Young Athletic Henry Not so young or athletic Henry
Mention Henry VIII, and most people would conjure the image of an overweight monarch who was most famous for spousal abuse…to the point of be-heading. Further, he is often portrayed as a gluttonous royal gnawing turkey legs.
But that’s far from the entire story. He truly personified the Renaissance Man, accomplished in every way- physical strength, intelligence, a talented musician and composer, and a lover of science. How did Henry, the sexiest man alive become sick, obese, and very possibly mentally ill Henry?
Young Henry was only seventeen when his father, the king, died of tuberculosis. Assuming the throne, the fragility of the recently established Tudor reign was evident to Henry, and as such there was no room for perceived weakness.
Henry stood 6’1 when the average man was only 5’6. His height enhanced his stunning physique, including his pronounced calves. Apparently, the Medieval ladies were really ga-ga over well-defined lower legs.
A true athlete, the King was recognized as the best archer, wrestler and jouster in the kingdom. It would seem Henry VIII had it all. But like a modern day 30-for-30 bio on ESPN, the tri-fecta of injuries, wives and age took their toll on the once mighty king.
In 1524, while jousting with his visor raised, a lance struck him just above the left eye. Historians theorize this likely resulted in a serious concussion and caused the migraines which plagued him until his death. In the same period Henry developed a varicose vein ulcer, possibly caused by a jousting accident or by wearing “make my calves look sexy” garters. The ulcer refused to heal and based on the official records it is suggested it progressed to a bone infection.
In 1525, while hunting Henry had a “Hey y’all watch this!” moment. Attempting to pole vault a ditch, the stave broke and Henry fell head first into the clay bottom. A footman was reported to have leapt into the water and pulled Henry’s head free of the clay, thus saving him from drowning.
Like an aging football player who doesn’t know when to quit, so it was with forty-five-year-old Henry. In 1536, while jousting he fell from his horse, the horse also fell and landed on the king. It was a tremendous impact when considering the weight of Henry’s armor, plus the weight of the horse and its armor. Henry lay unconscious for two hours, and researchers theorize this was another severe concussion or possibly a bruised cerebral cortex. Records from the period indicate his personality changed after that accident, becoming moody, forgetful and paranoid.
Suspected bouts with malaria, small-pox, acute constipation and Cushing Syndrome also weakened the once athletic king. Binge eating and reduced physical activity resulted in a weight at death of approximately four hundred pounds. A very un-stud-like ending for Henry VIII to be sure.
Henry VIII was not considered a benevolent King, or a well-behaved husband–Six wives between 1509-1543, best remembered with a rhyme, “Divorced, Beheaded, Died: Divorced, Beheaded, Survived.” However, his reign did include a number of impressive accomplishments. He founded the Royal College of Medicine, commissioned England’s first gunship, and was the father of one of England’s greatest queens, Elizabeth I. Further, he established the Church of England, which contributed to the Protestant reformation. And yes, I realize his break with the Roman Catholic Church involved a power struggle with Pope Clement VII and Henry’s desire to divorce Catharine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn but if you’re on the Protestant side of the pew, it was a positive shift.
With the current focus on the long-term effects of concussions, it is plausible that Henry’s head injuries had much to do with his bizarre behavior. Without a brain sample it is impossible to confirm this theory, but several recent articles discuss the possibility that the King suffered concussion syndrome or CTE. Arash Salardini, a behavioral neurologist at Yale University, theorizes Henry VIII wasn't born an erratic, cruel monarch -- instead, he thinks Henry's impulsiveness developed thanks to repeated traumatic brain injuries encountered while hunting and jousting.
“It is intriguing to think that modern European history may have changed forever because of a blow to the head,” said Arash Salardini.
Perhaps the next time you hear a reference to King Henry VIII, you will refrain from conjuring the image of an obese, disease ridden, moody monarch, gnawing a turkey leg. But rather you will imagine Dayne “The Rock” Johnson sitting atop an armored clad steed, jousting pole in one hand, and the other hand gesturing to the throng of fair maidens all desiring to be his queen.
History is Better than Fiction MarkAlanGriffis.com
If you would like to read more on this topic:
“Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know: Henry VIII’s Medical History” https://cvhf.org.uk/history-hub/mad-bad-and-dangerous-to-know-henry-viiis-medical-history-2/ History Hub by Robert Hutchinson
“Why a Connecticut Scientist Thinks Brain Injury Caused Henry VIII's Bad Behavior” http://wnpr.org/post/why-connecticut-scientist-thinks-brain-injury-caused-henry-viiis-bad-behavior By PATRICK SKAHILL • FEB 10, 2016
“Did Henry VIII suffer same brain injury as some NFL players?” https://news.yale.edu/2016/02/02/did-henry-viii-suffer-same-brain-injury-some-nfl-players by Bill Hathaway
“Fit to Rule: How Royal Illness Changed History” (BBC special) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0176qcw