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An historical academic group including role play. With emphasis on the Tudors who were a Welsh-English family that ruled England from 1485 to 1603. Special attention will be paid to King Henry VIII. |
The King's Men
(- threads, 54 posts)
 King Henry VIII
Historical Thread
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The young Prince Henry, the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York was born on 28 June 1491 at Greenwich. Henry had a very spoilt childhood as you might expect of a Royal Prince. So spoiled was he that he even had his own ‘whipping boy’ who was punished every time Henry did something wrong! After his elder brother died, Henry became next in line to be King. His father died in 1509 and the 18 year old Prince became King. Henry was vigorous and hansome. He was an incredible athelete and loved jousting and hunting. He was very clever also, he was good at latin, maths, astronomy, cosmology and music. This is a description of Henry by someone who saw him in 1509: "His Majesty is the hansomest potentate I ever set eyes on; above the usual height, with an extremely fine calf to his leg, his complextion fair and bright, with auburn hair, combed straight and short in the French fashion, and a round face so very beautiful that it would become a pretty woman, his throat was rather long and thick" "He is very fond of hunting, and never takes his diversion without tiring eight or ten horses which he causes to be stationed beforehand along the line of country he means to take, and when one is tired he mounts another, and before he gets home they are all exhausted. He is extremely fond of tennis, at which game it is the prettiest thing in the world to see him play, his fair skin glowing through a shirt of the finest texture." "His fingers were one mass of jewelled rings, and around his neck he wore a gold collar from which hung a diamond as big as a walnut. His clothes were magnificent to match, sumptious silks, cloth of gold, satins, coloured feathers and of course jewells and precious metals sprinked everywhere." Henry was famous for his love of music. He was a keen musician, composer and singer. It is said that he owned 10 trombones, 14 trumpets, 5 bagpipes, 76 recorders and 78 flutes! He composed many pieces of music, one was called ‘Helas Madame’ and he is said to have written a famous tune called ‘Greensleeves’ (although most historians now don’t think he did). (Click on their names to hear them!) Well Educated and Sporting He was a very well educated man, he spoke 4 languages, wrote poetry, and knew a lot about religion. He was excellent at many sports. It is said that he could use a bow and arrow better than any man in England. (Perhaps no other man dared to beat him). He was famous for wrestling and loved hunting stags in the forests which still covered most of England. He played a game very like tennis. A Terrible and Cruel King. But he was also a terrible and cruel King. He executed (had killed) anyone who disagreed with him (including two of his wives!) When he became King the country was Catholic and was controlled by the Pope in Rome. When the Pope wouldn’t let Henry get divorced from his first wife, Henry made himself head of the church in England instead and gave himself the divorce he wanted. Later Henry closed all the Monasteries and Nunneries in England and took all the money from the Monks and Nuns. He literally threw all of them out onto the streets to beg and gave their Monasteries to his friends for fine houses. This happened with Titchfield Abbey (in Titchfield, Fareham, Hampshire) which was given to Thomas Wriothesley, one of Henrys closest friends in 1537 and renamed Place House. William Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth I are said to have visited there in later years. By the time Henry died, everyone was completely terrified of him
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some thoughts on the Tudors (* Sextus Manlius, Sep 30, 2007 - 22:49 ) Henry VIII and his navy (* Countess Coure Cherusci, Oct 8, 2004 - 13:42 ) Cause of death -- Henry VIII (* Neima Nebet, Sep 8, 2004 - 17:16 ) Rulers are not nice (* Publius Fabius Scipio, Aug 10, 2004 - 15:39 ) A url (* Countess Coure Cherusci, Aug 10, 2004 - 13:31 ) Potatoes (* Publius Fabius Scipio, Aug 10, 2004 - 10:12 ) I should have said starches (* Catalina Caesar, Aug 9, 2004 - 23:18 ) Syphilitic and gouty alpha male (* Lady Maude Alys Godwinson, Aug 9, 2004 - 22:54 ) Henry's diet (* Publius Fabius Scipio, Aug 9, 2004 - 17:23 ) A Meat and Potatoes Man (* Catalina Caesar, Aug 6, 2004 - 16:38 ) Henry the poet (* Diamanda Yngling, Aug 6, 2004 - 08:39 )|
11 Posts Viewing 11 - 1 |
