During the Wars of the Roses, a European royal house of Welsh origins came to power, a dynasty, which would rule England for the next one hundred and eighteen years. The powerful and best known dynasty is that of the House of Tudor. Henry VII became king in 1485 and took Elizabeth of York as his wife. T They had four children: Prince Arthur of Wales, Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII and Mary Tudor (2). Henry VIII was born on 28 June 1491 at Placentia Palace in Greenwich (2). As the second son, Henry was raised and educated to take on a secular role in life, most likely as Archbishop of Canterbury(2). His grandmother Margaret Beaufort oversaw his early childhood education (2). Henry was said to have excelled in book learning and the athletics required of those in aristocratic society (1). But even though Henry was educated, handsome and athletic, his father continued to favor Prince Arthur(2). When Henry reached the age of 10 he took part in the marriage arranged by his brother with the daughter of King Ferdinand and the Queen. Isabella of Spain(3). His job was to escort the bride; the bride was Catherine of Aragon who would later be Henry VIII's first wife. Shortly after the wedding, Arthur died on 2 April 1502 due to night sweats (2). This left Henry as the rightful heir to the English throne just before his eleventh birthday. Fourteen months after Arthur's death, Catherine of Aragon was engaged to Henry VIII, and was therefore too young to marry (5). As Henry VIII grew up, his father became less willing to ally himself with the Spanish and repudiated Henry and Catherine's betrothal (5). After seven years his father dies and Henry VIII succeeds to the throne. Becomes the second monarch of the House……middle of paper……death (5). She was granted the care of Princess Elizabeth, but when her marriage to Thomas Seymour ended, the princess was removed from her care (5). Catherine moved the family with Thomas Seymour. Then at the age of 37 Catherine gives birth to her first daughter named Mary. Catherine soon fell ill with puerperal fever, which caused her death on September 5 (5). Catherine was buried in the chapel of Sudeley Castle. Henry VIII's life was marked by tragedy and conquest. The general reign of the Tudor dynasty is the same. The next two rulers, Edward VI and Mary, slowly brought England down. However, Princess Elizabeth saved the country and returned it to the best state it had been in for years. Henry would have been proud of Elizabeth the Virgin Queen. Too bad that the fate of not having an heir to the throne repeated itself and the dynasty was handed over to the Spanish.