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Primary sourceDocument17 July 1546

Ratification by Henry VIII of the Treaty of Ardres

Henry VIII of England · 17 July 1546

Henry VIII's signed and sealed ratification, in Latin with an illuminated title page, of the 1546 treaty with King Francis I of France.

Henry VIII personally ratified this treaty with France, making this his own official act near the end of his reign.

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Illuminated manuscript title page with a gold and white architectural border, two white marble-like female busts, and a central oval portrait of a man in a red cap. The large gilt heading reads 'HENRICUS' followed by dense black Latin script. Painted figures sit at the base, and coats of arms appear at the top.
Ratification by Henry VIII of the Treaty of Ardres, 17 July 1546.

About this source

What it is

This is Henry VIII's formal ratification of the Treaty of Ardres, agreed with King Francis I of France, dated 17 July 1546. The document has an illuminated title page with a gold architectural border, decorative figures, coats of arms, and a portrait, followed by Latin text confirming the treaty on the king's authority.

Why it matters

This ratification shows Henry VIII acting directly as head of state, confirming a peace agreement with France near the very end of his reign. The elaborate decoration of the document reflects how seriously such diplomatic agreements were treated and how rulers used art to project authority.

It is a primary source: an official act carried out and authorised by Henry VIII himself, naming his officials who negotiated the treaty.

Look closer

  • Why would a diplomatic document be decorated with a portrait, coats of arms, and gold borders?
  • What does the use of Latin, rather than English, tell you about diplomacy in this period?
  • What does this document NOT tell us about how the treaty's terms were actually negotiated?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Henry VIII on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Black-and-white photograph of a painting: a crowned king in ornate robes sits on a throne holding a scepter, with a line of men in dark robes and caps standing to the right, beneath a leaded window.Painting

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Stipple engraving of a group of five people in Tudor-style dress standing or seated behind a table draped with a curtain. On the left, a heavyset man in a fur-trimmed robe and jeweled cap holds a staff. Behind him, a man peers from the shadows. Three young people sit at the table: a boy in a dark cap and two young women in lace collars and hoods. Signed Hans Holbein Del. and F. Bartolozzi R.A. Sculpt.Painting

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Henry VIII and His Three Children with Will Summers

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Hand-coloured woodcut print of a bearded man in a black hat with white feather plume, wearing a fur-trimmed black and gold robe over a pink doublet, holding a gold-hilted dagger. A crowned coat of arms with a Latin motto and a Dutch-language inscription at top are visible against a green backdrop.Painting

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Portrait of Henry VIII of England

1547

Scanned black-and-white page of an early printed book in dense black-letter type, headed 'SERENISSIMO INVICTISSIMOQUE ANGLIAE' with a small woodcut decorative initial at left. The text is a Latin dedication, and a handwritten marginal note appears at the bottom left.Document

Primary source

Dedication to Henry VIII in Compendiosa Anatomiae

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Engraved astrological birth chart in an oval frame. Central oval portrait of a man in a feathered cap and high collar, labeled HENRY VIII King of England, Born June 28.10 H.40 m.A.M. 1491. Zodiac signs and planetary symbols with numbers surround the portrait.Artifact

Primary source

Astrological Birth Chart for Henry VIII

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