When I was a senior in high school, I was lucky enough to travel across the pond over to good ole’ England. I visited five historic cities during my trip, full of culture and information that may help me win Jeopardy one day. However, the most enjoyable topic for me was the Tudor Dynasty, especially King Henry VIII. More appropriately phrased, the infamous six women he wed in his lifetime. During my tour of the Tower of London, I found a set of chocolate bars in the gift shop and each of them had a wife on the wrapper. I went on to learn about the wives executed in the Bloody Tower and I was all in; I needed to know more about this king and his queens.

As soon as I arrived home, I told my mom all the information I had learned from tour guides and pamphlets. Together, we watched documentaries and read articles online all about King Henry VIII and his six wives. Not enough to be an infatuation, but enough to be a great interest. While learning about his wives, I grew to have favorites and ones that I thought were really cool. And others, I thought fed into the King’s awful ego or were just not exciting to learn about.

Disclaimer: All of my information comes from tour guides, documentaries, TV shows, and online resources over the last four years. Would I consider it 100% historically accurate? Probably not. But I would not completely disprove what I have collected because information is something I know how to find. Another disclaimer: I am not here to objectify these women what so ever. Honestly, I wish they all would have got together and fist fought the King. I did this ranking for some historic humor and to give a shout out to my favorite wives!

6. Jane Seymour (died)

The third wife of the king (and his rumored favorite wife), Jane is my least favorite simply because she wed the King just ONE day after Anne was (wrongfully) executed. Granted, this was the fifteenth century and girl code probably was not a concept that existed yet. I am just saying, I would wait at least a week before marrying a man who just killed his wife. Another reason why Jane is my least favorite is because even though she fought to put Henry’s first daughter, Mary, back into the line of succession for the throne, she ensured that she would only take the throne after her and Henry’s children. What a stereotypical parent. Thinking only their child would be the best to lead the country. *eye roll*

5. Catherine Howard (beheaded)

Just like in the lineup of wives, Howard is fifth on my list too. Catherine is definitely the wife who receives a lot of hatred from historians, but I respect her to an extent. Catherine was queen consort for a few short months, but that is longer than I will ever be queen. She was tried and executed on the grounds that she cheated on the King with some of his friends, so she was obviously brave, which I respect. Also, the legend has it that her final words were that she was sad to be dying a queen instead of the wife of her lover. So that is pretty bold and I respect it.

4. Catherine of Aragon (divorced)

The first wife of King Henry VIII, and the longest marriage at that! Catherine was the Queen of England for almost twenty five years! I actually enjoyed Catherine of Aragon’s character on the glamorized TV show, The Tudors, but out of all of the wives, she was the one who lacked excitement for me. On the show, and for most of my readings, she cried a lot about her divorce of the King. I guess I would cry too if my husband converted his entire country to another religion in order to divorce me, so I guess I do not blame her. She would have been cooler if she had poisoned Henry instead.

3. Catherine Parr (survived)

After five failed marriages, Catherine Parr was the only wife to not be executed or served divorce papers from Henry. I really enjoyed reading and watching about Parr because she tried really hard to have a good relationship with all of his children from the previous marriages: Mary, Edward, and Elizabeth. Parr also pressured Henry to pass an act that restored Mary and Elizabeth into the line of succession after Edward. So Parr did not just marry Henry or his country, but also his children and loved them as her own. And I cannot have anything but respect for her!

2. Anne of Cl eves (divorced)

Henry’s fourth wife, who is so funny without even trying. Anne married Henry after his “favorite” wife and mother of his only son died giving him an heir. Talk about some big shoes to fill, right? But Anne is such a feminist beyond her time. She refused to consummate their marriage because she found Henry dirty, and not just by the way he treated women. She found him physically gross, so she refused to do the deed with the King of England. Talk about having mad respect for herself, so I have to respect that!

1. Anne Boleyn (beheaded)

Oh, Anne! I loved her even before I watched Natalie Dormer play her flawlessly on The Tudors. Everywhere in the Tower of London, and London in general, there were so many books about her execution and trial. While some say she deserved the beheading (there were rumors she had tried to conspire against Henry), others had to say things I tended to lead on; that she did not deserve her death. Anne was the first lover Henry took, and she was beautiful and charming and truly loved him. She gave him a daughter (that’s right, she birthed THE Queen Elizabeth I) but rumors had it that was not enough for him. He wanted a male to take his thrown, and she lost several babies while trying to give him that. While the show, The Tudors, tried to show both his side and her side, I believe she was executed because he had fallen in love with Seymour and thought Anne could not give him a son. Anne is my favorite because she should have outlasted them all. Plus, her daughter was a fearless leader and one of my favorite historical figures of all time!