14.5 Catherine and Anne: The First Two Wives of Henry VIII

If Henry had stopped at two wives, my guess is that your average person wouldn't know any more about him than they do about Henrys #1-7. But he did have six wives, and that made him so famous that people write award-winning musicals about him. Or rather about his wives. He is the connecting thread, but they are the story. This episode tells the stories of the amazing Catherine of Aragon, who was married to him for longer than the rest of the wives put together. She had every expectation of happiness: her husband was young, handsome, charming, and powerful. But she could not deliver a son, and Henry became less young, less handsome, and very considerably less charming. He remained powerful, which is why he was able to usher Catherine out and bring on wife #2. Anne Boleyn was the ultimate in 16th century glamour. Her motivations are hotly disputed and ultimately obscure, but in the end she gained the queenship, where she too failed to deliver a son. Her end was quicker and nastier than Catherine's: she was accused of adultery (though she was innocent) and beheaded. I will cover Wives #4-6 in the next episode. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and my undying gratitude. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads or Instagram as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices