Grace Thompson
Henry VIII, one of England's most famous kings, is known for his six marriages and his break with the Catholic Church in Rome, which led to the establishment of the Church of England. Despite his efforts to seize the wealth and property of the Catholic Church, Henry remained conservative in his beliefs and died a Catholic on 28 January 1547. His burial took place on 16 February 1547 in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, where he was laid to rest next to his favourite wife, Jane Seymour. While Henry's funeral was extravagant, featuring three huge temporary hearses, he does not have an elaborate tomb, and thousands of visitors walk over his grave every year without realising.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of death | 28 January 1547 |
| Burial place | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
| Buried with | Wife, Jane Seymour |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Religious beliefs | Conservative |
| Religious practices | Took last rites |
| Religious upheaval | English Reformation |
| Church of England | Break with Rome, separation from papal authority |
| Church of England | Continuation of Catholic Church of the apostles without the pope |
| Church of England | Holds fast to Catholic creeds and seven sacraments |
| Church of England | Henry appointed himself Supreme Head |
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What You'll Learn
Henry VIII's burial
Henry VIII, the famous Tudor king of England, died on 28 January 1547. He was buried in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, next to his wife, Jane Seymour.
Henry VIII is remembered for his six marriages, his break with the pope and the Roman Catholic Church, and the establishment of the Church of England. Despite the massive upheaval of the Reformation, Henry remained conservative in his beliefs and died a Catholic. He took the last rites before his death, which was essential for someone of the Catholic faith.
Henry VIII's will commanded that he be buried with Jane Seymour, the only wife to give birth to a surviving legitimate male heir, Edward VI. Henry VIII's children were riven by religious disputes and uncertainty, and none of them wished to honour their father with a fitting monument.
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His Catholic faith
Henry VIII is known for his six marriages and his efforts to annul his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon. His disagreement with Pope Clement VII on this matter led him to initiate the English Reformation, separating the Church of England from papal authority. Henry appointed himself Supreme Head of the Church of England, which was a continuation of the Catholic Church of the apostles, but without the Roman element.
Despite the massive upheaval of the Reformation, Henry remained conservative in his beliefs and died a Catholic. He considered himself to be "catholic", and receiving the last rites was essential for one of the Catholic faith, as Henry was until the end of his life.
Henry's break with Rome and the Dissolution of the Monasteries had profound and lasting effects. Between 1536 and 1540, he seized land and treasures and destroyed or closed over 800 monasteries and other religious houses. He also destroyed certain religious statues and artwork, forbade kneeling before images of the Virgin Mary and the saints, and changed minor feast days to normal work days.
Henry's views were not shared by his son Edward, who took religious reforms further. Edward dedicated the majority of his reign to religious reform, and it was far easier for him to display his father's memory in his own image.
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The Church of England
Henry VIII, King of England from 1509 until his death in 1547, is known for his six marriages and his efforts to annul his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon. This annulment led to his excommunication by Pope Clement VII and a break with Rome, resulting in the establishment of the Church of England.
> "Henry the Eighth, by the Grace of God, King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in Earth Supreme Head."
Henry VIII's break with Rome and the establishment of the Church of England had far-reaching consequences, including the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the seizure of wealth and property owned by the Catholic Church in England. This made Henry possibly the richest monarch in English history. The Church of England also provided a framework for the expansion of royal power and the theory of the divine right of kings.
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The English Reformation
The origins of the English Reformation were political and went back to the reign of Henry VII of England (r. 1485-1509 CE). Henry arranged for his eldest son Arthur to marry the Spanish princess Catherine of Aragon, a useful diplomatic tie as she brought with her a large dowry. However, Arthur died the next year, aged just 15. Henry VII was keen to maintain friendly relations with Spain and so his second son, Prince Henry, after special permission was gained from the Pope, was betrothed to Catherine. Henry VIII succeeded his father in April 1509 and married Catherine of Aragon.
