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Henry VIII is one of the most famous monarchs in all of English history, known mostly for his six wives, the foundation of the Church of England, and - arguably - his ill health and bad temper. Interestingly, Henry’s sudden shift in temperament and decline in health can be traced back to one specific incident that happened on the 24th January 1536, when the King fell from his horse during a jousting tournament.
But what is jousting? Why was it so dangerous? And what business did the King of England have by participating in such a lethal sport? Most importantly, how could this one accident have such large repercussions for England?
Jousting
Jousting was a popular sport and competition in medieval and renaissance Europe, based on real-life warfare at the time, which usually involved knights, horses, and a long outdoor arena known as a ‘tiltyard’ or list field. These knights, members of the nobility, and sometimes kings, would don their strongest armour (including helmets and shields), mount their horses, and prepare to dash towards each other with lances in hand. With only a small wooden fence, known as a tilt barrier, to separate the two riders, the nature of jousting often meant that things could easily go wrong.
Contrary to popular belief, the aim of jousting wasn’t usually to knock one’s opponent from their horses, as often portrayed in films and television. Instead, competitors would earn points by striking an opponent in a certain place on their shield or armour. However, attempting to do this at speed, atop of a galloping horse, with a very long lance in hand, was no easy feat!
Injuries and fatalities often occurred during jousting tournaments, and whilst knights and riders would try to protect themselves as much as possible, the danger of the sport and its likeness to battle was what made it so appealing for men to show their strength, bravery, and honour.
Henry VIII’s accident
As a young man, Henry was a keen jouster and enjoyed participating in martial activities. If you have been lucky enough to visit one of his palaces - such as Hampton Court or the Tower of London - you will have seen Henry’s vast collection of weaponry and armour, and it is clear that this is something that he enjoyed and felt passionate about.
On 24th January 1536, a jousting tournament was held at Greenwich Palace on Henry’s custom-built tiltyard, where it is said that the King often entertained and held tournaments {1}. Henry was forty-four-years-old at the time that he participated in this event, likely wearing a custom-built suit of armour and keen to show his mettle to those at court. Unfortunately, during the course of this tournament, Henry was thrown from his horse and had a nasty fall. Whilst landing on the hard ground of the arena in heavy plated amour wouldn’t have been very pleasant, shortly after, Henry’s horse also fell on top of him. This must have been a horrifying spectacle for all those watching and many would have feared the worst - that their King had been killed {3}.
According to reports of the time, Henry was unconscious for roughly two hours and it was initially thought that he had been fatally injured {2}.
Fortunately, the King did eventually recover. However, this accident marked the end of his jousting career and was said to have ‘aggravated serious leg problems’ which plagued Henry for the rest of his life {2}, as doctors at the time found this difficult to treat. This accident may also be linked with Henry’s weight gain as, due to his leg, he could not maintain the level of physical activity that he had previously enjoyed {3}.
Some historians also surmise that the head trauma that Henry suffered may have left him with permanent brain damage, which led to his increasingly erratic behaviour {1}.
The Repercussions
After this incident, Henry VIII was never the same. Not only did Henry’s weight increase rapidly, but it is noted that Henry, once sporty and generous, had a marked change in his personality; becoming cruel, vicious and paranoid {2}.
Within four months of his recovery, the King ordered the beheading of his wife, Anne Boleyn, ‘as punishment for possibly spurious charges of infidelity and treason’ {1}. This also marked the rapid ‘turnover’ of Henry’s wives, as he married Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr within a seven-year time period.
It is incredible that this one accident may have been the catalyst to the series of events that followed in England’s history, including the rapid decline of King Henry VIII’s physical and mental health, and the impact that this had on the politics of the time. Whilst Henry did not die at the tiltyard on 24th January 1536, he still died fairly young in 1547 at age fifty-five, apparently due to his ill health and weight gain {3}.
Had the King not experienced his fall while jousting, perhaps he would have stayed married to Anne Boleyn and not become the ‘tyrant’ many view Henry VIII as today. Who knows what the future of England may have looked like!
References:
J, Urbanus. (2021). Just like a King. Archeology.org
McCarthy, M. (2009). The Jousting Accident that turned Henry VIII into a Tyrant.
Henry VIII. (2024). Wikipedia.
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