Catherine of Aragon was Henry's first wife. She was born to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. Considered beautiful in her youth, Catherine had red-gold hair and blue eyes. She traveled to England and married Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur when she was about 16 or so. Arthur died shortly after their marriage. Catherine maintained that their marriage was never consummated, which was probably very likely because Arthur was weak and sickly. About a year later she was betrothed to Arthur's younger brother, Henry VIII. Henry VIII's father, Henry VII made young Henry repudiate his betrothal because the king was no longer interested in an alliance with Spain. Catherine was abandoned for about four years. However as soon as his father died and Henry VIII became king he quickly married his childhood love. Their marriage was happy for many years.Henry had two mistresses, Bessie Blount and Mary Boleyn, during his marriage to Catherine. Catherine had at least seven miscarriages but did give birth to a girl named Mary. It was imperative for a king to have healthy son to be his heir. Catherine was now about 42 and could not have any more children. Henry became interested in Anne Boleyn, one of Catherine's ladies-in-waiting. He proceeded to get a divorce from Catherine over several angonizing years. Poor Catherine was to renounce her title as Queen of England and be known as Princess Dowager. She refused to do this and never gave in to the demand. Henry eventually gave up trying and just ignored her. She lived in many unhealthy and understaffed castles. He separated Catherine from her only daughter, Mary. Mary was always a firm supporter of her mother and that distanced her from her father tremendously. They never saw each other before Catherine died on January 7, 1536.
#2 Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn was born between 1501 and 1507. She traveled a lot in her youth and began her life at court in the court of the Archduchess Margaret. Then she went to France to be a lady in waiting to Mary, Henry VIII's sister who was married to Louis XII of France. When Louis died and Mary went back to England, Anne stayed to attend the new Queen Claude. She stayed in France for about seven years. Anne was considered sort of pretty. She had olive skin, dark brown hair, and large brown black eyes. Her eyes are always included in descriptions others wrote of her. Supposedly she had a sixth finger but that is still under debate. Anne moved back to England in 1521 and made her first court appearance on March 1, 1522 at a masque. Henry did not take notice of her until late 1526. When he began courting her he probably just wanted to make her his mistress. Anne's sister Mary had been Henry's mistress while he was married to Catherine. Anne refused to be his mistress and it was "Queen or nothing". Anne pressured Henry into divorcing Catherine and making her his wife. Henry wanted her so badly, even though he hated writing letters, seventeen love letters to Anne remain. Anne was famous for her temper and her tongue. She was not afraid to rant and rave at the king in front of the court! Henry courted Anne until 1532 when she gave in to him and became pregnant. Henry needed to marry her quickly "avoid any questions of the legitimacy of the child when it was born." They secretly married in early 1533. Anne had a grand coronation but she was not popular with the people of England. They did not cheer her on as she proceeded on horseback dressed in white to Westminster Abbey. There she became Queen of England. The child she was carrying was assumed to be a boy and proclamations were written long in advance of the boy's birth. However when Princess Elizabeth was born, Henry and Anne were sorely disappointed. Anne knew that she had to produce a son, but her next two pregnancies ended in miscarriages. By this time Henry was growing tired of her and had started flirting with one of Anne's ladies in waiting , Jane Seymour. On April 30, 1536, Mark Smeaton, Sir Henry Norris and the Queen's brother, George Boleyn were arrested. On May 2, Sir Francis Weston and William Brereton were arrested. Then they came for Anne herself and she was arrested for adultery, incest, and plotting to murder the king. The men were all found guilty and hung less than a month of being arrested. Anne deined all the charges but was condemned to die. Henry ordered a expert swordsman from France just for Anne's beheading. Anne made a short speech before her beheading and her body was buried in an unmarked grave in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula.
#3 Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour was a gentle and modest lady. She was unlike Anne or Catherine. Jane had come to court to be a lady to Catherine of Aragon and then Anne Boleyn. In September of 1535 Henry went and visited the home of Jane's father and it is thought that is where the king began to fall in love with her. In Feburary 1536 he began to court Jane. He was already planning the downfall of his current wife. Less than a day after Anne Boleyn's excecution Henry and Jane were betrothed. They married about ten days later on May 30, 1536. Jane was a good and faithful wife to him The only event that marred their marriage was the death of Henry's 17 year old bastard son by his former mistress, Bessie Blount. In 1537 Jane became pregnant and Henry rushed to satify her every wish. Jane had a son named Edward born in October. Henry was overjoyed but his joy was killed soon. Jane died less than two weeks after the birth and is the only one of Henry's wives to be buried with him at St. George's Chapel. It is said that Henry truely loved Jane, more than any of his other wives. He waited two years before deciding to marry again but that was partly because women were scared to marry him since all of his former wives were dead by this time.
