Henry VIII was disabled, National Trust says: Tudor king used walking sticks and a wheelchair because he was plagued with leg ulcers after his horse landed on top of him while jousting
- Henry was athletic as a young man but was crippled in jousting accident in 1536
- Armoured horse landed on him, crushing his legs and later causing ulcers
- Used a wheelchair and walking sticks and needed pulley system to get up stairs
When we think of King Henry VIII, words such as imposing, powerful and frightening might spring to mind to describe him.
The fearsome monarch infamously had two of his six wives beheaded and was known for his athletic physique as a younger man.
But, according to a new video put together by the National Trust in conjunction with the University of Leicester, Henry was disabled.
The clip highlights the severe injuries the King suffered in a jousting accident in 1536, which saw an armoured horse land on him and crush his legs.
When we think of King Henry VIII, words such as imposing, powerful and frightening might spring to mind to describe him. But, according to a new video put together by the National Trust in conjunction with the University of Leicester, Henry was disabled
Afterwards, he began gaining weight and was plagued with ulcers, whilst some historians believe the accident may have influenced his behaviour and decisions.
When he died in 1547, he may have weighed more than 28 stone (397lbs), whilst his waist ballooned from 32 inches to 52 inches after his accident.
The new video explains the lives of disabled historical figures and their connections with National Trust properties.
On the section about Henry, it shows a portrait of the King that hangs at Charlecote Park in Warwickshire.
It mentions how in later life he needed a walking stick and wheelchair to move and had a pulley system to get him up the stairs at Whitehall Palace.
The clip highlights the severe injuries the King suffered in a jousting accident in 1536, which saw an armoured horse land on him and crush his legs. Above: Henry is depicted on a horse in 1520, in a painting by Friedrich Bouterwerk
But the King suppressed his mobility problems in his public image, with officially commissioned portraits giving no hint of his physical impairments.
Disabled artist Christopher Samuel says in the video: ‘We all recognise Henry VII and the Trust holds multiple portraits, including this one at Charlecote Park in Warwickshire.
‘But how many of us know that he sustained two injuries in 1536 which resulted in his use of a series of mobility aids?
‘As he got older, he used a walking stick, a wheelchair and pulley mechanism installed at Whitehall Palace to lift him up and down the stairs.
‘Henry VIII crafted his image carefully, hiding his impairments to present a highly constructed image of power and kingship.
‘But what does that say about the relationship between disability and power throughout history?
‘Whose interests are we protecting when we shy away from discussing disability today?’
Others mentioned in the video include British climber Geoffrey Winthrop Young and Sir Jeffrey Hudson, the court dwarf of King Charles I.
Advertisement
