Henry VIII's sporting injuries

Short video on Henry VIII's early sporting injuries. This does not examine the well known January 1536 jousting accident, although does touch upon the accident of 1524.


Henry VIII was athletic in his youth and even later in life insisted upon riding and hunting. By the spring of 1546 when he was obese and suffering from several health problems, he still continued to ride. By this point though a form of sedan chair had been constructed to carry Henry around his palaces.


Owing to his early active lifestyle, Henry gained several sporting injuries. He suffered from a bad leg since the 1520s which may have been caused by the jousting accident of 1524. In 1528 whilst at Canterbury, he suffered from an ulcer that caused him great pain. A local surgeon was called upon to cure the king and his services proved so valuable that Henry gave him a position on the royal household. Despite this temporary cure, he would still continue to suffer from leg ulcers. In 1538 Henry became seriously ill after his leg ulcer closed up, and the pain was so extreme that he could not speak. A contemporary also noted that he went 'black in the face' and many feared he would die.


In 1527 Henry hurt his left foot whilst playing tennis and consequently for a short time he took to wearing a black velvet slipper. Although, as Dr Lucy Worsley states in the video, male courtiers also wore a slipper in compassion for the king's condition, there is another reason for this trend. In 1527 negotiations opened for a marriage between Princess Mary and either François I of France or his son, Henri, duke of Orleans. In celebration of a proposed French marriage for Mary, the French ambassador was entertained at court with festivities that Henry took part in. In one such event, the king and four male courtiers wore masks and planned to reveal their identities after a dance. In order to keep the identities a secret the male courtiers obviously had to adopt the king's footwear.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Henry
• VIII
• sports
• sporting
• injuries
• jousting
• tennis
• accidents
• varicose
• ulcer
• leg
• problems
• health
• Tudor
• medicine
• sixteenth
• century
• doctors
• Robert
• Hutchinson
• Dr
• Lucy
• Worsley
• Catherine
• Hood
• treatments

[mysticmagic4760]

5* Love your videos! Look forward to them!

[littlemisssunnydale]

Thank you! :)

[WolfDragon94]

This is very interesting, I know that Henry VIII loves medicine but never knew he made his own remedies.

But this proves that he is not the best doctor.

[1q6z]

such interesting stuff thank you :)

[animesis]

@JazzHoney83

Though he does have the features of a "beautiful man" in all his paintings, perhaps not quite today, but tastes change, however a few hundred years back members of the Aristorcracy were a guide for beauty. Judging from his 6f1 build Id say the sports anecdotes are quite likely. -Long Bow(strength) Wresting(size+strength) and joust(weight+strength).

[kinghenry1314]

Ya'll know that he is probably thinking that he did something wrong and he probably wishes that he didn't do it. I don't judge people because WE are not PERFECT! Seriously think about it.

[Talithapraiz]

Interesting

[JazzHoney83]

I'm sure for anyone that would have documented that he was a ugly or perhaps fat man they would have be beheaded -- that also goes for quote, "In archery, in wresting, in joust, Henry was a match for the best in his kingdom. None could drawn the bow" --remember, everyone feared him.

[Tonganpride1000]

@Jamestopboy Oh really, who established your church? Some king who killed 2 of his wives, and had 4 others?? The king who killed people for his religious beliefs. The only reason he "made" the Church of England, is because he got 'tired' of his first wife, Catherine of Aragon (Catalina), because the Pope did not believe it was right, and neither do I. Jesus Christ HIMSELF started the Catholic Church, so please do not misunderstand. Have a good day. :)

[Tonganpride1000]

@franciszek8D I agree with you 100%!!! :)

P.s. I'm Roman Catholic.

[franciszek8D]

The Esthergirl

You are right. Some popes were evil but this king was a Real monster. He divided the catholic Church in England, killed many many innocent people because forgeting that Christ established only one, undivided Church. What absurdity! Because Of his second wife so many people got killed And after three years he declared his marriage with Ann Boylen invalid.

[TheEsthergirl]

@franciszek8D Well if you think Henry V111 was bad you should check out some of the popes. They were worse.

[Gootch82]

All of these injuries explain his loss of the wrestling match w/ King Francis and arm wrestling match w/ his buddy. Injuries are impediments to athletic performance.

[lestypuss]

Ugh.............. please. Enough religion. This snippet is terrifically interesting and, as per usual, religious debate destroys the historic and scientific relevance behind it. The cruelty in medieval times, was fed completely by misled religious debate and ridiculous beliefs. You'd think we'd have some 20/20 vision in hindsight, but we still continue with this ridiculousness.

I was bought up a Catholic and I'm here to tell you - you may as well believe in fairies at the bottom of the garden.