ABBA and Henry VIII

Are you bored with history? You shouldn’t. Here’s how to have some fun with it!

Henry, Henry, Henry,

Had so many

Wives that had to die.

Henry, Henry, Henry,

Had so many,

Only one survived.

Six wives in all,

Oh, the things they could do,

If they hadn’t married Henry

That was their downfall.

The first was Catherine by name,

She was from Aragon in Spain,

Oh, poor Kate!

He married Arthur, Henry’s bro

And when he died, loved Henry so

But had to wait.

He took her as her lawful wife

But that caused her a lot of strife,

She couldn’t have a son, you see,

Their only child was Mary!

Henry, Henry, Henry……..

 

Most infamous was Anne Boleyn

But from the start she couldn’t win

Well, of course!

She was attractive to the king

But wouldn’t love unless a queen

So a divorce!

She promised Henry a male heir

But had Elizabeth with red hair

’I have a little neck’ – she said

Right before they chopped her head.

Henry, Henry, Henry…..

 

Jane Seymour was the next to wed

Betrothed the day Anne lost her head

Noone did mourn!

She loved the king and tried with might

And soon much to the king’s delight

A son was born!

Prince Edward was a true blessing,

Long awaited by the king

But soon afterwards Jane would die

And poor Henry was left to cry…

Henry, Henry, Henry….

 

Anna of Cleves was from Germany

Would be the next wife for Henry

She would not last!

A Lutheran princess though she be

He didn’t like her face, you see.

Annulment fast!

He nicknamed her the ’Flanders Mare’

Divorced her without a care

She stayed in England and became

’The King’s Belov’d Sister’ in name.

Henry, Henry, Henry….

 

Henry would be wed again

To a cousin of Anne Boleyn

Kathryn Howard!

’A rose without a thorn’ – said he

But her affair forced her to be

Sent to the Tower!

Culpeper was her cousin dear

And her love, it so appeared

This was high treason and so Kate

Upon the block did meet her fate.

Henry, Henry, Henry….

 

And now we sing of Katherine Parr

The most kindly of wives by far

Number six!

Cared for Elizabeth and Ed

And old Henry’s ulcered leg

He was sick!

After the king had passed away

She got remarried right away

Buti n a year she left this earth

Had some trouble giving birth.

Henry, Henry, Henry…

 

Two Annes

Three Kates

And one precious Jane

But they had to marry Henry

And it sealed their fate!

Now that you’ve listened to the song you probably can answer all the questions below.

1. How many wives did Henry VIII?

2. How many of them survived?

3. Who was the first wife and who was her child?

4. Who was the mother of Elizabeth?

5. Who gave a male heir to the king?

6. Whose nickname was the ’Flanders Mare’?

7. Who had an affair and was sent to the Tower?

8. Who was wife number six?

9. How many Annes did Henry marry?

10. And how many Kates?

Key:

1. Six

2. One

3. Catherine of Aragon, Mary

4. Anne Boleyn

5. Jane Seymour

6. Anna of Cleves

7. Kathryn Howard

8. Katherine Parr

9. Two

10. Three