During the Wars of the Roses, a European royal house of Welsh origin rose to power, a dynasty that would rule England for the next one hundred and eighteen years. The most powerful and well-known dynasty is 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 June 28, 1491 at Placentia Palace in Greenwich (2). Being the second son, Henry was raised and educated to play a secular role in life, probably as Archbishop of Canterbury (2). His grandmother Margaret Beaufort oversaw his early childhood education (2). Henry was reported to have excelled in book learning as well as the sports required by members of aristocratic society (1). But even as educated, handsome and athletic as Henry was, his father continued to favor the elder Prince Arthur (2). When Henry reached the age of 10, he participated in the marriage arranged by his brothers to 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 was later to be Henry VIII's first wife. Shortly after the marriage, Arthur died on April 2, 1502 from night sweats (2). This left Henry the rightful heir to the English throne just before his 11th birthday. Fourteen months after Arthur's death, Catherine of Aragon was engaged to Henry VIII, who was then too young to marry (5). As Henry VIII grew older, his father became less willing to ally with the Spanish and he repudiated the engagement of Henry and Catherine (5). After seven years, his father died and Henry VIII ascended the throne. He becomes the second monarch of the House ...... middle of paper ...... death (5). She was given custody of Princess Elizabeth, but when the marriage to Thomas Seymour was revealed, the princess was removed from her custody (5). Catherine moved in with Thomas Seymour. Then at 37, Catherine gave 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 at Sudeley Castle. Henry VIII's life was marked by tragedy and achievement. The overall rule 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 brought it to the best state the country had been in for years. Henry would have been proud of Elizabeth the Virgin Queen. Too bad the fate of not having an heir to the throne is repeated and the dynasty is ceded to the Spanish..