HENRY VIII of ENGLAND 1491 - 1547

Source:    https://www.google.com/search?q=Henry+VIII&sa=X&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgFuLQz9U3SC5KS1ICs4wLzM21-AJSi4rz84IzU1LLEyuLAYdAASMmAAAA&biw=1255&bih=861&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=A0-o6Pr1NkVmFM%253A%252Cs_hW1TA3Ylu2QM%252C_&usg=__JP9MTB_2uGZiSutOkK3_PEHNVug%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjOlMKuu9PbAhUTiIMKHXbrBWgQ_h0IjgIwFA#imgrc=k32NGlAmw5yM3M:&spf=1528989960252

 
Despite all the historical information that there is for this well known English king, he is probably best known for having 6 wives - 2 of which he had beheaded, 2 died of natural causes, 1 died due to complications of childbirth, and the final one Katherine Parr (already twice widowed) outlived him only to die of complications of childbirth for husband number 4.

What is not well known is that Henry VII had quilts - lots of them in fact.

King Henry VIII of England gave his new queen, Catharine Howard, 23 silk quilts as presents for their wedding in July 1541(DeKoning-Stapel, 1999; Fraser, 1992; and Hake, 1937).   I have to wonder what happened to these quilts after Henry had Catherine executed for adultery in February 1542.

Source: Hanson, Marilee. "Catherine Howard: Facts, Biography, Portraits & Information" https://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/catherine-howard/">https://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/catherine-howard/, January 31, 2015

Late in his life, Henry would have to address the issue of his increased girth and loss of mobility.  He came up with “two invalid chairs called trams […] one was covered in quilted tawny velvet” (Weir, 2001).

Henry VIII died in 1547, and an inventory of all his possessions done at this time listed 110 quilts, including one that was described  as being green silk with fluers-de-lis, roses, and pomegranates quilting designs. The designs are thought to symbolize the ties with France and Spain that the Tudor royalty had.  From the description, this quilt is also thought to be part of the dowry of Catharine of Aragon when she came from Spain to marry Arthur, Henry’s older brother, in 1501 (Netherton, R. & Owen-Crocker, G, 2008).

Sources:

DeKoning-Stapel, H. V. (1999).  Silk Quilts from the Silk Road to the Quilter’s Studio. Chicago: Quilt Digest Press. 

Fraser, A. (1992).  The Wives of Henry VIII. New York: Alfred and Knopf.

Hake, E. (1937).  English Quilting Old and New.  New York: Charles Scribner Sons.

Netherton, R. and Owen-Crocker, G. (2008).  Medieval Clothing and Textiles 4.  Rochester, NY: Boydell and Brewer.  

Weir, A. (2001). Henry VIII: The King and His Court. New York:  Ballantine Books.