Henry VIII was born on June 28, 1491. Named after his father, Henry VII, he was destined to live a good life. He was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York and was not to become king until his brother's death in 1501 (Eakins). Henry was born at Greenwich Palace and was one of three children who survived birth. Henry was 18 when he became king. He was very intelligent and talented as a child. Henry VIII was very fond of the arts, especially writing and music. He was very artistic and intelligent, played many instruments and composed some pieces. The composition of Greensleeves is often attributed to him, although he did not compose it (Royal). There were many things other than the arts that Henry VIII enjoyed, such as tennis and other sports, to name a few. In addition to being passionate about athletics, he spoke three different languages: French, Latin and Spanish. Religion was important to him and he enjoyed hunting and fishing (Eakins) (Royal). Henry VIII accomplished great things throughout his life. People generally overlook her accomplishments and emphasize her six marriages (britannia). The first of six wives was Catherine of Aragon, who was the widow of her brother Arthur. They were married from 1509 to 1533. Even though Henry did not want to marry her, he could not prevent the marriage. The marriage was formalized during the first months of the reign of King Henry (Jokinen). Catherine of Aragon was born on December 16, 1485. She was the youngest daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella. Henry VIII was focused on the birth of a son so that when he became old and could no longer rule, the boy could assume all his duties. As long as he was married to Catherine, there would be no male heir to follow him...... middle of paper...... apart from his true love Jane Seymour. Henry VIII lived a very interesting life. Research has shown the various key aspects of his life, namely power, politics, religion, desire for a son and numerous wives. Henry VIII left his mark on the world, a world and a time that is truly difficult to imagine so long ago. Works Cited Eakins, Lara E. “The Six Wives of Henry VIII.” tudorhistory.org. Lara E. Eakins, 2014.Web. April 30, 2014. “Henry VIII.” bbc.co.uk. BBC, 2014. The web. April 30, 2014. “Biography of Henry VIII.” biography.com. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. May 1, 2014. “Henry VIII.” britannia.com. Britannia.com, 2011. Web. May 1, 2014. “Henry VIII.” . The Royal House, 2009. Web. May 1, 2014. Jokinen, Anniina. “Henry VIII.” luminarium.org. Anniina Jokinen, April 9, 2012. Web. May 1, 2014. “Tudor.” dictionary.reference.com. Dictionary.com, 2014. Web. May 1 2014.