| Abstract | Henrik VIII. (Greenwichu, 28. lipnja 1491. – London, 28. siječnja 1547.), bio je kralj Engleske i gospodar Irske. Potječe iz dinastije Tudorovih. Rođen je u Palači Placentia pored Greenwicha kao treće dijete Henrika VII. i Elizabete od Yorka. Još kao sasvim malo dijete dobio je titulu vojvoda od Yorka. Njegov stariji brat, princ Artur, bio je službeni nasljednik engleske krune i on je, slijedom sporazuma Henrika VII. i Kraljevine Španjolske oženio šesnaestogodišnju Katarinu Aragonsku 1501. godine. 1502. godine, Artur se razbolio i ubrzo umro. Četrnaest mjeseci kasnije Henrik VII. je, tada trinestogodišnjeg Henrika, koji je i službeno postao nasljednik krune, uz papinu dozvolu, zaručio za tada osamnaestogodišnju bratovu udovicu Katarinu Aragonsku. U travnju 1509. Henrik VII. je umro, a Henrik je naslijedio englesku krunu. Svojim prvim potezima Henrik je kao novi vladar htio ukazati da će se njegova vladavina razlikovati od vladavine njegova oca. Prvo je uklonio vodeće ličnosti iz vlasti Henrika VII. A nakon toga je na vanjskom planu počeo voditi drugačiju politiku od miroljubive politike svoga oca. Henrik je sebe smatrao ratničkim kraljem. U svojim mlađim godinama veći dio energije posvetio je nadmetanju s drugim državama tog razdoblja, upadljivom razmetanju i razvoju dinastičkog ponosa, a manje nacionalnim interesima. Ušao je u savez sa pojedinim europskim državama protiv Francuske, protiv koje je i zaratio. Osobno je vodio pohode protiv Francuske pobijedivši u bitci kod Spursa 1513., ali je rat na kraju završen mirovnim sporazumom 1514. godine. U cjelini gledavši, vanjskopolitički je Englesku uključio u tadašnje europske političke tijekove i zbivanja kao važan i neprijelazan, iako ne presudan, faktor. U povodu pojave reformacije na kontinentu Henrik je svoju politiku okrenuo ka papi tako što je je 1521. proglasio Zakon o sedam sakramenata, kojim se pobijaju reformatorske ideje i teze Martina Luthera, te brane temelji katoličkog učenja, a zbog kojeg je od pape Lava X. dobio titulu "Branitelj vjere" (Defensor fidei). Henrik je imao šest žena od kojih je tri pogubio. Kada je shvatio da Katarina više neće moći imati djece, prevladala je njegova želja da dobije sina, a jedini put da ga zakonito dobije sa Anom Boleyn bio je da se rastavi od Katarine. Stoga je pokušao uvjeriti papu Klementa VII. da mu poništi brak sa Katarinom. Kad je on odbio poništiti brak Henrik je donio Zakon o vrhovništvu (Act of Supremacy, 1534.), prema kojem se na čelu države i crkve, nazvane anglikanskom, nalazi kralj. Nakon raskola s Rimom i osamostaljenja Anglikanske crkve raspustio je sve samostane i konfiscirao njihovu imovinu. Ana Boleyn je sa Henrikom nekoliko puta ostala trudna, ali je Henriku rodila kćer Elizabetu, umjesto toliko željenog sina. Stoga je ubrzo dospjela u Henrikovu nemilost, jer je ovaj svu svoju pažnju počeo posvećivati Jane Seymour, a kako je sa njom želio dobiti zakonitog sina morao se razvesti od Ane Boleyn. Stoga je ista 1536. godine bila optužena za vještičarenje, preljub i incest sa bratom, te je osuđena i pogubljena odrubljivanjem glave iste godine. Dan nakon pogubljenja Ane Boleyn 1536. godine, Henrik se oženio sa Jane Seymour, koja mu je slijedeće 1537. godine rodila sina Edwarda, te umrla dvanaest dana po njegovu rođenju. Henrik je njenom smrću bio duboko pogođen jer je Jane smatrao svojom "jedinom istinskom ženom" koja mu je dala očajnički željenog sina i nasljednika. 1540. godine Henrik se ponovno oženio, i to sestrom svog saveznika u sukobu sa papom, vojvode od Clevesa, Anom od Clevesa. Premda je smatrao da je Ana neatraktivna, oženio ju je iz pragmatičnih političkih razloga, no nikada s njom nije uspostavio bilo kakav bračni odnos pa je brak poništen iz razloga što nije niti konzumiran a Ana od Clevesa je dobila titulu Kraljeve sestre. Grof od Essexa koji je dogovarao ovaj brak osuđen je i pogubljen odrubljivanjem glave. Dana 28. srpnja 1540 Henrik se oženio sa Katarinom Howard, rođakinjom Ane Boleyn. Henrik je u početku bio oduševljen njome zbog njene mladosti (imala je tek šesnaest godina). No Katarina je ubrzo Henrika prevarila s jednim dvorjaninom, pa je brak poništen, a Katarina je pogubljena u veljači 1542. godine u dobi od osamnaest godina. Zadnja Henrikova žena bila je Katarina Parr, bogata protestantica koju je Henrik oženio 1543. godine i koja je zaslužna za pomirenje Henrika sa svojim kćerima, Marijom. i Elizabetom, koje su ranije, poništavanjem brakova njihovih majki s Henrikom, bile isključene iz nasljeđivanja i koje su slijedom toga opet postale moguće nasljednice engleske krune. Henrik VIII je umro 1547. godine u 55. godini života. |
