In 1536, when Henry was injured jousting, he fell under his horse and lay unconscious. Many of his courtiers feared he had died. The Duke of Norfolk rushed with the news to his niece, Queen Anne Boleyn. She became distraught. Shortly thereafter she miscarried and blamed the loss on the dreadful news. Many believe this was miscarriage was the true start of Anne’s downfall.
Henry suffered a severe concussion during this injury. Some recent historians claim it was the cause of his increasingly volatile temper. It certainly led to his reduced capacity for exercise. And he experienced a great deal of pain from then on. So it’s not surprising he became nastier.
The Renaissance English History Podcast gives the full story. The Tudor Minute for January 24 is the anniversary of Henry VIII’s most famous jousting accident in 1536. Follow the link to listen to it.