Coronation of Henry VIII and Catherine facts for kids
16th-century woodcut depicting Henry and Catherine's coronation alongside their respective badges: the Tudor rose and pomegranate of Granada
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| Date | 24 June 1509 |
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| Location | Westminster Abbey, London, England |
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The coronation of Henry VIII and his wife Catherine as King and Queen of England happened at Westminster Abbey in London. This big event took place on June 24, 1509.
Henry became king two months earlier, after his father, King Henry VII, died on April 21. Catherine became his wife and queen on June 11. The ceremony was led by William Warham, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. The King's grandmother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, helped organize everything.
This coronation was a very grand event. People all over the country celebrated with great joy. Everyone had high hopes for the new King's rule. It was such a special event that a full joint coronation like this wouldn't happen again in the British Isles for almost 200 years!
Contents
Why This Coronation Was Important
A New Start After Family Fights
For many years before Henry VIII became king, England had been through a tough time. There were big fights between two powerful families, the Lancaster and York. These fights were called the Wars of the Roses. Both families wanted to control the English throne.
The last king before Henry VII was Richard III. He took the throne after his young nephews, Edward V and his younger brother, mysteriously disappeared.
How Henry VII Became King
Henry Tudor led an army into England. He defeated King Richard III in a battle and became King Henry VII. To make his claim to the throne stronger, he married Princess Elizabeth. She was the sister of the disappeared princes. This marriage helped bring the two fighting families together.
Henry VII and Elizabeth of York had several children. Their oldest son, Arthur, married Catherine of Aragon from Spain in 1501. This marriage was part of an important alliance between England and Spain. Sadly, Prince Arthur died the next year.
Henry VIII and Catherine's Marriage
After Arthur's death, it was decided that Catherine would marry Arthur's younger brother, Prince Henry. There were some concerns because Catherine had been married to Henry's brother. A special permission from the Pope was needed for them to marry.
When Henry became king in 1509, he married Catherine. This made her his queen. Their wedding took place on June 11 at a church in Greenwich Palace.
Getting Ready for the Big Day
Planning the Coronation
The King announced that anyone who wanted to be part of the coronation should gather at Westminster Palace by June 20. A special court was set up to check who could take part.
Two days later, the King asked 26 important people to join him for dinner at the Tower. They were going to become Knights of the Bath on June 23. Among them were friends and important figures, including Sir Thomas Boleyn, who was the father of Anne Boleyn. Anne would later become Henry's second wife.
Henry's Vigil and New Knights
It was a tradition for the king to have a quiet night of prayer before his coronation. Henry followed this custom at the Tower of London on June 22. He and the Queen traveled there by royal barge from Greenwich. Henry made sure his rooms at the Tower were nicely prepared.
For this occasion, Henry wore a fancy doublet (a type of jacket) made of gold cloth and satin. Over it, he wore a purple velvet gown lined with ermine fur. That same afternoon, the King created 24 new Knights of the Bath.
The Coronation Parade
The King's Grand Entrance
Around 4 PM on June 23, the King and Queen took part in a grand parade. They rode from the Tower of London to Westminster. Crowds of people cheered them on. The streets of London were decorated beautifully. Houses and shops had tapestries and even gold cloth hanging from them.
The crowds were so large that fences had to be put up. This kept people from getting too close to the parade.
The newly made Knights of the Bath, wearing blue gowns, led the parade. Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, who was temporarily in charge of the parade, rode ahead of King Henry. He wore a gown covered in beautiful needlework, stones, and rubies.
When the King appeared, riding a horse decorated with gold and ermine, the crowds cheered even louder. A golden canopy was held above him by special officials. Henry wore amazing robes of crimson velvet with ermine. His jacket was covered in sparkling diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and pearls. Around his neck was a collar of large, beautiful rubies.
A writer named Edward Hall described Henry as having a "goodly personage" and "princely countenance." He meant Henry looked very handsome and kingly. Behind Henry rode lords, knights, and other important people.
The Queen's Procession
Queen Catherine's parade followed Henry's. She sat in a special carriage called a litter. It was pulled by two white horses decorated with white and gold cloth. The Queen wore an embroidered white satin dress. She had her hair down and a crown with many rich jewels.
Behind Catherine's litter were carriages carrying her ladies-in-waiting and the wives of the noblemen. They wore colorful silk dresses.
The Coronation Ceremony
The night before the coronation, Henry and Catherine slept in the Painted Chamber at the Palace of Westminster. Above them was a large painting showing Edward the Confessor's coronation from long ago. They had a banquet and then went to a chapel to pray.
The next day, June 24, 1509, the royal couple left the palace around 8 AM. They walked in a procession from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey. Thirty-eight bishops and abbots walked with them. A lot of expensive scarlet and red cloth was used for their coronation robes.
Inside Westminster Abbey
The abbey was packed with people eager to watch the event. Henry's grandmother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, watched proudly. Archbishop William Warham presented King Henry to his people. A loud cheer of Vivat, Vivat Rex (meaning 'Long Live the King!') filled the abbey.
Henry then took his coronation oath before the Bishop of London. He promised to protect the church and its laws. He also promised to defend his bishops and churches throughout his kingdom.
After his oath, Henry stood from the Coronation Chair. He went to the main altar and was anointed with holy oil nine times. This was a special blessing. Then, he was given the gold orb and sceptre. Finally, St Edward's Crown was placed on his head.
Homage to the King
After Henry was crowned, the noblemen of England showed their loyalty to him. The first was the Duke of Buckingham. He knelt before Henry and promised to be loyal "to live and die against all manner of folk." Four earls and 21 barons then followed, making the same promise.
The Queen's Crowning
Next, it was the Queen's turn. After many years, Catherine was finally being crowned Queen of England. She wore a special dress called a kirtle lined with miniver fur. She also had a long cloak of white cloth of gold. The archbishop carefully placed a golden crown on her head. He also placed a golden sceptre with a dove on top in her hand.
The joint coronation ceremony followed the plan from Henry VII's coronation. Some parts were a bit tricky. For example, a six-year-old boy was supposed to lead the Queen's horses, a job usually done by his family. Also, there were no viscounts alive in England in 1509 to carry certain items in Catherine's procession, as the plan suggested.
Celebrations Continue
Outside the Abbey, the excited crowd began tearing off pieces of the scarlet carpet the King had walked on. They wanted souvenirs! When Henry and Catherine left the Abbey, they didn't even notice the carpet was gone. They went to Westminster Hall to enjoy their coronation banquet.
The celebrations continued for many days. England rejoiced at the coronation of their new King and Queen. Catherine wrote to her father, saying, "our time is spent in continuous festival."
