What was on king henry viii leg

He had a beard which looks like gold and a complexion as delicate and far as a woman's" Fraser, p. He also stated that it was the "prettiest thing in the world to see the King playing tennis, his fair skin glowing through a shirt of the finest texture". Henry was a passionate sportsman and had what seemed to be a never-ending flow of energy. He loved to be out-and-about and hated being bogged down by council meetings and paper work.

That side of kingship Henry left to his right-hand man Cardinal Wolsey. Henry was passionate about hunting and it is said that he would wear out several horses in a single day of hunting! He also enjoyed a range of sports and pastimes, including tennis, wrestling, archery, masquerades, dancing and music. He was also extremely passionate about tilting and jousting, and was reported to be one of the best jousters in England. Jousting in itself is an extraordinary dangerous sport which required a great deal of physical strength, coordination, and skill.

Henry VIII also knew how to dress to impress. The King adorned himself in fine clothing and jewels appearing every the image of a magnificent King. Over the years, Henry VIII suffered a series of illnesses and injuries which slowly changed him from athletic and robust to the overweight, bloated, tyrannical king that many recall today.

Not even fine clothing and jewels could hide the physical weight and bodily troubles the King was suffering. Below is a list of the major injuries that Henry suffered throughout his life:. Over the years, the ulcers in Henry's legs grew worse. They were kept open and weeping, and were therefore constantly susceptible to infection, which could cause the ulcers to become very, very smelly. In , Henry fell from his horse in a jousting accident and was unconscious for two hours.

It is thought that he was crushed by the weight of his armour and horse, and that this pressure worsened the ulcers in his legs. His bad legs meant that he was increasingly unable to participate in exercise and sports. Towards the end of his life, Henry had to be carried about in a chair as the pain in his legs was simply too great.

He started to binge eat and was often constipated and suffered from terrible mood swings. It is also possible that due to his heavy weight, poor diet and lack of exercise, Henry VIII may have had very poor circulation. His heart would have grown very large and would have had to pump very hard to try to circulate the blood around his body. His liver would have become very fatty and he probably would have had high blood pressure and possibly type two diabetes.

This is a rare endocrine abnormality that causes increased weight to the torso and neck, weakening of the bones, and diabetes. In some rare cases, it can even cause mental issues such as paranoia and even impotence. Whether Henry suffered from this is inconclusive as his remains have not been examined or tested. What is known is that it was a series of unfortunate accidents and the onset of worries and troubles that caused Henry VIII's slow decline in physical health. The varicose ulcers on his legs were one of the main reasons that the King could not participate as actively in hunting and sports as he used to.

It is said in his later years instead of riding in the hunt the King would have deer herded towards him so he could stand and shoot. Even with his weight the King still managed to have fun!

It is sad that for most of his life Henry VIII was a tall, handsome, athletic young man, the most handsome Prince in Europe, yet he is only remembered for the overweight, ill King that he became. She is a researcher, writer and educator who has a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education with Honours and currently works with children with disabilities.

Visiting England in furthered her passion and when she returned home she started a website, queentohistory. Sarah lives in Australia, enjoys reading, writing, Tudor costume enactment and wishes to return to England one day. Contact us today for a consultation or further information about vein problems like spider or varicose veins, vein ulcers, leg swelling and circulatory issues.

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Share This Post. Share on facebook. Share on twitter. Share on email. Friday, 1 April Over 18, Procedures Performed. Learn More. Everybody was so friendly. The miscarried baby was male, and it was immediately after this that Henry told Anne they would clearly never have male children together, and turned against her. Less than six months later Anne had been executed and Henry had married the third of his six wives, Jane Seymour.

But the jousting accident may have affected his whole personality, the experts suggest. What is beyond doubt is that the end of his jousting combined with his leg ulcers to restrict his movement and Henry, who had a large appetite anyway, began to put on weight rapidly.

The programme reconstructs his diet, suggesting he may have eaten up to 13 dishes a day, the majority comprising meat such as lamb, chicken, beef, game, rabbit, and a variety of birds like peacock and swan, and he may have drunk 10 pints of ale a day as well as wine, as water was unsafe. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies.

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. The idea that the king was knocked unconscious for two hours derives entirely from a report by a foreign ambassador who was in a different country when it happened.

None of the eyewitnesses mention anything of the sort. What we do know for certain is that Henry had suffered a nasty injury to his leg. This subsequently turned ulcerous and caused him considerable pain. No longer able to take regular and vigorous exercise, he rapidly gained weight and became increasingly irascible.

Little wonder that, far from improving, the injury would plague Henry for the rest of his life. The fact that the king was in constant, worsening pain from that time forward is enough to account for his increasingly foul temper. It does not prove that he had sustained a brain injury.