How did Tudors die?

Answer 1

Ordinary people died of Infectious Diseases, accidental causes (especially farming & construction related, & drowning - few people could swim!), complications of childbirth, cardiovascular diseases, cancer etc etc... plus, sometimes from starvation, neglect, or violently in war or at the hands of criminals! Not that different from today really, although any significant injury - most of which would be survivable with modern medical care - had the potential permanently to cripple or kill the victim. Alcohol related diseases, accidents & violent crimes were also pretty common.

The ruling classes were just as susceptible to most of these as their "social inferiors", but many men of the elites died from injuries sustained in combat sports (especially jousting - the young Henry VIII nearly died thus!), riding & hunting, or war! Massive consumption of alcohol & a diet excessively high in animal protein & fats (& relatively low in fruit & vegetables, esp vegetables - "peasant food"!) also took their toll in predictable ways!

Tudor Kings, Queens, princes:

Henry VII died from a stroke;

Prince Arthur - "consumption", but possibly some congenital heart problem;

Henry VIII - congestive heart failure & associated complications: he was, in later years, grossly obese, probably alcoholic, & possibly had Type 2 Diabetes. He also suffered regularly from outbreaks of scurvy & associated complications (eg leg ulcers); a total medical disaster zone, & he probably died due to a number of interacting complications of all of these conditions!

Edward VI - "consumption" (ie tuberculosis);

Mary I - cancer (probably stomach);

Elizabeth I - "old age"( probably heart failure & pneumonia, plus general exhaustion, no doubt!).

Henry VIII's wives:

Catherine of Aragon - cancer (probably lung: the detailed autopsy report suggests this);

Anne Boleyn - decapitation (judicial murder by her husband);

Jane Seymour - complications of childbirth (probably puerperal fever);

Anne of Cleves - "old age" (probably heart problems & pneumonia etc - typical killers of the elderly, then as today!);

Catherine Howard - decapitation (as per Anne Boleyn!);

Catherine Parr - "old age" (as per Anne of Cleves).

Answer 2

many reasons, but the main one being:

poor hygiene, remember at this time toilet paper was not invented therefore people walked around with poo still in their bottoms