July 9, 1540: Henry VIII annuls fourth marriage

On this day in 1540, Henry VIII annulled his marriage to Anne of Cleves – his second annulment in four marriages.

Henry VIII had to annul his marriages because they were consecrated under canon law, which did not permit divorces. Henry renounced papal authority when he had his first marriage annulled, leading to the Church of England.

As you likely know, he had six wives:

1. Catherine of Aragon (1509-1533, annulled; mother of Mary I)
2. Anne Boleyn (1533-1536, executed; mother of Elizabeth I)
3. Jane Seymour (1536-1537, died from complications during the birth of Edward VI)
4. Anne of Cleves (1540, annulled)
5. Catherine Howard (1540-1541, executed)
6. Catherine Parr (1543-1547, widowed)

How to remember this: The first five wives’ names started with CAJAC, but Henry ruined the palindrome by adding another C. With the exception of the lone Jane, the last or identifying names ascend alphabetically (Aragon-Boleyn-Cleves-Howard-Parr).

You can remember their fates as follows:
divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived

Technically, the two executed wives also had their marriages annulled. And Anne of Cleves also “survived” her ex-husband; in fact, she also outlived Parr, and was the only wife alive when Mary I took the throne in 1553.

Image: Anne of Cleves as drawn by Wenceslas Hollar, 1648