Don't Let it Fester Henry. Don't Let it Fester...

Continuing on our theme of Tudor England, I feel it is appropriate to discuss good old Henry VIII.  Oh Henry, where can we possibly begin?  Perhaps we should start with your birth and how you were intended to enter the church.  The infamous Henry VIII was one of three surviving children of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.  Since Henry was the second son, he received an education fit for a bishop, learning Latin, French and Italian and other church related skills.  Arthur, Henry's older brother however, died of tuberculosis at age fifteen shortly after marring Catherine of Aragon.  This left Henry the heir to the English throne and he began ruling England at the tender age of eighteen.

Henry VIII is a wonderful example of how history is used as a morality play.  We all know that Henry had many wives, mistresses and plenty of sex.  As Henry aged, he began to suffer from open sores, ulcers on the skin and festering wounds.  He began to smell and one of his wives, Anne of Cleves, refused to sleep with him because of the pungent odor and oozing fluid that came out of his sores.  Luckily for Anne of Cleves, the feeling was mutual and Henry quickly had their union annulled.

Henry VIII's sores are often attributed to syphilis.  While historians debate how and when syphilis arrived in Europe, there is no doubt that it began to spread quickly throughout the 16th century.  Since syphilis is spread through sexual contact, it seemed fitting that Henry VIII should die from it.  After all, he was whoring around and for some reason we think that bad things should happen to bad people.  God was simply inflecting His judgment on Henry.

However, we now know that Henry didn't die from syphilis like his contemporary King Francis I of France.  Instead, his unhealed sores, possible impotence and lack of evidence for infections in his wives and mistresses, indicates type II diabetes not syphilis.  So much for Henry being the poster child for STD prevention.

Henry VIII, however, is just one of the many historical figures that are used to propagate good morals.  While STD prevention, sexual responsibility and instilling good morals in our children are important, Henry's death had nothing to do with his sex life.  

Concubine, Saint, Whore and Martyr: The Changing Image of Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn, the second wife of the infamous Henry VIII, is the perfect example how a person's image can change with time. Born the third child of Sir Thomas Boleyn and Elizabeth Howard (the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk), she was sent to be a Lady in Waiting to the Archduchess Margaret.  Fate, however, would not leave Anne in Continental Europe, but the education, style and wit she learned helped her land Henry VIII.

"She blinded me with science."

The rest of her story is infamous.  Henry fell madly in love with her, tried to divorce his present wife Catherine of Aragon and when the pope wouldn't grant him a divorce, Henry broke away from the Catholic church and married Anne anyway.  During her life Anne was very unpopular and many, including the Spanish ambassador, would only call her "The Concubine."  After her beheading, she was still considered the king's whore and concubine until the ascension of her daughter Elizabeth to the English throne.  Elizabeth adored her mother and during her reign, Anne became a saint and martyr for the Protestant Reformation.  

Today, Anne Boleyn is Henry's most famous wife and there has been an explosion of books, movies and television programs about the beheaded queen.  Depending on who you read or ask, everyone has a different opinion.  Some believe that Anne was power hungry and would have done anything to become queen, others believe she was simply a victim of her father and Henry.  If I didn't know any better, I would think that we weren't talking about the same person, except historical figures are often portrayed as heroes or villains, saints or sinners.  Just look at George Washington or Thomas Jefferson.  Both owned slaves, had mistresses, and other failings, yet they are considered American saints.  While we may realize the world isn't all black and white people, we fail to allow our historical characters to live in the gray.

In the book, "Anne Boleyn:  Henry VIII's Obsession" by Elizabeth Norton the author allows Anne to live in the gray.  She portrays Anne not as a sinner or saint, but simply as an ambitious woman who sought to better herself.  Today Anne Boleyn may have been a CEO, Congresswoman or trail lawyer, but in the 16th century her options were limited.  I urge all of you to rethink your opinions on someone from history and allow them to live in the gray. No one is absolutely evil or perfect not even our beloved or not so beloved historical figures.