Divorced, Beheaded, Died; Divorced, Beheaded, Survived – this rhyme is recited by British school children to remember the fate of each of Henry VIII’s 6 wives.
The English King is famous for marrying quite a few wives (and executing a couple of them!). At the root of his numerous nuptials was the difficulty he had producing a male heir. A son was a sign of masculinity and ensured the family lineage. Henry shouldn’t have worried though, his daughter, Elizabeth I, became one of England’s most famous monarchs.
If you’d like more details about Henry VIII’s life then this historical infographic by Tina Lewis fills out the gaps in that little rhyme with dates, names, a useful timeline and a hand-painted portrait of the great man himself.
[Click here for full size version]
