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Primary sourceBook1509

The Coronation of King Henry the Eighth

Stephen Hawes · 1509

A poem by Stephen Hawes celebrating the 1509 coronation of the young Henry VIII and the hopes placed in his reign.

This poem was written to celebrate Henry VIII's coronation and the hopes placed in his new reign.

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Full text (public-domain edition)

About this source

What it is

This is a short printed poem written by the poet Stephen Hawes in 1509, marking the coronation of Henry VIII. It survives as an early printed pamphlet, and the version available to modern readers is a transcription made by volunteer proofreaders, not the original pamphlet itself.

Why it matters

The poem shows how contemporaries greeted the eighteen-year-old Henry at the start of his reign, full of optimism after the death of his father Henry VII. It is an early piece of royal propaganda, showing how poets and courtiers shaped public expectation of a new king.

Look closer

  • What hopes does the poet seem to place in the new king?
  • Why might a poet want to praise a king so soon after his coronation?
  • How does this compare with how Henry VIII is remembered today?

This book 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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Primary source

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Primary source

Astrological Birth Chart for Henry VIII

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