Henry VIII: A Life from Beginning to End

by Hourly History

Henry VIII Series House of Tudor Book 2 * * *Download for FREE on Kindle Unlimited + Free BONUS Inside!* * * Read On Your Computer, MAC, Smartphone, Kindle Reader, iPad, or Tablet. Since his death in the year 1547, King Henry VIII has been celebrated as a chivalrous pioneer and reviled as a brutal tyrant, but he has never been ignored. Henry was responsible for the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church, the ramifications of which reverberated through subsequent centuries of European history. Domestically, Henry revolutionized the English Constitution, elevating his own status to that of a God. Inside you will read about... ✓ From Childhood to Coronation ✓ Early Reign ✓ The King’s Great Matter ✓ The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn ✓ Dissolution of the Monasteries ✓ Anne of Cleves ✓ The Execution of Katherine Howard ✓ A Rough Wooing in Scotland and War with France Henry’s belief in his own divine right certainly played a part in his six marriages, his penchant for executing those who disagreed with him and his many disagreements with the Pope. Chauvinistic, chivalrous, tyrannical, visionary, it is possible that King Henry VIII was all of these things and yet however you view his place in British History, his reign was nothing short of momentous.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Royalty, British Literature, Ebooks, Tudor Period

119 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 18, 2016

About the author

At Hourly History, we focus on publishing history books that are concise, straightforward and take no longer than one hour to read.

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Reviews

[Labijose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siempre me he sentido atraído por la época de los Tudor, una dinastía que no pasó desapercibida en su devenir por la historia; especialmente la época de Enrique VIII, quizás mundialmente conocido por sus múltiples matrimonios (seis en total) y por el trágico destino de alguna de sus esposas, por orden expresa del propio rey. También por su tozudez en poder “divorciarse” legalmente de su primera esposa, Catalina de Aragón, lo que le llevó a su lucha personal contra el Papa Clemente VII (que, a su vez, era virtual prisionero del Emperador Carlos V, sobrino de la anterior), y que desencadenó en el cisma con la Iglesia Católica y el establecimiento de la Iglesia de Inglaterra. Su disolución de los monasterios (y el posterior traspaso de sus bienes al rey y a sus allegados) es un hecho que todavía se sigue analizando.

Una época y una vida fascinantes, sin duda. La transformación del rey a lo largo de los años (de musculoso y varonil guerrero a adefesio obeso y cubierto de pústulas) es tratada también en este pequeño resumen de su vida y hechos. Breve pero esclarecedora, esta nueva entrega de “Hourly history” es altamente recomendable. Y si te quedas con ganas de más, hay cientos de biografías disponibles, que te ayudarán a cubrir las numerosas anécdotas que este pequeño libro no puede abarcar. Y en cuanto a novelas se refiere, la serie del escritor C.J. Sansom sería una buena manera de meterte en el ambiente de la época, aprendiendo de paso qué cosas ocurrieron.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refresher on Henry VIII... enjoyed!

[Brooke (B for Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived
Everyone always wants to remember the wives, here is a little rhyme.
This little history cannot nearly cover the impact this King had on the country and the world especially in the Reformation of the Church of England and split from Catholicism. I am reading it for some background before I read The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England

Divorced - Katharine of Aragon
Beheaded - Anne Boleyn, accused of infidelity/incest
Died - Jane Seymour, mother of Edward IV, boy king, died in childbirth
Divorced - Anne of Cleaves, smart, leave while you have-a-head
Beheaded - Catherine Howard, cousin of Anne Bolelyn, accused of infidelity/incest, was 17 when she married
Survived - Catherine Parr, went on to marry a fourth husband after Henry died.

Some petty and not-so petty facts

was the first English King to adopt the title “Your Majesty.”

Henry VIII was a firm believer in the concept of the royal prerogative, which presumed the King's will was an expression of God's will, and as such could not be questioned.

Henry removed a huge ruby, given by King Louis VII of France, from the tomb of St. Thomas Becket and had it set into a thumb ring.


Basic tyrannical womanizer.

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy these Hourly History books. They are short, but contain a lot of information, and are available in a wide variety of subjects.

For whatever reason, I have always been drawn to the Tudor period in England's history. I have read everything I can get my hands on, especially the time of Henry VIII's reign. This book did add a few things though that I had not read before.

Henry VIII was a very, very complicated person. We all know the rhyme about his six wives, "Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived". This book touches on each of them, but the main focus is Henry VIII.

Given a huge amount of power at a very young age, Henry VIII was not always the tyrant that we know of at the end. Brutal beyond words, in the beginning he was a youngster with a rather soft heart, trying to do what is right, which led him into his first marriage to Katherine of Aragon, widow of Henry's older brother.

Katherine's story, if you haven't read about her, is beyond sad.

Back to Henry VIII (sorry, I can get distracted when talking about the Tudors). While untold numbers of people died as a direct result of Henry VIII, we can also see the side of him, childlike in his yearning for people he can trust, someone who will love him not as a king but as a man. For all it's pomp and glory, Henry VIII really was a sad soul.

If you want a short glimpse into his life, this is the book for you.

