This is Edward VI. The only son of King Henry the 8th born to a wife instead of mistress. His birth killed his mother Jane Seymour. She was Henrys 3rd queen and is the one buried at his side. Edward was crowned King at the age of 9, but it was already obvious he would not live.
By most accounts, this boy was born with syphilis. I read an account of him on his death bed once and it described him as not having any hair or fingernails. He was dead by the age of 16.
And because of this boys death, two queens rose up in his place. His half sister Mary went on to become Bloody Mary for her persecution of Protestants in her efforts to undo her fathers work and restore England to the Catholic faith.
And when Mary died childless, the other half sister, Elizabeth the First, daughter of a decapitated and wronged queen, rose to power. She became so great a queen an entire era was named for her.
And simply none of that would have happened had this one sickly prince lived. Everything Henry the 8th did, he did to produce this one ill fated legitimate male heir.
It is a really great portrait of a handsome boy. He looks fine and strong and regal. But every time I look at this portrait I wonder if it was really what he looked like, or did the artist give him a vitality that never truly existed? Is it a 'mercy' portrait...?
The world will never know. But either way, it is a fine fine portrait. A wonderful boy!
(As an interesting side note, the reason Lady Jane Seymour is not refferred to as 'Queen' was because she was never actually coronated. Henry seemed to be withholding the title until she 'proved' herself by producing a male heir. The proving cost her life, and so to this day she remains Lady Jane, not Queen Jane.)
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