Three Tudor Princes

For this months blog I debated about what to do as a lot seemed to happen. For this months blog I will look at the sad end of two Tudor Prince's, Arthur and Henry as well as the start of another Tudor prince Henry. One was a King and the first Tudor monarch, the other was next in line for the throne, but died to young, while the last wasn't destined for the crown but ended up with it.

On the 2nd of April 1502 the world started to fall apart for King Henry VII and would soon see him head into a  downward spiral. Within the next ten months Henry would have lost is his eldest son Arthur and his wife Elizabeth of York. Then in the next seven years Henry himself would pass away making way for his second son, Henry. Arthur was the first Tudor son to be born as well as the first of the Tudor line to pass away. He was the eldest son of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, he was also the heir to the throne of England. Arthur was married to Catherine of Aragon and not long after they were married they were sent to Ludlow Castle to carry out their duties. Not long after they arrived Arthur seemed to be getting weaker and weaker. They both then came down with a mysterious illness that today is believed to have been the Sweating Sickness, Tuberculosis or Influenza. The young couple were separated and kept apart while they were treated. Luckily Catherine made a full recovery but sadly Arthur passed away.

The news of Arthur's death reached his father in London in the late hours two days later. Henry was woken from his sleep by his confessor, when he heard the news he straight away burst into tears, he then asked that his wife, Elizabeth, be brought to his rooms so they could cry together. When she left his bedchambers, she collapsed and began to cry, her ladies fetched Henry who relieved her. On the 23rd April Arthur's embalmed body was taken from Ludlow castle and placed in the local church. Two days later he was taken to Worcester Cathedral where he was laid to rest, as was the custom his widow Catherine wasn't in attendance. Two years later a chantry was erected over his grave.

On the 22nd April 1509 the first Tudor monarch passed away, this also saw the start of his sons famous rule over England. Ever since the death of his eldest son Arthur, the King showed more emotion and was more prone to outbursts of crying. When his wife Elizabeth died the year after his son, Henry went into deep mourning and shut himself away. Henry also missed his daughter Margaret who was living in Scotland. He became so ill that he nearly died and only allowed his mother, Margaret, near him. He started to set out plans to remarry and produce more heirs, but none of these plans came to pass. Since January 1509, Henry had locked himself away at the Palace of Richmond. John Fisher, the future Bishop of Rochester, stayed with Henry through his final days and watched him prepare for death. He had been ill for the last few months so when Henry died roughly at 11pm on the 21st April, it was no shock. Henry's last few days seemed to be full of prayer, weeping and begging with God that he would be a changed man if God sent him life. Henry died of tuberculosis at Richmond Palace and on the 10th May he buried next to his wife Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey in the new chapel he had commissioned. Henry's death saw the rise of a new Tudor monarch also called Henry. This new Henry would become one of the most famous Kings in history.

Henry VIII is one of the most famous Kings in English history. Once his father died from Tuberculosis at Richmond Palace, Henry was proclaimed as the next King of England. When Henry took the throne he was 17 years old and was strong, handsome and athletic. He hadn't really had the training on being a King as it was his brother Arthur that was to be the King, but he had died young, while Henry was set for a life in the Church. The only thing he had was his grandmother Margaret Beaufort, she taught him everything he needed to be King, but sadly she passed away in June just after Henry turned 18. The first thing that he did once he became King was to marry his brothers widow Catherine of Aragon as they both seemed to have a connection and was pointless sending her back to Spain. On the 11th June Henry married Catherine and then on the 23rd they had a joint coronation at Westminster Abbey. 

Henry VIII would go down in history as the man with six wives, setting up his own Church and for desperately wanting a male heir. Even though the Tudor line didn't start with him he is one of the most famous Tudors along with his second wife Anne Boleyn and second daughter Elizabeth. Even though Arthur didn't live long he still played a part in history along side his father and younger brother Henry.