Divorced, Beheaded, Died; Divorced Beheaded Survived

            One of the most known stories in history is of King Henry VIII and all of his wives. The story is that of Henry’s obsession to have an heir to the thrown and his desperation to the point of having 6 wives. Recent science has shed light on a few interesting points that could explain his inability to have a healthy baby boy as well as his seeming “madness” as he got older.

            Scientists have decided to take a look at Henry himself as the reason he was not able to produce healthy heirs with so many wives. For most of history it was believed that the reasons for the miscarriages and infant death was due to poor pre and post natal care or some even believe and act of God, punishing Henry for marrying his brother’s wife after his death. Henry was already believed to have suffered from diabetes, syphilis and Cushing’s syndrome. Since there are no available tissue samples for testing, researchers have to guess what might have been ailing the king.

            One idea is that Henry had a rare blood group, Kell positive. According to the article, if a Kell positive man has a child with a Kell positive woman, the first child will be healthy, but since blood is often exchanged between fetus and mother, the immune system of the mother will build up antibodies. Any following pregnancies will most likely end is death of the fetus because the body would attack it like a foreign body that it has built up immunity to.  Henry’s relationship with Anne Boleyn is an example. Her first child with Henry was healthy and survived, but after she never carried another successful pregnancy.

            Another health issue that could explain Henry’s deteroriating condition as he aged was actually a genetic disorder, which was carried on the X-Chromosome and called McLeod’s syndrome. The symptoms include paranoia, immobility, weight gain and general mental decline.

            The article also says since there is no clinical evidence and no tissues to test, it is virtually impossible to tell what was ailing King Henry VIII and why he could barely produce living heirs.

            I would find it very interesting to find out what was the issue with Henry and his wives, but it has become such a fairytale in history, it would spoil the story if it were found out. I believe this research has come out at this time because of the recent popularity of the story. Current books and television shows have romanticized the story, all while distorting the actual history. I have always found the story to be interesting and worth researching further. 

http://news.discovery.com/history/henry-viii-blood-disorder-110311.html