Final year of a King

The year of Alice Glaston's death, ironically marked the beginning of the end of the reign of King Henry VIII, England most infamous monarch. Henry VIII died in the early hours of 28th January 1547 at 55 years of age, just 9 months, and 15 days after Alice was hanged at Gallows Tree Leasowe on Wenlock Edge. But what did he get up to on his final year? We explore below.

On December 30, 1546, Henry VIII made a final revision to his will, which named his nine-year-old son Edward as his successor. The will also established a regency council to support Edward during his minority, with Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, named as "Lord Protector of England".

On June 7, 1546, England and France signed the Treaty of Ardres, which ended the Italian War of 1542–1546 and established peace between the two kingdoms. The treaty also included an agreement to keep the captured town of Boulogne in France for eight years. This came just under two months after Alice's untimely execution.

In November 1546, Henry and the Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester became involved in a land dispute, which led to Gardiner being excluded from the list of executors of the king's will.