women (apart from Ann Boleyn- willing to wait 6 years for her)

* Love of food and drink, but gluttony was typical of his class at the time

* Competent musician and a passable scholar

c) intellectual abilities:

* Ability to think his way around complicated issues

* Could out-think all members of the English aristocracy

* Could both appreciate the strength and spot weaknesses of any argument

* Probably the most academically able monarch in English history

d) values and attitudes:

* conformist: women inferior to men

* accepted God had ordered society as it was and was a sin for anyone to challenge the place they were assigned with

* believed that the time spent on earth was a brief interlude in the soul's eternal life

* thought work was generally something done by servants, while