[silviottide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questa collana di mini biografie scritte in un inglese semplice e chiaro sono preziose per farsi un'idea d'insieme del personaggio in questione. Non è la prima che leggo e confermo che fanno il loro dovere egregiamente.

[Thom Swennes · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Of all losses, time is the most irrecuperable for it can never be redeemed.”
King Henry VIII
Although born more than five hundred years ago (June 28, 1491), Henry VIII remains the best-known monarch of all time. All over the world, people know about this controversial King of England. His perceived need for a male heir to carry on the Tudor dynasty alienate him from the pope and the Roman Catholic Church, and cost two of his six wives their head. His six wives as well as his two surviving daughters, like Henry, have captured the imagination of people for centuries. People can readily conjure an image of a squat, heavy, and bearded monarch, as enthusiastically as they can the pale, statuesque, image of his youngest daughter, the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I.

The reign of Henry VIII was filled with both foreign and domestic plots, wars, and treaties. Although Henry has always remained a popular monarch, he wasn’t particularly a good or successful one. He had a strong disdain for the mundane, but essential duties of his position and delegated many duties to people that didn’t hold Henry’s or England’s interests paramount. This short biography concentrates on Henry’s obsession for a male heir, marital indiscretions, his six unfortunate spouses, and England’s divorce from the Catholic Church, creating the Church of England. It forms a solid base and serves as inspiration for further research. Like all of the biographies and histories in the Hourly History series, the reader is served a bite-size picture of a figure, time, or event from history. With just an hour investment in time, the reader can go back in time and taste the past.

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think we can all agree that Henry VIII is one of the most controversial English monarchs in history. This book mostly covers what Henry VIII was most known for: his six marriages and the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church.

This was a pretty decent and interesting book if you want to quickly learn more about the life of Henry VIII but I wish there was a little more detail about possible causes that changed his personality so much. To be fair, I already knew most of the things stated in this book so that's why I probably wanted a little more out of it.

Other than that it was once again a quick and light read, which is always a plus. It's a good book if you want to refresh your memory about the hectic life of Henry VIII.

[Young Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

With its brief, yet clear introduction and head, the book is the best if read with the same publisher's Wars of the Roses and Elizabeth I as a series.

It is true that England was nothing like the country we know today without Henry VIII's Tudor Dynasty.

The readers can learn enough about the dynasty’s struggles and achievements in a short time.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Nice Read

This book will give a good overview of King Henry VIII, but there's not much detail. If you like history this will leave you wanting more, much more.

[Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read that takes only about an hour, this book offers enough facts to keep you entertained. It's almost the CliffNotes of Henry VIII but it is also an appealing read as it gives you all the bare essentials you need to know. While it definitely needed some editing (some typos, Katherine Howard's first name alternating between Katherine and Catherine...I believe it should be Catherine, and Elizabeth is called Anne one time). Other than, it's a worthwhile read if you have an hour to spare for some very light reading about one of the most interesting king who will always be remembered for his 6 wives, his thirst for a legitimate son to succeed him, and his brutal be-headings.

[Gayle Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average and Easy Read

I had just come back from a tour of Windsor Castle where I heard quite a bit about Henry VIII and his wives. I was curious to learn a bit more, and in the evening, downloaded this book for a quick read before bed. It was short but not enough information and left me wanting more, especially about his wives and daughters. It was a free kindle unlimited for me; I should have sprung a bit of money for more substance. Not a bad book for very basic information.

[Anil Swarup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fascinating description of a British King who was a legend in his own right. The narration brings forth all the aspects of this unusual king who had the courage to take on the might of the Pope though for a personal reason. Henry's reign marks a watershed in the religious history of Britain that also had huge political implications as well.

[Necessittee · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don't know anything or very little about Henry VIII, then this book by Hourly History is good place to start. It is easy to read and short. I would definitely recommend to those who want just the basics. It gives insight to his wives as well.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, a nice introduction to the life and times of one of the most controversial rulers.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is from a period of which I had a modest familiarity but it was a good refresher to all the intrigue of his court and helped set the stage for the next several kings and queens.

[Madelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

History was one of my least favorite subjects in high school. All those dates to remember with little to no context. As I got older, the same laissez-faire attitude applied to politics. I was overseas for the election in 1968 without the acumen to request an absentee ballot. I was just old enough to vote. My first voting experience was in 1972: Nixon vs. McGovern. As ex-military, I favored the candidate with international relations experience. (If I could go back and change my vote, I would.) In New York City, Nixon ran on several party lines that were not the Republican Party. I voted in one of those columns. Were those votes counted toward his overwhelming win? I have no idea. I continued to vote in elections much the same way most people do today—informing themselves only days before the vote.

What does all this have to do with reading Henry VIII: A Life from Beginning to End? For the past fifteen years or so, at the behest of my younger sister, I have become actively political. It all started with watching The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC (recently renamed MSNOW). I am actively working on a book to connect the current regime with the Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock. I’m calling it Blame It on the Puritans. It has been suggested to me that I begin with the English Reformation (circa 1530–1550) and the Act of Supremacy that made Henry VIII the head of the Church of England. Henry VIII: A Life from Beginning to End seemed like a good starting place.

