King Henry VIII
(1491-1547), Reigned 1509-47Sitter associated with 98 portraits
Henry VIII succeeded his father Henry VII to the throne in 1509. He is well known for his six marriages, and for ordering the dissolution of religious houses which took place between 1535-39. Aided by his ministers, Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, his reign was characterised by ambition abroad and ruthlessness at home, firmly establishing the Tudor family as the ruling dynasty in England. His quest for a male heir and a divorce from his first wife Katherine of Aragon, led to his establishing himself as head of the Church in England in place of the Pope in 1535.
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Explore the Staffordshire Potteries portrait of King Henry VIII (NPG D48089) from all angles | the portrait of King Henry VIII and his Six Wives (NPG D48093) from all angles
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by John Goldar
line engraving, possibly mid to late 18th century
NPG D24933
by George Vertue, after Hans Holbein the Younger
line engraving, 1736
NPG D24930
by George Vertue, after Hans Holbein the Younger
line engraving, 1736
NPG D32703
Henry VIII Presenting a Charter to the Barber Surgeons Company
by Bernard Baron, after Hans Holbein the Younger
line engraving, 1736
NPG D11098
King Henry VIII; King Henry VII; Elizabeth of York; Jane Seymour
by George Vertue, after Remigius van Leemput, after Hans Holbein the Younger
line engraving, 1737
NPG D32813
King Henry VIII; King Henry VII; Elizabeth of York; Jane Seymour
by George Vertue, after Remigius van Leemput, after Hans Holbein the Younger
line engraving, 1737
NPG D42238
King Henry VIII; King Henry VII; Elizabeth of York; Jane Seymour
by George Vertue, after Remigius van Leemput, after Hans Holbein the Younger
line engraving, 1737
NPG D18545
by George Vertue
line engraving, 1745
NPG D24153
The Gold and Silver Coins of King Henry VIII
after Unknown artist
line engraving, 1748
NPG D24145
by Richard Houston, published by Elizabeth Bakewell, published by Henry Parker
mezzotint, circa 1750-1775
NPG D33367
by Simon François Ravenet
line engraving, 1757
NPG D24156
King Henry VIII, formerly Prince Henry
after Unknown artist
line engraving, late 18th century
NPG D23869
by S. Sparrow, after Samuel Wale
etching, late 18th century
NPG D9463
by John Goldar
line engraving, published 1784
NPG D9465
by John Goldar
line engraving, published 1784
NPG D9466
by Charles Sherwin, after Hans Holbein the Younger
line engraving, published 1788
NPG D24158
by Robert Graves
line engraving, early 19th century
NPG D24154
King Henry VIII and William Somer (Sommers)
by James Thomson (Thompson), after Henry Corbould
line and stipple engraving, early 19th century
NPG D24164
after William Hogarth
line engraving, probably early 19th century
NPG D24176
by Henry Bone, after Hans Holbein the Younger
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, early 19th century
NPG D17182
Related People
- Anne Boleyn (wife)
- Anne of Cleves (wife)
- Arthur, Prince of Wales (brother)
- Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby (grandmother)
- Catherine Howard (wife)
- King Edward VI (son)
- Queen Elizabeth I (daughter)
- Elizabeth of York (mother)
- King Henry VII (father)
- Jane Seymour (wife)
- Katherine of Aragon (wife)
- Katherine Parr (wife)
- Margaret Tudor (sister)
- Queen Mary I (daughter)
- Mary Tudor (sister)
- Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset (son)
Links
- Apethorpe Palace, Northamptonshire
- Calshot Castle, Hampshire
- Camber Castle, East Sussex
- Christ Church, Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Deal Castle, Kent
- Hampton Court Palace, East Moseley, Surrey
- Hever Castle, Edenbridge, Kent
- Hurst Castle, Hampshire
- King Henry VIII in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- Pendennis Castle, Cornwall
- Portland Castle, Dorset
- St Catherine's Castle, Cornwall
- St James' Palace, London
- St Mawes Castle, Cornwall
- Tilbury Fort, Essex
- Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire
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Related pages
- Making History: Printed Portraiture in Tudor and Stuart Britain
- Henry VIII Remembered
- Picturing History: A portrait set of early English kings and queens
- Henry VIII and versions of the non-Holbein portraits
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Art Conservation Project
- Tudor pick up guides
- Director's Trail by Nicholas Cullinan
- Kings and Queens: A Family tree
- NPG D48089 in 360°
- NPG D48093 in 360°
- Tudor and Elizabethan matching pairs
- Loans to the National Gallery
- Changing Impressions: The conservation process