The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 14.0659  Friday, 4 April 2003

From:           Pat Dolan <
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Date:           Thursday, 03 Apr 2003 12:40:33 -0600
Subject:        Henry VIII's Legs

Edward Brown wrote of Henry VIII,

"Only after serious leg injuries curtailed his athletic activities did
he become corpulent."

I had always speculated that the ulcers on his legs had something to do
with diabetes. (I've read Catholic scholars that conjectured untreated
syphilis, but I've always doubted it. Sorry, I don't have those
references.)

Do we know with a high degree of certainty that the injuries preceded
the corpulence? Has anyone done a convincing diagnosis?

Pat Dolan

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