On This Day
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English King Henry VIII (49) weds Catherine Howard (16 or 17), his 5th wife

Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547.

Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. After the pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Henry passed legislation that severed England and Ireland from the Roman Catholic Church and established the monarch as Supreme Head of the Church of England, initiating the English Reformation. He subsequently married five more times; two marriages were annulled and two wives were executed.

Henry was born in Greenwich as the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. His elder brother, Arthur, Prince of Wales, was heir apparent until his death in 1502, after which Henry succeeded him. Originally intended for an ecclesiastical career, he instead received an education suited to kingship.

Historical Significance

Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547.

Key People

Henry VIII

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Events Before

  1. Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition of 10 ships and 700 men lands in Florida

    Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition of 10 ships and 700 men lands in Florida

  2. English King Henry VIII marries Anne of Cleves, his 4th wife

    Anne of Cleves (German: Anna von Kleve; 28 June or 22 September 1515 – 16 July 1557) was Queen of England from 6 January to 12 July 1540 as the fourth wife of Henry VIII.

  3. Emperor Charles receives Cardinal Pole in Toledo

    Emperor Charles receives Cardinal Pole in Toledo

  4. Jews of Tyrnau, Hungary (Trnava, Czechia) are expelled

    Jews of Tyrnau, Hungary (Trnava, Czechia) are expelled

  5. Charles, protestant German monarch, signs Treaty of Frankrfurt

    Charles, protestant German monarch, signs Treaty of Frankrfurt

Events After

  1. William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg marries Jeanne d'Albret, daughter of King Henry II of Navarre - against her will, s

    William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg marries Jeanne d'Albret, daughter of King Henry II of Navarre - against her will, she has to be carried to the altar (marriage annulled 1545)

  2. Michelangelo finishes painting "The Last Judgment" on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City [1]

    The Last Judgment (Italian: Il Giudizio Universale) is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance painter Michelangelo covering the whole altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.

  3. Santiago, Chile, founded (or Feb 24)

    Santiago, also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas.

  4. Santiago, Chile founded by Pedro de Valvidia (or 2/12)

    Pedro Gutiérrez de Valdivia or Valdiva was a Spanish conquistador and the first Governor of Colonial Chile.

  5. Ignatius of Loyola becomes the first Superior General of the Jesuits

    Ignatius of Loyola ( ig-NAY-shəs; Basque: Ignazio Loiolakoa; Spanish: Ignacio de Loyola; Latin: Ignatius de Loyola; born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; c. 23 October 1491 – 31 July 1556), venerated as...

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Ivan the Terrible, aged 17, crowns himself the first Tsar of Russia

Ivan IV Vasilyevich, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was Grand Prince of Moscow and all Russia from 1533 to 1547, and the first Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia from 1547 until his death in…

Russian Tsar Ivan IV [Ivan the Terrible] (17) marries Anastasia Romanova (17)

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Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's expedition sets off from Mexico in search of the Seven Cities of Gold (Cibola)

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who led a large expedition from what is now Mexico to present-day Kansas through what is now parts of the southwestern United...

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 28, 1540?
Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. After the pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Henry passed legislation that severed England and Ireland from the Roman Catholic Church and established the monarch as Supreme Head of the Church of England, initiating the English Reformation. He subsequently married five more times; two marriages were annulled and two wives were executed.
Why is English King Henry VIII (49) weds Catherine Howard (16 or 17), his 5th wife significant?
Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547.
Who was involved in English King Henry VIII (49) weds Catherine Howard (16 or 17), his 5th wife?
Key figures include Henry VIII.

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July 28 in HistoryYear 1540