| Abstract (english) | Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was the first English King of Ireland. Henry was the second monarch of the Tudor dynasty, succeeding his father, Henry VII. He is third child of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. His older brother, Arthur was offical successor to throne and he married Catherine of Aragon in 1501. In year 1502 Arthur got sick and died. Fourtheen months later Henry VIII., who was now officaly successor to throne, got engage to his brothers widow Catherine of Aragon. In april 1509 Henry VII died, and Henry VIII inherited the crown. In his first acts Henry as a new ruler wished to show that his reign will be different from his father's reign. First he removed the leading mens of his father's reign. Then he started to take different foreign policy then his father. Henry considered himself a warrior king. In his younger years, most of his energy was devoted to compete with other countries in that period, developing dynastic pride rather than national interests. He entered into an alliance with some European countries against France, against whom he started war. He personally led raids against France, winning the Battle of the Spurs in 1513, but the war eventually ended with the peace agreement in 1514. Looking at the whole picture, he included England into the European political developments and events as important, although not a crucial factor. When Reformation appear on the continent Henry turned his policy pope and he declared Defence of the Seven Sacraments and that earned him the title of Fidei Defensor (Defender of the Faith) from Pope Leo X. Henry had six wives of which he killed three. When he learned that Catherine will no longer be able to have childrens, the only way to legally get a son with Anne Boleyn was to divorce Catherine. So he tried to persuade Pope Clement VII. to annul his marriage with Catherine. When he refused to annul the marriage Henry declared the Act of Supremacy in 1534, according to which the head of state and church, called the Anglican, is king. After the schism with Rome and the independence of the Church of England Henry dissolved the monasteries and confiscated all their property. Anne Boleyn with Henry several times became pregnant, but she only gave birth to daughter Elizabeth, instead of so much desired son. So he soon had to divorce from Anne Boleyn. In 1536 she was accused of witchcraft, adultery and incest with her brother, and was convicted and executed by beheading in the same year. The day after the execution of Anne Boleyn in Henry married Jane Seymour, and she gave birth to a son Edward in 1537, and died twelve days after his birth. Henry with her death was deeply hurt because he considered Jane his "only true wife" who gave him desperately wanted a son and heir. In 1540 Henry married again, and this time with sister of his ally in the conflict with the Pope, the Duke of Cleves, Anne of Cleves. Although he believed that Ana is unattractive, he married her for pragmatic political reasons, but he never established any marital relationship, so marriage was annulled on the grounds that he never consumed marriage with Anne of Cleves and she was given the title of Royal sisters. The Earl of Essex who negotiated this marriage was convicted and executed by beheading. On July 28, 1540 Henry married Catherine Howard, Anne Boleyn cousin. Henrik was initially thrilled with her because of her young age (she was only sixteen). But Catherine soon cheated Henry with one courtier, and the marriage was annulled, Catherine was executed in February 1542 at the age of eighteen. Last Henrik's wife was Catherine Parr, rich protestant which Henry married in 1543 and who is responsible for the reconciliation of Henry with his daughters, Mary. and Elizabeth, who were previously excluded from the succession and that they subsequently again became possible heir to the English throne. Henry VIII died in 1547 at the age of 55. |