#4 Anne of Cleves
Henry wanted his next marriage to be a politically advantageous one. Henry sent his famous painter, Hans Holbein, around Europe to paint portraits of available women. Anne of Cleves was one from Germany and was chosen to secure an alliance with a country who supported the reformation of the church .Henry liked the portrait but when he first saw her Henry was so disgusted at what Anne looked like in person he called her, "A Flander's Mare". .In Anne's culture the teachings were domestic skills not music, literature, and fashion that everyone practiced in the English court. Most importantly they could not even have a conversation because she couldn't speak any English. She was smart and would create elaborate political board games and such. Henry decided he did not want to be married to this ugly woman because he had once again fallen in love with a young girl at court. Anne readily testifed that the marriage had never been consummated and she recieved the honorary title as the King's Sister along with property Henry gave to her. Anne lived quietly and happily until she died on July 16, 1557.
#5 Kathryn Howard
Kathryn Howard was a lady in waiting to Anne of Cleves. She was the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard and also first cousin to Anne Boleyn. She was 19 when she married Henry VIII and Henry was 49. Kathryn was very spirited, lively, kind and pretty. Henry adored her and thought she was a perfect and unspoiled, a "rose without a thorn". He was horrifed when less than a year into the marriage Achbishop Cranmer came to him with proof that Kathryn had been secretly engaged to another man, Francis Dereham and had an affair with Thomas Culpepper. Both men were executed and Kathryn was beheaded on February 14, 1542. She is buried in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula. There is no known portrait of Kathryn to this date.
#6 Katherine Parr
Katherine Parr was the daughter of a country squire, Thomas Parr. She had a sensitive and caring nature and was interested in the Protestant faith. Katherine had been married twice--once to when she was young to Sir Edward Burough, an old man in his sixties who died soon after they married. During her second marriage to Sir John Nevill, Lord Latimer, she visited to court frequently and became casual friend with the king. When her second husband died, Henry started courting her. Katherine was really in love with Thomas Seymour, but of course she could not refuse the king's attentions and they were married on July 12,1543. It had been a little over a year since Kathryn Howard's execution. Henry was very overweight, sick and bad tempered. Katherine was much of a nurse to him and soothed his temper. She was "the first one of his wives to bring all of his children to live together under one roof". Henry died on January 28, 1547, leaving Katherine a widow once more. She soon married Thomas Seymour but sadly died from childbirth in September of 1547. Katherine is buried at St. Mary's Chruch at Sudeley Castle.
Catherine of Aragon was Henry's first wife. She was born to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. Considered beautiful in her youth, Catherine had red-gold hair and blue eyes. She traveled to England and married Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur when she was about 16 or so. Arthur died shortly after their marriage. Catherine maintained that their marriage was never consummated, which was probably very likely because Arthur was weak and sickly. About a year later she was betrothed to Arthur's younger brother, Henry VIII. Henry VIII's father, Henry VII made young Henry repudiate his betrothal because the king was no longer interested in an alliance with Spain. Catherine was abandoned for about four years. However as soon as his father died and Henry VIII became king he quickly married his childhood love. Their marriage was happy for many years.Henry had two mistresses, Bessie Blount and Mary Boleyn, during his marriage to Catherine. Catherine had at least seven miscarriages but did give birth to a girl named Mary. It was imperative for a king to have healthy son to be his heir. Catherine was now about 42 and could not have any more children. Henry became interested in Anne Boleyn, one of Catherine's ladies-in-waiting. He proceeded to get a divorce from Catherine over several angonizing years. Poor Catherine was to renounce her title as Queen of England and be known as Princess Dowager. She refused to do this and never gave in to the demand. Henry eventually gave up trying and just ignored her. She lived in many unhealthy and understaffed castles. He separated Catherine from her only daughter, Mary. Mary was always a firm supporter of her mother and that distanced her from her father tremendously. They never saw each other before Catherine died on January 7, 1536. 
