In December 1546, Henry knew the party was over. He stopped meeting with his council because he couldn’t bear the pain. The leg—by now a maggot-filled horror show—had gone septic. That means the infection had spread from his leg into his bloodstream. Sepsis is no joke; it’s your body turning against itself. Fevers, chills, delirium.
By January 27, 1547, he was barely conscious. He couldn’t even sign his own will; someone had to stamp it with a dry seal for him. Imagine the mightiest king in Europe, unable to hold a pen. He kept muttering orders, still trying to micromanage the executions of a few old rivals. His servants just nodded and let him ramble.
Finally, on January 28, he took his last breath. And here’s the ironic twist: his chief doctor, Sir William Butts, had actually prescribed a cream made from saffron and egg whites for the leg. Really? Saffron? That’s like fighting a dragon with a feather duster. But hey, 16th-century medicine wasn’t exactly a science.
How Old Was Henry The Eighth When He Died | Detroit Chinatown
