10 Health Struggles that Affected the Tudor Royal Family

After Henry VII triumphed over Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, the Tudor dynasty rose to power. For the next 118 years, they reigned supreme in England, turning the country into one of Europe’s most influential nations. However, even this powerful family was not shielded from the widespread illnesses of the 16th century. Here are 20 of the most significant health crises that struck the Tudor family—some of which even altered the course of history.

1. The English Sweating Sickness // Arthur, Prince of Wales

Henry VII became a father shortly after taking the throne. His wife, Elizabeth of York, gave birth to a son whom they named Arthur, both in honor of the king’s Welsh roots and as a symbol of a new era of prosperity. In 1491, they had a second son, Henry.

As the heir to the throne, Arthur’s marriage was of great importance. In 1502, he married Katherine, the daughter of the King of Aragon. There were high hopes for a swift pregnancy, but within five months of their wedding, both fell ill, likely due to the English sweating sickness.

The exact nature of the illness remains a mystery. It could have been a form of influenza, relapsing fever, hantavirus, or even anthrax. First reported in 1485, the disease would flare up five times before vanishing in 1551. Unusually, it seemed to target the young, wealthy, and healthy, with symptoms including headaches, delirium, and intense sweating. If death occurred, it was swift.

Arthur and Katherine were quickly separated and confined to their beds. Katherine was fortunate to recover, but Arthur’s condition worsened rapidly. On April 2, 1502, a contemporary source reported that “the lyvely spirites of this nobel Prince finally mortified, to oure Realme of Englond and all Cristente dolour [agony], sorrow, and great discompfort.”

Arthur’s death was a profound tragedy. It was not only a personal loss for Henry VII, but it also severely weakened his family’s hold on the throne, leaving them with just one potential heir. But the calamity didn’t end there. Elizabeth, his wife, soon became pregnant again, but tragically passed away on her 37th birthday, just nine days after giving birth to a daughter.

Although the Tudor dynasty endured, Arthur’s untimely death is one of those rare moments in history that can be said to have truly altered the future. His younger brother Henry would eventually become Henry VIII, and his marriage to Arthur’s widow, Katherine of Aragon, would set England on a turbulent course towards the Reformation and the anti-Catholic sentiments that would shape British politics for centuries to come.

2. Miscarriages and Stillbirths // Katherine of Aragon

Childbirth in the Tudor era was fraught with danger, and both miscarriages and stillbirths were all too common. However, for the wife of Henry VIII, failing to produce a healthy son could have catastrophic consequences.

Seven years after surviving the English sweat that claimed Arthur’s life, Katherine of Aragon married his younger brother Henry. Soon after, he wrote to her father, saying, “Your daughter, her Serene Highness the Queen, our dearest consort, has conceived in her womb a living child and is right heavy therewith.” Unfortunately, the baby was stillborn on January 31, 1510. Katherine quickly became pregnant again, and it seemed she had fulfilled her duty when she gave birth to a healthy boy on January 1, 1511. Named Henry after his father, the king immediately ordered grand celebrations, including a tournament at Westminster. However, the baby tragically died just 52 days later.

Katherine endured four more known pregnancies. In September 1513, she gave birth to a premature son, who either was stillborn or died shortly after. The following November, the Venetian ambassador reported, “the Queen has been delivered of a stillborn male child of eight months to the very great grief of the whole court,” though other sources suggest the child might have been alive at birth. In 1516, the future Mary I was born; in 1518, Katherine suffered another stillbirth at eight months.

The cause of Katherine’s repeated losses remains unclear. Some have suggested the issue may have been with Henry VIII. Modern theories propose that he may have carried the rare Kell-positive gene, which enables a man to father a first child with a Kell-negative woman but prevents subsequent pregnancies due to the woman’s immune system attacking the fetus. This results in late-term miscarriages, stillbirths, or neonatal death, just as Katherine experienced. Of Henry VIII’s four children who survived to adulthood, three were first pregnancies, while Mary may have survived because she inherited the Kell gene.

