henry viii illegitimate children

You could be forgiven for thinking that Henry VIII had only one child: Queen Elizabeth I of England. In 1525 the six-year-old Henry Fitzroy was elected to the Order of the Garter and made Duke of Richmond.Even though illegitimacy was a serious bar to succession, it was clear to everyone that the young duke was being groomed for kingship. His chief minister, Cardinal Wolsey, was godfather at the christening and superintended the boy’s care thereafter.

However, the king only acknowledged one bastard offspring: Henry Fitzroy, son of Elizabeth (‘Bessie’) Blount. Thank you for subscribing to HistoryExtra, you now have unlimited access. By entering your details, you are agreeing to HistoryExtra

However, he was ill with ‘consumption’, possibly tuberculosis, and died on 23 July 1536, aged 17.There were many other suspected illegitimate children including Thomas Stukeley, Richard Edwardes, Catherine Carey, Henry Carey, Ethelreda Malte and John Perrot.

It had strong government, an end to the Wars of the Roses, and a beloved king on the throne. After her sister’s death and lack of an heir, she became Queen on 17 November 1558, aged 25.In terms of religion, Elizabeth I was more practical and quickly passed laws that moved the country back to Protestantism but were not as strict as her sister or brother's.

Elizabeth I always worked with government and advisors ensuring a rule of popular consent and placing herself in a strong position in the hearts of her subjects.Miniature Portrait | Henry FitzRoy, Duke of Richmond, illegitimate son of Henry VII of England | Lucas Horenbout (1490–1544) Henry VIII had many suspected illegitimate children but only acknowledged one, Henry Fitzroy the first Duke of Richmond and Somerset, born 15 June 1519. Did Henry VIII acknowledge any of his illegitimate children?

Our best wishes for a productive day. But the lack of a male heir—especially after he fathered a healthy illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy, in 1519—gnawed at the king.

By the sixteenth year of Henry's reign, he was a 34-year-old man still in his prime; however, he lacked a male heir with his 40-year-old wife Catherine of Aragon. The closest he came to it, it was shortly before his death when Elizabeth I was declared illegitimate, in June 1536.

To make matters worse, Henry had no surviving younger brother nor … Fearing that his death would result in Mary I reversing the reformation and taking Britain back to Catholicism, he wrote his ‘devise for succession’. He was born in secret and his arrival was unmarked by most of the nation. Following her death and her refusal to nominate an heir, James I became King of England, unifying the Scottish and English crowns.Elizabeth's legacy is one of great importance, an era being named after her, the Elizabethan age. In my article, I discuss Henry Fitzroy, Catherine and Henry Carey, John Perrot, Thomas Stukeley and Ethelreda Malte. She solidified the Protestant Church of England ensuring its position, one which still stands today. Henry VIII is possibly the most famous King of England, known both for his six wives and for the splitting of the Church. There seems to be a problem, please try again. Please do read it and let me know your thoughts. However, due to none of these ever being acknowledged by Henry VIII, none had any claim to the throne and have never been confirmed as his children.Henry VIII is represented as an old man, wearing a jewelled cap and ermine...This portrait shows Edward as a prince aged about five. They include Catherine and Henry Carey, born to Mary Boleyn, who was Henry’s mistress before he switched his attentions to her sister, Anne. Elizabeth Tailboys was the Tudor monarch's illegitimate lovechild … Here, at last, was proof that Henry could father a healthy son.The king openly celebrated the birth and acknowledged the boy as his own, giving him the surname Fitzroy (‘son of the king’). But before Queen Elizabeth there were King Edward VI and Queen Mary I of England, her younger brother and older sister. He was crowned King on 20 February 1547, aged just nine, and he reigned for only six years until his death in February 1553, possibly from tuberculosis. By 1525, the Tudor dynasty had been on the throne for 40 years. Sign up to receive our newsletter! Their only surviving child and heiress was Princess Mary, who at the time was a girl of nine.