Anne Boleyn was born between 1501 and 1507. She traveled a lot in her youth and began her life at court in the court of the Archduchess Margaret. Then she went to France to be a lady in waiting to Mary, Henry VIII's sister who was married to Louis XII of France. When Louis died and Mary went back to England, Anne stayed to attend the new Queen Claude. She stayed in France for about seven years. Anne was considered sort of pretty. She had olive skin, dark brown hair, and large brown black eyes. Her eyes are always included in descriptions others wrote of her. Supposedly she had a sixth finger but that is still under debate. Anne moved back to England in 1521 and made her first court appearance on March 1, 1522 at a masque. Henry did not take notice of her until late 1526. When he began courting her he probably just wanted to make her his mistress. Anne's sister Mary had been Henry's mistress while he was married to Catherine. Anne refused to be his mistress and it was "Queen or nothing". Anne pressured Henry into divorcing Catherine and making her his wife. Henry wanted her so badly, even though he hated writing letters, seventeen love letters to Anne remain. Anne was famous for her temper and her tongue. She was not afraid to rant and rave at the king in front of the court! Henry courted Anne until 1532 when she gave in to him and became pregnant. Henry needed to marry her quickly "avoid any questions of the legitimacy of the child when it was born." They secretly married in early 1533. Anne had a grand coronation but she was not popular with the people of England. They did not cheer her on as she proceeded on horseback dressed in white to Westminster Abbey. There she became Queen of England. The child she was carrying was assumed to be a boy and proclamations were written long in advance of the boy's birth. However when Princess Elizabeth was born, Henry and Anne were sorely disappointed. Anne knew that she had to produce a son, but her next two pregnancies ended in miscarriages. By this time Henry was growing tired of her and had started flirting with one of Anne's ladies in waiting , Jane Seymour. On April 30, 1536, Mark Smeaton, Sir Henry Norris and the Queen's brother, George Boleyn were arrested. On May 2, Sir Francis Weston and William Brereton were arrested. Then they came for Anne herself and she was arrested for adultery, incest, and plotting to murder the king. The men were all found guilty and hung less than a month of being arrested. Anne deined all the charges but was condemned to die. Henry ordered a expert swordsman from France just for Anne's beheading. Anne made a short speech before her beheading and her body was buried in an unmarked grave in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula. 
Jane Seymour was a gentle and modest lady. She was unlike Anne or Catherine. Jane had come to court to be a lady to Catherine of Aragon and then Anne Boleyn. In September of 1535 Henry went and visited the home of Jane's father and it is thought that is where the king began to fall in love with her. In Feburary 1536 he began to court Jane. He was already planning the downfall of his current wife. Less than a day after Anne Boleyn's excecution Henry and Jane were betrothed. They married about ten days later on May 30, 1536. Jane was a good and faithful wife to him The only event that marred their marriage was the death of Henry's 17 year old bastard son by his former mistress, Bessie Blount. In 1537 Jane became pregnant and Henry rushed to satify her every wish. Jane had a son named Edward born in October. Henry was overjoyed but his joy was killed soon. Jane died less than two weeks after the birth and is the only one of Henry's wives to be buried with him at St. George's Chapel. It is said that Henry truely loved Jane, more than any of his other wives. He waited two years before deciding to marry again but that was partly because women were scared to marry him since all of his former wives were dead by this time. 
Henry wanted his next marriage to be a politically advantageous one. Henry sent his famous painter, Hans Holbein, around Europe to paint portraits of available women. Anne of Cleves was one from Germany and was chosen to secure an alliance with a country who supported the reformation of the church .Henry liked the portrait but when he first saw her Henry was so disgusted at what Anne looked like in person he called her, "A Flander's Mare". .In Anne's culture the teachings were domestic skills not music, literature, and fashion that everyone practiced in the English court. Most importantly they could not even have a conversation because she couldn't speak any English. She was smart and would create elaborate political board games and such. Henry decided he did not want to be married to this ugly woman because he had once again fallen in love with a young girl at court. Anne readily testifed that the marriage had never been consummated and she recieved the honorary title as the King's Sister along with property Henry gave to her. Anne lived quietly and happily until she died on July 16, 1557.
Kathryn Howard was a lady in waiting to Anne of Cleves. She was the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard and also first cousin to Anne Boleyn. She was 19 when she married Henry VIII and Henry was 49. Kathryn was very spirited, lively, kind and pretty. Henry adored her and thought she was a perfect and unspoiled, a "rose without a thorn". He was horrifed when less than a year into the marriage Achbishop Cranmer came to him with proof that Kathryn had been secretly engaged to another man, Francis Dereham and had an affair with Thomas Culpepper. Both men were executed and Kathryn was beheaded on February 14, 1542. She is buried in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula. There is no known portrait of Kathryn to this date.
Katherine Parr was the daughter of a country squire, Thomas Parr. She had a sensitive and caring nature and was interested in the Protestant faith. Katherine had been married twice--once to when she was young to Sir Edward Burough, an old man in his sixties who died soon after they married. During her second marriage to Sir John Nevill, Lord Latimer, she visited to court frequently and became casual friend with the king. When her second husband died, Henry started courting her. Katherine was really in love with Thomas Seymour, but of course she could not refuse the king's attentions and they were married on July 12,1543. It had been a little over a year since Kathryn Howard's execution. Henry was very overweight, sick and bad tempered. Katherine was much of a nurse to him and soothed his temper. She was "the first one of his wives to bring all of his children to live together under one roof". Henry died on January 28, 1547, leaving Katherine a widow once more. She soon married Thomas Seymour but sadly died from childbirth in September of 1547. Katherine is buried at St. Mary's Chruch at Sudeley Castle.