Who did Henry VIII think he was?

Tudor models of kingship
Meeting of Henry VIII & the Emperor Maximilian I. A painting (c. 1513) in the Royal Collection
(Wikimedia Commons) Meeting of Henry VIII & the Emperor Maximilian I. A painting (c. 1545) in the Royal Collection

  • Lecture Theatre, Roland Levinsky Building

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With Professor Steven Gunn, Merton College, Oxford 
Henry VIII did some extraordinary and shocking things, but why did he think they were the sort of things kings could or should do? This talk will look at the different models of kingship available to Henry and which of them he seemed to be following at different points in his reign. He knew some other kings: his father Henry VII, his ally Maximilian I, his rival Francis I. He read about others in English history: Henry V, Edward I, King Arthur. He studied others in the Bible, above all King David. But who did Henry VIII think he was? 
"Henry VIII knew a lot about contemporary and historical kings, but he selected his own model to follow." Professor Steven Gunn
Date: Tuesday 1 October 2024
Time: 19:00 – 20:20
Venue: Lecture Theatre, Roland Levinsky Building
Ticket information: £6, £4 concessions, free to University of Plymouth students and Historical Association members 
Explore other events in our history talks series, in conjunction with the Historical Association.
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