Discovery of grave may solve mystery death of Henry VIII's brother at 15 

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Discovery of grave may solve mystery death of Henry VIII\'s brother at 15

Archaeologists have discovered the grave of Prince Arthur, the older brother of Henry VIII, who died of a mysterious illness when he was 15.

Using ground-probing radar, they have pinpointed the final resting place of the first Tudor Prince of Wales below the limestone floor of Worcester Cathedral.

The researchers believe the discovery could help identify the "sweating sickness" that killed the heir to the Tudor dynasty 500 years ago.

Details of the grave will be presented this week at Cheltenham Science Festival, sponsored by The Daily Telegraph.

Dr Julian Litten, a historian and expert in burial rites involved in the study, said Prince Arthur\'s illness could be linked to the fate half a century later of Edward VI, born to Henry VIII and Jane Seymour in 1537. Henry VI also died before his 16th birthday having ascended to the throne when he was nine.

"What is it that carries off first Arthur and then Edward when they are so young?" said Dr Litten. "As yet, no one has been able to come up with an answer. But the death of Edward meant that the Tudor dynasty was terribly short lived."

The researchers hope to use an endoscope to examine Prince Arthur\'s grave without disturbing the remains.

Prince Arthur was born in 1486, the first son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. In a deal arranged when the prince was barely a toddler, Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain.

The union was an astute political move that created a bond between England and Spain and sidelined France.

After years of negotiation, the couple were married in November 1501 when Arthur was 15. The newlyweds were sent to live in Ludlow castle. After a bitter winter, Prince Arthur died six months later from "sweating sickness" and was buried in Worcester.

Catherine of Aragon remained in England after the prince\'s death, eventually marrying his younger brother, Henry VIII. The couple\'s failure to produce a male heir led to divorce and the Reformation.

Christopher Guy, Worcester Cathedral\'s archaeologist, has now completed the first survey of Prince Arthur\'s chantry to find the exact location of the grave.

Radar located a likely tomb under the floor several feet from the prince\'s tomb chest, which was built 20 years after his death. The radar revealed that the soil had been infilled, but not whether there were any remains inside.

"We think it is possible that we have identified the grave, which is extremely exciting," he said. "The chantry appears to have been built in 1504, two years after Prince Arthur\'s death."

Mr Guy said there were puzzling questions about Arthur\'s death and why a man reputed to be in poor health was sent to the remoteness of Ludlow, far from the London physicians.

Peter Vaughan, of the Worcester Prince Arthur Committee, which researched the funeral for a re-enactment earlier in the month, believes there is evidence of foul play.

He said: "He wasn\'t a strong character, unlike his younger brother. Could it be that his father was strong enough to see that the best interests of the Tudors were to be served by Henry Duke of York, rather than Arthur?"

However, historians such as Dr David Starkey and Dr Julian Litten have dismissed suggestions of neglect or murder. "There is nothing fishy about his demise," said Dr Litten. "He was in Ludlow as an ambassador for a king setting up a new dynasty."

Dr Litten believes the real mystery over Arthur\'s death was the nature of the disease, and whether it was a genetic condition that was also passed to Edward VI.

The Cheltenham Science Festival runs from Wednesday to Sunday.

It will includes talks and debates by dozens of scientists, broadcasters and writers including: Steve Jones, Telegraph columnist; Simon Singh, the author of Fermat\'s Last Theorem; Lord Winston, the fertility expert; Brian Aldiss, the science fiction author; and Richard Dawkins, author of The Selfish Gene.

For details telephone 01242 227979 or visit the website.

Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales - Tudor History

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