The son Henry VIII always wanted is often maligned as a sickly child – but does he deserve this reputation? The real Edward VI, writes historian Tracy Borman, was a hearty lad who could have been as terrible as his father had he not met his untimely death in 1553 (aged 15)
Edward VI, (born October 12, 1537, London, England died July 6, 1553, London), king of England and Ireland from 1547 to 1553. Edward was King Henry VIII’s only legitimate son; his mother, Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour, died 12 days after his birth. Although Edward has traditionally been viewed as a frail child who was never in good health, some recent authorities have maintained that until several years before his death, he was a robust, athletically inclined youth. His tutors (Sir John Cheke, Sir Anthony Cooke, and Roger Ascham) found him to be intellectually gifted, a precocious student of Greek, Latin,
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King Henry VIII was desperate for a son and heir when his third wife Jane Seymour gave birth to Edward VI. The future king was born around 2am, 12 October 1537,
According to historian Tracy Borman, the boy was born healthy and was said to be the most beautiful boy that ever was seen .
News of Edward s long-awaited arrival was spread across the UK and, when the baby was three days old, a lavish christening was held in the chapel at Hampton Court Palace.
King Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour, who was Edward s mother. (Getty)