http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii Meet the wives and children of England's infamous King Henry VIII, including his six queens, two of whom he had executed. en Copyright 2013, History.com Tue, 21 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT History.com 2013-05-21T04:00:00Z en Copyright 2013, History.com http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo1 The second monarch of the House of Tudor, Henry VIII (1491-1547) ruled England from 1509 to 1547. A controversial figure often remembered for his turbulent romantic life and burning desire to produce a male heir, Henry married six women, two of whom he had executed, and was succeeded by Edward VI. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo1 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo2 The daughter of Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabella, Catherine (1485-1536) was the widow of Henry's older brother Arthur. Between 1510 and 1518, she gave birth to six children, but all except Mary were stillborn or died in infancy. Henry had their marriage annulled amid much controversy in 1533. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo2 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo3 The only surviving child of Henry and Catherine, Mary (1516-1558) became queen after the death of her brother Edward VI and the failed accession of Lady Jane Grey in 1533. She restored England to Catholicism, executing many religious dissenters, and was succeeded by her half-sister Elizabeth I. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo3 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo4 By 1525 Henry had soured on Catherine and fallen in love with Anne (c. 1507-1536). They wed in secret in 1533. After giving birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, Anne suffered several miscarriages, failing to produce a male heir. In 1536 she was beheaded on charges of witchcraft, incest and adultery. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo4 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo5 The daughter of Henry and Anne, Elizabeth (1533-1603) was declared illegitimate after her mother's execution but later restored to the succession. She was crowned queen in 1558 as the last Tudor monarch. Her 44-year reign is remembered as a golden age for British culture. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo5 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo6 A lady-in-waiting to Henry's first two wives, Jane Seymour (1508-1537) was betrothed to the king within 24 hours of Anne's beheading in 1536. They married soon after, and in 1537 Jane gave birth to the future Edward VI. She died nine days later, most likely of an infection. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo6 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo7 The son of Henry and Jane, Edward (1537-1553) succeeded his father in 1547 at age 9. Because he never reached maturity during his reign, a regency council governed the realm, which was plagued by economic problems, social upheaval and religious turmoil. He died in 1553 at age 15. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo7 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo8 After Jane's death, Henry tried to forge an alliance with the Duke of Cleves by marrying his sister, Anne (1515-1557), in 1540. Henry reportedly found her unattractive, and the union was annulled. Anne was given the honorary title of the "King's Sister" as well as several pieces of property. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo8 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo9 Henry wed the teenage lady-in-waiting Catherine (c. 1524-1542) immediately after the annulment of his marriage to Anne of Cleves. By the next year, rumors were swirling of liaisons between the new queen and several young men. She was found guilty of treason and beheaded in 1542. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo9 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo10 Henry married the twice-widowed Catherine (1512-1548) in 1543, four years before his death. She was close with her stepchildren and instrumental in restoring Mary and Elizabeth to the succession. Widowed for a third time in 1547, she remarried and died in 1548 after giving birth to a daughter. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo10 http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo11 The product of Henry's affair with Elizabeth Blount, Henry (1519-1536) was the only illegitimate child the king acknowledged. Granted numerous titles, he enjoyed a princely upbringing and was rumored to be a candidate for heir apparent. He died at 17 in 1536, probably of tuberculosis. http://www.history.com/photos/the-family-of-henry-viii/photo11