What Did King Henry VIII Die Of?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 03, 2020

There has never been an exact cause of death listed for King Henry VIII. Available information from the time leads to the assumption that he died of chronic heart and pulmonary failure.

King Henry VIII became obese after a jousting accident left him with a wounded leg that kept him from remaining athletic and active. His obesity is the probable cause of the heart and lung problems. By the age of 54 years old, he required a wheelchair to move between his chambers and large horses for any travel outside the castle. His chest measured 57 inches, and his waist was 54 inches around.