Good morning, today we are concluding the Secrets of the Six Wives series.  In the previous episode, Henry VIII had executed one wife and buried the third wife.  Today, we are going to finish up the series with the final three wives: Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr.  Catherine of Aragon failed to give him a son and he deserted her after twenty-four years of marriage to Anne Boleyn.  Anne failed to adjust to life as Henry VIII’s wife and so was dispatched.  Jane Seymour succeeded where Catherine and Anne failed by giving Henry VIII a son but she died twelve days later.  Henry VIII is in mourning after the death of Jane Seymour.  Jane Seymour was the perfect wife because she gave him a son.  The run time for this documentary is 55:29.

This concluding episode starts with Henry VIII playing one of his tricks.  Only this time the king is forty-eight years old and the trick he is playing on is a woman he has never met.  This woman would be destined to be his fourth queen: Anne of Cleves.  What would happen as a result of this trick would force Anne of Cleves to go down in history as Henry VIII’s ugly wife.  So why was Henry pushed into this marriage?

Henry VIII was pushed into marriage this time around.  His advisors wanted to have more allies around England.  So, they went far and wide for a suitable marriage candidate.  However, Henry’s reputation on the continent was not that good and potential brides turned him down.  One candidate said that “if she had two heads, she would be happy to marry Henry.”  It took two years for Henry to find wife number four.  A noblewoman named Anne of Cleves would be settled on and although English history would remember her as Henry’s ugly wife, Anne was a clever woman who survived Henry VIII.

As Anne made her way to England, she took the time to learn about Henry.  She wanted to get up to speed with court etiquette.  However, the courtiers failed to teach her about Henry’s tricks.  So when he burst in on her dressed as a knave, she reacted very badly.  This turned Henry off from marrying her, however as excuses not to marry vanished, he had to surrender to the yoke of marriage.  He would call her ugly, despite what contemporaries had to say of Anne. 

This would be one of the shortest of Henry’s marriages as he turned his wandering eye to a young noblewoman named Catherine Howard.  Catherine was a new arrival at court and the King was smitten with her.  Just six months after she arrived, Anne was sent to live at Richmond Palace.  Anne of Cleves held out for a settlement when the marriage ended: she would be known as the King’s Sister and was given two palaces and an entourage of servants.  Anne would become one of the richest women in England and would outlive Henry VIII and his other wives.  She was a canny woman, who was a survivor.

However, Henry’s fifth queen was not all as she seemed.  She was a young woman with a past.  Henry was unaware of the past and believed her to be the perfect queen.  She had a secret lover while married to the King.  So why did she continue with the affair?  Was she a willing participant or was she a victim?  When she met her lover one week, the court noticed and gossip started swirling.  A letter was left for the King to find in the Royal Chapel.  This letter highlighted some scandalous details about Catherine’s past.  What would Henry do about this letter?  What about Catherine Parr?  How would she survive King Henry VIII?  Tune into the rest of this episode to find out more.

After finishing this series would this be a docudrama I would in the classroom?  Yes, it would be something I would show in the classroom.  The reenactments are excellent and Lucy provides excellent narration both in modern and period clothing.  The period clothing is excellently done as well.  If you do not have time to show this in the classroom setting, then you can mine the series, especially the reenactments for clips to show as part of a lecture.

The downside of Lucy’s series is that it does not go to four episodes as David Starkey’s did.  He covered Catherine of Aragon in the first episode, Anne Boleyn in the second episode, Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves in the third episode, and concluded with Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr.  It would have been nice to see the last four wives split up in this way.

Tracy Borman traces the fall of Anne Boleyn over the course of three days.  She begins with Anne's arrest and the events that lead up to arrest and questioning.  She looks at original Tudor documents and walks in Anne's footsteps.

May 19th is the day when a bouquet of roses is left on the grave on Anne Boleyn.  This memento is left in honor of Anne Boleyn.  It took 7 days for the fall of Anne Boleyn.  It was the first time in history that an English Queen was arrested and executed.

May 2, 1546 - A plan is being hatched in Whitehall.  Henry VIII sent a message to the Palace of Placentia, where Anne Boleyn was residing.  Anne Boleyn was watching tennis...alone.  The day before she had been watching a joust when Henry VIII suddenly left the joust, leaving the people confused.  He had received some shocking news.  So it would have been unusual for Anne to watch tennis alone.  Anne soon received the message from the king: She was to report to the Privy Council.

Anne Boleyn reported to the Privy Council.  It suddenly becomes clear that Henry VIII is trying to get rid of her.  When she arrives to the Privy Council and was greeted by her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, the constable of the Tower, among others.  They read out the charges: adultery with two men of the court.  Anne had the presence of mind to immediately protest her innocence. 

Anne returns to her apartments under guard.  She tries to follow her normal routine, but nothing is no longer normal.  Her people are acting strangely.  The kings waiter no longer appears before her.  She wonders what happens next and what brought the charges.

Her downfall began three months before this date, when Anne was expecting a child.  Anne had a metal planned for when her son would be born.  The prototype of the medal still survives.  Anne miscarried the baby and it seemed it was a baby boy.  It was a blow to both Henry and Anne.  This caused Henry to turn against Anne and look for someone younger to give him a boy.

To continue to learn more, continue to watch the documentary.

I would use this documentary for research into Tudors and would show clips from it to a class as part of a lecture.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.  All questions should fit onto one page after formatting.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.

