Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Hopelessly Self Deluded

Having just finished several books and biographies of England's Henry XIII I have concluded that many depictions of him have become a caricature of his life. That being said, he still died a vain, bloated, hopelessly self-deluded tyrant. This is a man who ushered England's protestant reformation because he was miffed that the pope wouldn't annul his first marriage. This was a man who beheaded 2 wives on trumped up charges of adultery (and began treason hearings on his final wife). His ministers and servants were so scared of becoming a victim of "treason" that he annulled his marriage (because by then he was the English pope) to the only woman who didn't swoon in delight at his arrival after 6 months (his 3rd wife, Anne of Cleves) to marry a 15 year old girl. He killed hundreds of people for treason and burned as many for protestantism and catholicism. Yet, he went to his grave, (self) assured that he was England's bonny prince, beloved by all and second only to God. Do you think he's in heaven?

I suppose you could blame this particular case on that fact that he was the King, and the second much-coddled son of his parents. Unfortunately, I see this kind of delusion all over. There are idiots all over reality teevee who think that they really are the most talented/special person in the room. I had students who thought that their As in high school earned them an A in my class. And all over are the people who think the rules don't apply to them because they're in a hurry/very important/total jackasses. I'm sure there are some things I've deluded myself about, but I truly hope that I'm not one of the hopeless.

3 comments:

Amanda said...

Have you seen or read The Other Boleyn Girl? I really enjoyed the perspective that several historians gave on his early life in the special features.

Jube said...

I really enjoyed the book. The movie, on the other hand, caricatured Henry's life like most film treatments do. Henry in his early life really was England's bonny Prince and had high ideals. What he became was a whole different story. It's been really interesting for me to read different historian's takes on why he did the things he did.

Anonymous said...

I read the Philliap Gregory book Earthly Joys based in that time period as well. It was rather astonishing what the king would get away with and the just the way "good" civil servants put their master second only to God and worshipped him in a similiar manner. My how times have changed (and thank goodness!!)

 
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