Henry VIII initially opposed Martin Luther, composing a treatise to this effect, which led Pope Leo X to confer on him the title "Defender of the Faith". However, his desire for a male heir, which his wife Catherine of Aragon could not provide, led him to change his mind. The pope in Rome refused to allow Henry to divorce her, and so Henry began the process of breaking away from the Catholic Church.
In 1527, Henry requested an annulment of his marriage, but Pope Clement VII refused. In response, the Reformation Parliament (1529–1536) passed laws abolishing papal authority in England and declared Henry to be head of the Church of England. Final authority in doctrinal disputes now rested with the monarch. Henry relied on Protestants to support and implement his religious agenda. Protestant ideas were popular among some parts of the English population, especially among academics and merchants with connections to continental Europe.
The break with the Catholic Church was turning into an ever-wider divide. The 1532 CE Act in Restraint of Annates limited funds the Church paid to the Papacy. Then the 1533 CE Act in Restraint of Appeals declared that the English monarch was now the highest authority on all legal matters (lay and ecclesiastical) and not the Pope. The annulment and Parliament's passing of the Act of Succession (30 April 1534 CE) meant that Catherine's daughter Mary was declared illegitimate. Henry was excommunicated by the Pope for his actions. The Act of Supremacy was passed on 28 November 1534 CE, which meant that Henry, and all subsequent English monarchs, only had one higher authority: God himself.
Henry VIII died on 28 January 1547 and was buried with his favourite wife Jane Seymour in St George's Chapel, Windsor. He does not have an elaborate tomb, and thousands of visitors walk over his grave every year without realising.
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His tomb
Henry VIII, the famous Tudor king, died on 28 January 1547. He was buried in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, alongside his favourite wife, Jane Seymour. However, his tomb is notably modest, especially when compared to his grandiose plans for a magnificent monument during his lifetime.
Henry VIII had ambitious plans for his tomb, which were designed by the Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano as early as 1518. Torrigiano had also designed the tomb for Henry's parents, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, which can be seen in the Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey. The tomb was to be made of white marble and black touchstone, with a vast edifice decorated with fine Oriental stones, white marble pillars, gilded bronze angels, and life-size images of Henry and his queen. It was even supposed to include a statue of the king on horseback under a triumphal arch, surrounded by 144 brass gilt figures of saints and apostles.
Despite these grand plans, Henry VIII's tomb was never completed. One reason could be a lack of money, although Henry was known for his expensive projects. More likely, it was due to his reluctance to face his own mortality, as talk of the king's death was considered treasonous. Additionally, his son, Edward VI, who only reigned for six years, was focused on religious reforms and may not have prioritised the construction of his father's tomb.
Instead of a grand tomb, Henry VIII's grave is marked by a simple black rectangle on the floor of St George's Chapel. Thousands of visitors walk over his grave every year without realising. The modest marker may also be due to the religious aspects of the original tomb design, which featured trappings of the Catholic faith. As the Church of England, established by Henry VIII after his break with Rome, held fast to Catholic creeds, a simplified design may have been preferred.
Henry VIII's burial took place on 16 February 1547, twenty days after his death. His funeral was extravagant, with a many-wheeled chariot covered in black velvet and drawn by eight horses. The chariot carried his coffin, on top of which was his effigy, dressed in expensive robes and wearing the Imperial Crown. Henry's embalmed corpse was encased in lead, weighing more than half a ton. He also had three grand hearses, temporary canopies adorned with burning candles and rich fabrics, at the chapel at Whitehall Palace, Syon, and above his burial vault in St George's Chapel, Windsor.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Henry VIII died a Catholic and took the last rites before his death, which was essential for someone of the Catholic faith.
Henry VIII's burial took place on 16 February 1547 in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. He had three hearses; one in the chapel at Whitehall Palace, a second for the overnight stop at Syon, and a third above his burial vault in the quire of St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
Yes, Henry VIII separated from the Catholic Church when he broke with Rome, initiating the English Reformation and separating the Church of England from papal authority.
