Henry VIII executed two of his wives at the Tower of London.
Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn, had proved unable to provide him with the son he so desperately sought. Anxious to marry again, he accused Anne of adultery and treason; she was quite probably innocent.
Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard, was quite possibly guilty of the same charge: being the twenty-something young wife of a 50-year-old man was no defence.
View our Henry VIII's wives slideshow >
Henry VIII took Hampton Court Palace from his chief minister Thomas Wolsey and rebuilt it.
His third wife, Jane Seymour, gave birth to Henry’s only legitimate son, Prince Edward, at the palace, and died soon afterwards.
Henry VIII married his sixth and last wife, Kateryn Parr, at Hampton Court.
King Henry VIII was also famous for...
The Reformation
Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England – all to get his first divorce.
This also allowed him to seize church land and property (a great help in financing costly European wars). Under Henry VIII, England witnessed the wholesale destruction of beautiful monastic buildings and libraries.