Regardless of the cause, the impact of Katherine’s failed pregnancies was profound. While there was always hope for a son, Henry VIII’s loyalty to her remained as long as there was a chance. But once her ability to produce an heir ceased, his all-consuming desire for a male successor overshadowed every other emotion, and Katherine had to go, no matter the cost.

3. Jousting Accidents // Henry VIII

Henry VIII was an enthusiastic sportsman, enjoying hunting, archery, and tennis, but his true passion was jousting, despite the inherent risks. His father had forbidden him from participating in the sport during his youth, but once he became king, Henry jousted almost daily. The injuries quickly accumulated, including several concussions, leg wounds, and, in 1524, a blow just above his eye after forgetting to lower his visor. However, it was an accident during a tournament in January 1536 that would have the most significant impact on both Henry VIII’s health and the fate of the country.

The tournament took place at the Greenwich Palace tiltyard, with both Henry VIII and his horse armored. His opponent was his close friend Sir Henry Norris, and as usual, Henry charged recklessly down the field. Unfortunately, Henry’s lance struck Norris’s saddle. The recoil not only unseated the king but also caused his horse to stumble and crash down on him. The severity of Henry VIII’s injuries is debated, but it’s likely he was unconscious for several hours and had both legs crushed.

Though we can’t be certain how close he came to death, his life was forever changed. He would never joust again, and the once-athletic prince became increasingly immobile and obese. A recent theory suggests that the fall may have caused a traumatic brain injury, which transformed the formerly genial king into a paranoid tyrant.

The accident also altered the course of history. Anne Boleyn, who was pregnant at the time, was told that the king was near death. She suffered a miscarriage and, four months later, was executed.

4. Childbirth // Jane Seymour

As Henry VIII grew weary of Anne Boleyn, ambitious courtiers began positioning their female relatives to catch the king’s attention. Among them was Jane Seymour, one of Anne’s ladies-in-waiting, who caught Henry’s eye around 1534. Jane presented herself as the antithesis of the fiery queen, emphasizing her mild nature and virtue. In 1536, the Imperial ambassador to Henry VIII’s court reported that Jane had turned down Henry’s gifts, stating that “there was no treasure in this world that she valued as much as her honour, and on no account would she lose it, even if she were to die a thousand deaths.”

However, Jane was far from the helpless figure she is often portrayed as. The ambassador also noted that she subtly hinted to Henry that, “if the king wished to make her a present of money, she requested him to reserve it for such a time as God would be pleased to send her some advantageous marriage.” By May of that year, just 11 days after Anne’s execution, she became Henry VIII’s wife.

Jane gave birth to a healthy son, Edward, on October 12, 1537. Despite enduring a long labor, she was strong enough to sign letters on the same day her son was born. She recovered from a bout of diarrhea four days later, but on October 19, she fell ill again and her health quickly deteriorated. Jane passed away in the early hours of October 24, 1537.

Over the years, there have been numerous speculations about the cause of her death. While puerperal fever is often considered the most likely cause, the pattern of her illness, recovery, and sudden relapse suggests she may have actually died from an embolism that caused heart failure following a case of food poisoning.

Jane’s death is often regarded as one of the great Tudor “what ifs.” Had she survived, it’s possible that more healthy sons would have been born, solidifying the Tudor dynasty’s rule over the English throne for generations. On the other hand, there might have been no further pregnancies, Henry VIII’s attention could have strayed again, and she might have met the same tragic end as his other wives.

5. Ulcerated Legs // Henry VIII

In 1515, when Henry VIII was nearly 25 years old, the Venetian Ambassador described him as “the handsomest potentate [monarch] I ever set eyes on … [with] … an extremely fine calf to his leg.” Henry VIII took great pride in his legs, often wearing a garter to highlight their shape. This fashion was immortalized in the famous portrait of him by Hans Holbein the Younger.

But the king’s greatest asset was ultimately contributing to his downfall.

The first recorded treatment for “curing the king of a sore leg” occurred in 1527, likely for a sporting injury to his thigh that wouldn’t heal. Within ten years, he was plagued by venous ulcers that would torment him for the rest of his life. Historians now speculate that the tight garters caused deep vein thrombosis (DVT), exacerbated by frequent jousting accidents that reopened the ulcers. This marked the beginning of a vicious cycle of immobility, weight gain, and venous hypertension for Henry VIII.

