HENRY VIII ~ SIR LOYAL HEART?
Although we all think of Henry VIII as a randy old ale swilling, turkey leg gobbling, wench chasing tyrant, ~ the opposite is actually true.
He wasn’t trying to get his leg over, every five minutes…
Most monarchs of the time, had a bevy of ripe young beauties at their disposal, and bedded them regularly.
Henry was no different in that respect.
Although he liked to surround himself with pretty ladies, he was more thrilled with the chase, then actually catching them!
He was an avid hunter, after all, and to Henry, chasing women was no different to chasing deer.
Henry adored to play the game of courtly love ~ a conception of love, that emphasized nobility and chivalry.
So, just how many mistresses did Henry have over the years?
Henry may have had a quickie one night of lust with some we dont know about, but these are the well known ones ~
Bessie Blount, who gave him a son – Henry FitzRoy.
Mary Boleyn is rumoured to have had at least a daughter Catherine, by Henry.
Anne Boleyn, although she held Henry off for a good seven years, before she let him have her privvy part, was still known as “The King’s Wh0re”, and a “naughty paike” (pr0stitute)
Then there was Madge Shelton, the cousin to both Anne and Mary Boleyn.
According to Imperial ambassador Eustace Chapuys, Henry had an affair with ‘Mistress Shelton’ in February 1535, for around six months.
While Henry was married to Anne Boleyn, he was caught by Anne ‘wenching’ with Jane Seymour, who was sitting on Henry’s knee ~ while he no doubt was whispering sweet nothings in her ear.
Jane would be wife number three.
Another was Anne Bassett, stepdaughter of the King’s uncle, Arthur Plantagenet ~ Ist Viscount Lisle.
Anne was lady-in-waiting to Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Queen Mary I.
Elizabeth Carew was the wife of Henry’s friend Nicholas Carew, and she was also half-first cousin of Anne and Mary Boleyn ~ and also Catherine Howard.
Elizabeth was rumored to be Henry’s mistresd in 1514, when she was 14.
Henry must have like Elizabeth ~ a lot!
Her showered her with many gifts, including a diamond necklace, a fur coat, lengths of velvet, cloth of silver and damask, an emerald, beautiful diamonds and pearls.
Edward Stafford~3rd Duke of Buckingham’s sister, Anne Hastings, also reportedly caught the king’s eye.
Anne’s mother was Catherine Woodville, the sister to York queen, and Henry’s Grandmother~ Elizabeth Woodville.
As such, Anne was also the first cousin once removed of Henry.
Henry’s very first mistress was Jane Popincourt.
In the early years of their marriage, he was quite devoted to his wife, Katharine of Aragon.
Jane was French, and arrived at the English court to teach the Tudor Princesses Margaret and Mary, French.
The affair itself was very short-lived, but not due to the King.
Jane decided to return to France in 1516, with a parting gift of £100 from Henry!
So there you have it, compared to other monarchs, he was not such a ‘Horny Henry’, after all
🖤 ‘The Tudors’ 2007.