Although it is impossible to compress Henry VIII’s reign into a mere 119 pages, Hourly History provides direction for further research. It also gave me a connection between Trump and Henry VIII in several passages describing Henry’s ascent to the throne and early reign. In the following passage, Trump’s name could easily be inserted:

“All acts of parliament were carried out in the King’s name, and his authority was second only to that of God. Henry VIII was a firm believer in the concept of the royal prerogative, which presumed the King’s will was an expression of God’s will, and as such could not be questioned. Despite this, Henry was incredibly popular with the English people and this popularity never wavered, despite the cruelties he was later guilty of. To the English people, Henry was the personification of power and grandeur and was the first English King to adopt the title ‘Your Majesty.’”

Sounds like MAGA to me.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry Vlll climbed to the English throne at the tender age of 17.  I was surprised to learn that Henry's court was considered to be sophisticated and splendid.  Henry was also considered to be one of the most accomplished and charismatic kings of England (after all, he was able to convince 6 women to marry him).  

Henry was the lucky recipient of a stable English throne thanks to his father (and his fortuitous marriage as a Lancastrian king to a York woman).  This brought the two warring factions to end the 30-year War of the Roses.  However, Henry was aware of his tenuous hold on the throne and sought a male heir to cement the Tudor line as rightful kings.  Before long, it became an obsession.

There are lots of fascinating snippets in this book.  The author explains the probable reason that Henry Vll had no siblings; Lady Margaret gave birth at the age of 13 years and this was thought to have caused physical trauma.  The explanation of HenryVlll's ambivalence in marrying Catherine of Aragon (his dead brother's widow) reminds the reader of the old adage, "Marry in haste, regret at leisure."  Time was taken to explain the role of each of the women Henry married and what led to her downfall.

This is a fascinating explanation of the decline of a king who could have been great but decided to put his trust in people who would allow him to run amuck and do what HE pleased rather than what was best for his people.  It is amazing that the country was still standing when Henry Vlll died. This one of those books that it is not possible to stop reading until the very end.

[James Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find Henry VIII one of the most interesting people in English history and I wonder what he would have become if he didn't have the injuries he sustained, especially the fall from a horse. He was obviously very intelligent and the book goes into his various abilities such as dancing.

What he is best known for, though, is his marriage to six different women and the saying divorced, beheaded and died, divorced, beheaded, survived which explains what happened to his wives. The book also goes into his problems with the Pope and his founding of the Church of England.

What I found most interesting, though, were some things said to describe him. The book says refers to him as an 'egocentric monstrosity' and that he had a 'violent temper' and was 'paranoid.' I get the impression that the author didn't really like him very much.

[Nihal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henry VIII was known for many reasons. He had married six wives, only to give him a male heir. He reformed against the Pope and supported the reformation. He had also decided to create complex relations with the rulers of other countries to expand the Tudor dynasty. But even after 4 centuries, he remains a controversial and important ruler of English History.

Even if Henry VIII was important, the book didn’t give specific content about him. Most of the information was about his wives and battles. I think it’s a good book to learn about his rule, but not about his life.

[Randolph Rossi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry VIII - A Despot

I knew little about Henry VIII, other than broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England. I learned a great deal about him and his motivations. He acted more like a modern day dictator killing those he thought were dangerous to his continuing rule. Overall a very poor King and his true legacy was through his daughter, Queen Elizabeth I ,who did much for the country.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to goodreads for a copy of this book for my honest review reviw.

I liked the book but it was to short and not as explicit of Henry VIII. I enjoy English history. This was basically a factual list on the major points of the Tudor time. It mentions Henry's six wives.

For me I want more. However, if you just want an outline of Henry's story this will provide that information.

[Colin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Henry VIII

History lite. Proofreading as quality as the book itself Ie., not much. No real explanation of anything and no mention of syphillis or other STD which might have caused a few mental aberrations.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erm........

I would definitely had enjoyed this volume better, had it been properly edited. Having to read some sentences numerous times whilst determining the word that should have been there was disheartening. Poor quality, yet a rather interesting life.

[Ed Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief Introduction

This biography is a short introduction to the life of Henry VIII. From his youth through his death, his life was filled with intrigues. You will get a taste of them, along with the background on his wives and children in the quick reading book.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems a surprise that a king such as Henry Tudor is known more for the intrigues within his court than for his achievements in leading his nation. This book tries to cover both aspects of his life. It mostly succeeds.

[mark leyshon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Henry the eighth: a life from beginning to end

A very disjointed attempt at portraying probably the most famous English monarch. The chronology does not follow, and there are some glaring errors including the statement that Wales became part of England. It never has done.

[Samantha Rooney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yes it was concise, but that's about the only positive thing I can say. It called Elizabeth 'Anne' once and mixed up some dates.

[Lilly Hi Way · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just the Facts

I guess I expected too much in a short biography, but it was not as interesting as I expected. But it was OK even if you already know a lot about King Henry VIII.

[Hayleigh Marie Whitelock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. Enjoyed it, well written.

[David Laflin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good read form Hourly History
As before this is a short book and it is very concise and full of facts.
An excellent read