To make matters worse, the wounds festered. While they would superficially heal, they would soon reopen, emitting a foul-smelling pus so strong it could be smelled from three rooms away. Even worse, they infected his veins and bones. In 1538, at the age of 47, the French ambassador reported that Henry VIII suffered a severe DVT attack, during which he “was sometime without speaking, black in the face, and in great danger.” Another illness in 1541 prompted the French ambassador to report that “the King’s life was really thought [to be] in danger, not from fever, but from the leg which often troubles him.”

By 1546, Henry had reached a weight of approximately 300 pounds and was no longer able to walk. The once powerful king had to be carried around in wooden chairs, lifted onto his horse, and was the proud owner of the world’s first stair lift to assist him in ascending the stairs at Whitehall Palace. He lived in constant agony, plagued by seizures, with his legs frequently cauterized. His heart finally gave out on January 28, 1547. The once handsome and athletic monarch died a bitter and loathed tyrant.

6. Tuberculosis // Edward VI

As the long-awaited male heir, Edward VI was raised in the fresher air outside London, where he was known to be lively and strong. His governess recalled that when “the minstrels played … his Grace danced and played so wantonly that he could not stand still,” and Henry VIII encouraged him to engage in activities like fencing, riding, and tennis.

Edward's passion for sports continued after he ascended the throne at the age of just 9. At 14, he took part in a joust in 1551. However, his health began to deteriorate the following year after contracting measles, which severely weakened his immune system. By 1553, his doctors reported that he was coughing up fluid that varied in color, sometimes a greenish-yellow, black, or even pink, resembling blood. Diagnosed with tuberculosis, it was clear by May that his death was imminent.

Edward VI acted quickly to secure England's future as he envisioned it. Raised as a Protestant, he, under the influence of his radical councillors, especially his uncle Edward Seymour, pushed for a more extreme religious reformation than his father had. In his desperation, he defied the Act of Succession and named his Protestant cousin, Lady Jane Grey, as his heir, bypassing his Catholic sister Mary. When Edward died on July 6, 1553, England found itself teetering on the brink of a civil war.

7. Poor Eyesight // Henry VII, Henry VIII, and Mary I

Poor vision was a common affliction among the Tudor rulers. Henry VII, in particular, feared blindness, a concern he shared only with his mother. His most famous portrait, painted in 1504, depicts him with a drooping eyelid, which may have contributed to his worsening sight and, subsequently, his growing paranoia.

Similarly, Henry VIII's eyesight also declined as he aged. An inventory compiled after his death revealed that he owned 44 pairs of glasses, many elaborately adorned with gold and silver gilt. However, no portraits of him show him wearing them, as kings were reluctant to display any vulnerability to their subjects.

Mary I’s vision problems perhaps had the most significant impact. As a child, she had sharp eyesight and enjoyed activities like sewing, hunting, and playing music. However, her vision began to deteriorate before 1553. Unlike her father, Mary I avoided glasses and instead preferred to hold her state papers close to her face or glare at her courtiers with narrowed eyes.

8. Phantom Pregnancies // Mary I

The cause of Mary’s deteriorating eyesight is now believed to have been a symptom of a far more serious condition that not only caused her physical suffering but also immense emotional distress: a prolactinoma pituitary tumor.

Mary I was relatively healthy in her childhood, but as she reached puberty, she began suffering from severe menstrual issues. Violent headaches, irregular periods, insomnia, vomiting, and palpitations became frequent symptoms she endured throughout her life. She also developed a deep voice and lost her eyebrows. More notably, Mary I experienced several ‘phantom pregnancies,’ where she exhibited all the symptoms of pregnancy. In 1555, the Spanish ambassador reported to her husband, Philip of Spain, stating, 'One cannot doubt that she is with child. A certain sign of this is the state of her breasts and that the child moves. Then there is the increase of the girth, the hardening of the breasts, and the fact that they distil [secrete milk].'

