(2) Henry exhibited signs and symptoms of syphilis. There is 110 reference in any of the Tudor documents that Henry had syphilis. The disease at that time was even more virulent that it is today and the Tudor physicians recognised it and treated it.
The course of the disease was much more dramatic than it is today. Even royal houses were not spared. Using the example of Henry VIII of England this article briefly outlines the influence of syphilis both to the house of Tudor and thus on the big political stage.
Syphilis existed in medieval Europe, and it caused the death of England's King Edward IV.
Henry VIII is usually remembered as the uber-confident, intimidating megalomaniac who touted his magnificence on an international stage. But in 1528, a terrifying epidemic of 'sweating sickness' brought out his vulnerable side.
Among other theories, experts have proposed that Henry suffered from Type II diabetes, syphilis, an endocrine problem called Cushing's syndrome, or myxedema, which is a byproduct of hypothyroidism.
- Know that The Tudors were a Welsh-English family that ruled England and Wales during this time (more on the family and how they came into power in the second lesson). - Know that life in Tudor Britain was harsh - the average life expectancy was just 35 years.
Syphilis is often blamed, but there is no evidence of it; none of his children had congenital syphilis and Henry was actually rather straitlaced. He had few mistresses and a great respect for marriage.
Henry VIII of England had one acknowledged illegitimate child, as well as several others who are suspected to be his, by his mistresses.
Why did the Tudors get so terribly ill? There were a number of contagious diseases that gripped Tudor England, including the plague, tuberculosis and sweating sickness.
What did Henry VIII really look like? In 1515, a contemporary described the king as being “above the usual height, with an extremely fine calf to his leg”. In appearance, he is said to have resembled his grandfather, Edward IV – broad-shouldered but slim – with auburn hair and fair skin.
The most dangerous viral STD is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which leads to AIDS. Other incurable viral STDs include human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis B and genital herpes.
The first well-recorded European outbreak of what is now known as syphilis occurred in 1494 when it broke out among French troops besieging Naples in the Italian War of 1494–98. The disease may have originated from the Columbian Exchange.
Henry suffered most chronically from painful leg ulcers, probably a result of a severe jousting accident in 1536. He also struggled with headaches, swollen ankles, constipation, and many other physical complaints.
Famous painters Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gaugin and Edouard Manet are known to have died from syphilis as well as classic authors Oscar Wilde and Guy de Maupassant Charles Baudelaire. Infamous gangster Al Capone eventually succumbed to syphilis as well.
Many famous historical figures, including Charles VIII of France, Christopher Columbus, Hernán Cortés of Spain, Benito Mussolini, and Ivan the Terrible, were often alleged to have had syphilis or other sexually transmitted infections.
It is a myth that the Tudors were dirty and rarely washed. However, it was difficult for ordinary people to have a bath because it was hard to heat a large amount of water at one time. In the summer, people sometimes had a bath in the local river.
In Tudor times, urine that was coloured between pale yellow and white, with a cloudy surface, was thought to possibly indicate pregnancy. Other tests involved leaving a needle in a woman's urine to see if it rusted, or observing what happened if you mixed wine with urine.
The reproductive and nutritional history of King Henry VIII indicates that 70 percent of the legitimate pregnancies attributed to Henry and his six wives resulted in miscarriage or stillbirth.
Edward VI. Edward VI, born 12 October 1537, was Henry VIII's first surviving and only legitimate son and the heir to the throne. Henry VIII described him as 'his most noble and most precious jewel. '
Jane's sweet and charming demeanor captured Henry's heart. Married just days after her predecessor's death, she was to become Henry's favorite wife. Jane, unlike any of Henry's other wives, gave Henry the one thing he wanted most -- a son, an act that would lead to her death.
After the execution of her mother and the birth of her younger half-brother, Edward, Elizabeth was deemed illegitimate and removed from the English line of succession. After her father's death, she was raised by a series of governesses, as well as by her stepmother, Catherine Parr.
Abraham Lincoln told his biographer, friend, and law partner of 18 years, William Hearndon, that he had been infected with syphilis in 1835 or 1836.
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, but when he returned from 'cross the seas, did he bring with him a new disease? New skeletal evidence suggests Columbus and his crew not only introduced the Old World to the New World, but brought back syphilis as well, researchers say.
People of the 15th century called syphilis “the great pox” in light of its painful, repulsive symptoms. At the time, treatments were few and ineffective. Physicians tried remedies such as mercury ointments, some of which caused patients great pain and even killed them.