The Fall of Anne Boleyn Episode 1 Questions:

1. Where was Anne Boleyn in residence?
2. What sport was she watching?
3. Where was Anne educated?
4. What happened at the May Day Joust?
5. What did Anne have to do?
6. Who was Anne’s uncle?
7. What did Anne claim about the Privy Council?
8. Who was Anne accused of adultery with?
9. What was the first thing she did when she found out about the charges?
10. Who doesn’t appear at Anne’s dinner?

The Fall of Anne Boleyn Episode 1 Answers:

1. Where was Anne Boleyn in residence? - Palace of Placentia
2. What sport was she watching? -Tennis
3. Where was Anne educated? - France
4. What happened at the May Day Joust? - Henry VIII left suddenly, leaving Anne alone
5. What did Anne have to do? - Present herself before the Privy Council
6. Who was Anne’s uncle? - Duke of Norfolk
7. What did Anne claim about the Privy Council? - That she was Treated Cruelly
8. Who was Anne accused of adultery with? - Henry Norris, Mark Smeaton, Unnamed man
9. What was the first thing she did when she found out about the charges?- Protest her innocence
10. Who doesn’t appear at Anne’s dinner? - King’s Waiter

Episode 3 - Monarch to Monster

The series concludes with a look at the medical history of Henry VIII and how it may or may not have impacted his mental state.  Rebellions take place in the north due to changes in religion and Henry VIII does not react well to that.  Henry VIII soon becomes the large man history knows him as.  His advisor Thomas Cromwell has to start looking over his shoulder as an arranged marriage does not bring Henry VIII joy or a spare heir. 

The medical side of things with Henry VIII, is very interesting and could be a three part documentary too, this particular episode tackles the ulcer on his leg as well as the possibility that he suffered from diabetes.  Diabetes could account for the madness.  It also discusses what was used to move Henry around the palace.  There is another documentary that tried to tackle the medical issues, and this is a documentary that Lucy Worsley took part in.  This is a bonus documentary that you can check out and the link is here.

If you need some research into Henry VIII for a class lecture, I recommend you use this documentary just for the fact it offers another perspective on Henry VIII, more so than the typical "Henry VIII was a madman."

I created several questions to go with this documentary.  Just copy and paste them into a word document to distribute in the classroom just in case you decide to use this series in the classroom.  Since there's a lot available out there on Henry VIII, I want the student to have a chance to reflect on what they learned about Henry VIII.  You can format anyway you want. 

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

Link to the YouTube video is here.

Questions

1. Who advised Henry VIII to keep his leg wound open?
2. What were things the court used to move Henry VIII around the palace?
3. What could be a factor in Henry VIII’s paranoia?
4. What was the rebellion in the north called?
5. Who’s luck was changing in the Court of Henry VIII?
6. List three new things you learned about Henry VIII

Answers

1. Who advised Henry VIII to keep his leg wound open? - Doctors
2. What were things the court used to move Henry VIII around the palace? - Primitive lift, wheelchair, whistle
3. What could be a factor in Henry VIII’s paranoia? - Diabetes
4. What was the rebellion in the north called? - Pilgrimage of Grace
5. Who’s luck was changing in the Court of Henry VIII? - Thomas Cromwell
6. List three new things you learned about Henry VIII

Episode 2 - Bloodlust and Boleyn's

Henry VIII meets Anne Boleyn and falls head over heals in love with Anne Boleyn, a new arrival from France to the English court.  She is not a classical English beauty, but is intelligent and witty.  Henry VIII is charmed by her.  She is determined to keep Henry at arm's length, was this a ploy to become queen or was it simply a matter of not having a choice? Their love story causes much upheaval for England as Henry VIII decides to divorce Catherine to marry Anne in order to get a son.  A son is the only person who can succeed to the English throne.  England's religious are thrown into turmoil as Henry VIII breaks with the Catholic Church.  Now, courtiers who thought themselves friends of the King must constantly look over their shoulders. The historians exploring Henry VIII as a Monarch go to an interesting source to learn about the relationship between Anne and Henry.

Things with Anne do not go according to plan as she only produces a daughter.  This time the solution Henry VIII comes up with entails getting rid of an unwanted wife...permanently.  Henry VIII starts his slide into madness and will become the Monster history makes him out to be.

If you need some research into Henry VIII for a class lecture, I recommend you use this documentary just for the fact it offers another perspective on Henry VIII, more so than the typical "Henry VIII was a madman."

I created several questions to go with this documentary.  Just copy and paste them into a word document to distribute in the classroom just in case you decide to use this series in the classroom.  Since there's a lot available out there on Henry VIII, I want the student to have a chance to reflect on what they learned about Henry VIII.  You can format anyway you want. 

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

Link to the YouTube video is here.

Questions

1. Who did Henry VIII want to marry?
2. Where are the letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn kept?
3. Who was Henry VIII’s secret weapon in spreading the new religion?
4. Who many monasteries were closed under Henry VIII?
5. Who Henry VIII’s former friend that was executed?
6. List three new things you learned about Henry VIII

Answers

1. Who did Henry VIII want to marry? - Anne Boleyn
2. Where are the letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn kept? - Vatican
3. Who was Henry VIII’s secret weapon in spreading the new religion? - Thomas Cromwell
4. Who many monasteries were closed under Henry VIII? - 563 Monasteries
5. Who Henry VIII’s former friend that was executed? - Thomas More

     6. List three new things you learned about Henry VIII