Henry VIII was disabled, says National Trust

When we think of King Henry VIII, words like imposing, powerful and frightening might come to mind to describe him.

The fearsome monarch had two of his six wives beheaded and was known for his athletic build as a younger man.

But according to a new video compiled by the National Trust in partnership with the University of Leicester, Henry was disabled.

The clip highlights the serious injuries suffered by the king in a 1536 jousting accident where an armored horse landed on him, crushing his legs.

When we think of King Henry VIII, words like imposing, powerful and frightening might come to mind to describe him. But according to a new video compiled by the National Trust in partnership with the University of Leicester, Henry was disabled

After this he began to gain weight and was plagued by ulcers, while some historians believe the accident may have affected his behavior and decisions.

When he died in 1547, he may have weighed more than 28 stone (397 pounds), while his waist swelled from 32 inches to 52 inches after his accident.

The new video explains the lives of disabled historical figures and their connections to National Trust properties.

In the Henry section it shows a portrait of the king hanging in Charlecote Park in Warwickshire.

It is mentioned that in later life he needed a cane and wheelchair to get around and had a pulley system to take him up the stairs at Whitehall Palace.

The clip highlights the serious injuries suffered by the king in a 1536 jousting accident where an armored horse landed on him, crushing his legs. Above: Heinrich is depicted on a horse in a painting by Friedrich Bouterwerk from 1520

But the king repressed his mobility issues in his public image, with officially commissioned portraits that make no reference to his physical impairments.

Disabled artist Christopher Samuel says in the video: “We all know Henry VII and the Trust owns several portraits including this one in Charlecote Park in Warwickshire.

“But how many of us know that in 1536 he sustained two injuries that resulted in his needing a range of mobility aids?

“As he got older, he used a cane, a wheelchair and a pulley mechanism installed at Whitehall Palace to lift him up and down the stairs.

“Henry VIII carefully crafted his image, concealing his impairments to present a highly constructed picture of power and royalty.

“But what does that say about the relationship between disability and power throughout history?

“Whose interests are we protecting if we shy away from talking about disability today?”

Others mentioned in the video include British climber Geoffrey Winthrop Young and Sir Jeffrey Hudson, court dwarf of King Charles I.