Explore reading: Henry VIII Read the text about Henry VIII. Answer the questions (1–8) using a maximum of four words. Write your answers in the spaces provided. The first one (0) has been done for you. TIP: Don’t worry about difficult words. You don’t have to understand every word to do the reading task. 35 Henry VIII of England (1491–1547), proud owner of Hampton Court imitate – and flatter – their monarch. Henry is also famous for other excesses. He loved palaces, for example. He began with a dozen, and when he died, he owned fifty-five. The most famous ones are probably Windsor Castle, The Tower of London, and Hampton Court Palace. They are good examples of Tudor architecture and attract thousands of visitors every year. At Hampton Court Palace, which is located on the Thames, Henry constructed the Great Hall, the Royal Tennis Court, and enormous kitchens. He used Hampton Court to show how rich and powerful he was. Once he entertained the French ambassador and 200 companions, together with 1,300 people from the English court, for six days. Of course, this was expensive. Although Henry had received a lot of money from his father, he had huge debts when he died because of his extravagant lifestyle. Henry VIII ruled with absolute power and killed those who didn’t do what he wanted. He beheaded4 more English aristocrats than any monarch before or since: two wives, twenty aristocrats, and six of the king’s close servants and friends, not to mention one cardinal and various priests. Henry VIII, King of England from 1509 until 1547, is a colourful figure who is mainly known for two things: his six marriages and the English Reformation. Henry wanted a son to follow him on the throne. This wish led him to divorce two of his wives who could not give him a son. As the Pope in Rome was against divorce, Henry VIII separated from the Roman Catholic Church and founded his own church. Ironically, when he died at the age of 55, he only had one son (who died before his 16th birthday) and two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, who later became Queen Elizabeth I. The church Henry VIII founded was called ‘The Church of England’. He made himself the ‘Supreme Head’. Henry closed down many monasteries1 and made radical changes to traditional religious practices. He ordered priests to preach against superstition2 and miracles, and to remove candles from churches. He ordered that holy mass should be in English rather than Latin. This is known as ‘The English Reformation’, which made England a mostly Protestant nation. When he was young, Henry was an attractive man. A good sportsman and hunter, he was also educated and spoke numerous languages. For example, he was fluent in Latin, French and Spanish. This is why he is sometimes called a ‘True Prince of the Renaissance’. In later life he developed a binge-eating3 habit and mainly ate fatty red meats. He became extremely overweight and could only move about with help. People began dressing in thick clothes to 0 What did Henry desperately want from his wives? 1 Who did Henry disagree with about divorce? 2 What language did he want holy mass to be held in? 3 Which foreign languages did he speak well? 4 Why did he become so overweight? 5 What did people wear to imitate the king? 6 Why did Henry have huge debts? 7 Henry’s most famous castles are good examples of what building style? 8 Which family members did Henry execute? 1 monastery: a religious place where monks live 2 superstition: the belief that certain objects or events bring bad luck, e. g. black cats, walking under ladders 3 binge-eating: eating a lot in a very short time 4 to behead sb.: to cut off somebody’s head a son 139 Language skills Extras Explore 11 Experiences Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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