Mary I withdrew from court, anticipating the birth, but months passed with no sign of labor. Initially, the doctors believed their calculations were off, but eventually, the queen had to acknowledge that no child had been conceived. This scenario repeated itself two years later. Mary I suffered a second personal tragedy and another political embarrassment.

Research now suggests that Mary I’s symptoms were likely caused by a tumor on her pituitary gland. This tumor, located behind the base of the nose, affects hormone production. As the tumor grows, it presses against the gland, releasing incorrect hormone doses into the body. This could explain not only Mary I's phantom pregnancies but also her depression, hair loss, and the changes to her voice. Furthermore, the tumor would have affected her optic nerve, leading to vision loss and intense headaches.

The tumor is generally benign, so it is likely that Mary I died from another illness, perhaps influenza. However, her early death at the age of 42, without an heir, meant that her sister, Elizabeth I, ascended to the throne, ending Spain’s influence in England and thwarting the re-establishment of the Catholic faith.

9. Smallpox // Elizabeth I

After nearly four years on the throne, Elizabeth I fell ill on October 10, 1562. Her symptoms started with a sore throat, headache, body aches, and a fever. Initially, her doctors treated her for a cold, but as small red spots began to appear days later, she was diagnosed with smallpox.

The spots continued to fill with pus over the following week. Her doctors quickly administered the 'Red treatment' (a method originating in Japan and practiced in England since the 12th century) and wrapped the queen in red blankets to prevent scarring.

Smallpox had a 30 percent mortality rate. When the queen’s condition worsened and she fell into a coma, panic spread throughout the court.

Protestant Elizabeth I ascended to the throne following her Catholic sister, amidst a time of religious instability. Elizabeth I was not only childless, but had no clear heir. The closest claimant was her Protestant cousin, Katherine Grey, but Catholic factions in Europe supported another cousin, the Catholic Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland. Protestant England teetered on the brink of crisis.

As she had so often done, Elizabeth I defied expectations and overcame the turmoil. She would reign for another 41 years, marking the beginning of the Golden Age of Gloriana.

10. Lead Poisoning // Elizabeth I

In the Tudor court, having a pale complexion was a symbol of high status, while those with tanned faces were associated with outdoor labor. However, this beauty standard came with risks.

Many of Elizabeth I's early portraits depict her with an unnaturally pale face. Her encounter with smallpox only intensified her desire to fit the Renaissance ideal of beauty; despite the red treatment, Elizabeth I was left with scars from the illness.

To achieve a paler complexion and conceal pockmarks, a foundation called Venetian Ceruse was used. This was a mixture of the finest white lead from Venice and vinegar. Other substances like bleach, arsenic, sulfur, and mercury were also employed to treat freckles and blemishes.

Some historians dismiss the notion that Elizabeth I used Venetian Ceruse, mainly because no records of it appear in her household archives. However, it is unlikely that she would have ignored this essential cosmetic used by European nobility, especially since it was the finest available. The smooth finish it gave became even more crucial as she aged, as maintaining a youthful appearance was a political necessity.

The more frequently Venetian Ceruse was used, the more it needed to be reapplied, as the toxic ingredients caused the skin to turn gray, shriveled, and develop purple patches. How much Elizabeth I used is debatable. Her later portraits show she continued to lighten her complexion, though not to the exaggerated degree depicted by actresses like Margot Robbie in the 2018 film *Mary Queen of Scots*, whose portrayal is likely a false exaggeration based on later interpretations of history.

Did the toxic makeup contribute to her death? Elizabeth I exhibited symptoms of lead poisoning, such as hair loss, blackened teeth, weight loss, and confusion. Her declining mental state may have been linked to the toxins in her blood. The theory that she died of bronchial pneumonia might also be related to a weakened immune system due to lead poisoning.

In the end, we may never know the full truth. Elizabeth I made it clear that no autopsy should be performed after her death.

Regardless of the exact cause, Elizabeth I’s passing in March 1603 marked the end of the Tudor dynasty’s reign. With the Greys and Mary Stuart all deceased, the crown peacefully passed to her Scottish cousin, James VI.