Debunking the King Henry VII Valentine's Day Myth

The story of Valentine's Day is rich with history, often intertwined with fascinating myths. One such enduring tale suggests that England's King Henry VII officially declared February 14th as St. Valentine's Day in 1537. While it makes for a neat historical tidbit, the truth is a little more complex, and involves a different monarch entirely.

Unraveling the Royal Mix-Up

The first crucial detail to clarify is the identity of the king. King Henry VII, known for founding the Tudor dynasty and bringing stability to England after the Wars of the Roses, reigned from 1485 until his death in 1509. By 1537, he had been gone for nearly three decades. Therefore, any declaration made in that year could not have come from him.

This common misconception likely stems from confusing him with his more famously, or perhaps infamously, known son and successor.

Henry VIII: The Real Proclaimer

The monarch actually on the throne in 1537 was King Henry VIII, a figure whose reign was marked by profound religious and political upheaval, most notably the English Reformation. It was indeed Henry VIII who, by Royal Charter, officially designated February 14th as the feast of St. Valentine's Day. However, it wasn't an invention of the holiday, but rather an official recognition and establishment of an already existing observance.

This declaration served to formally acknowledge a day that had been celebrated in various forms for centuries, integrating it into the official calendar of the Church of England following his break from Rome.

From Pagan Rites to Christian Feasts

The origins of celebrating February 14th stretch back much further than the Tudor era. One significant precursor is the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, held annually on February 15th. This pagan fertility festival involved rituals believed to promote health and fertility, far removed from the romantic sentiments we associate with Valentine's Day today.

As Christianity spread across the Roman Empire, there was often an effort to repurpose pagan festivals. Around 496 AD, Pope Gelasius I is widely credited with establishing the Feast of St. Valentine on February 14th, likely in an attempt to Christianize or replace the practices of Lupercalia. However, the exact identity of "St. Valentine" remains somewhat mysterious, with at least three different saints sharing the name and martyred on or around this date.

Chaucer and Courtly Love

The explicit association of Valentine's Day with romantic love, as we understand it, developed much later, primarily during the Middle Ages. It's often attributed to the celebrated English poet Geoffrey Chaucer.

• Chaucer's poem, "Parlement of Foules" (written around 1382), contains what is believed to be the first recorded instance of Valentine's Day being linked to romantic love and courtship.
• In the poem, he writes: "For this was on seynt Volantynys day, Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make." (For this was on Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird comes there to choose his mate.)
• This literary connection helped popularize the notion of Valentine's Day as a time for lovers to express their affection.

Over the subsequent centuries, traditions like sending love letters, poems, and tokens of affection grew, solidifying February 14th's place as a day for romance.

A Tapestry of Traditions

So, while King Henry VII wasn't involved, and his son King Henry VIII did play a role in formalizing the feast day, the complete narrative of Valentine's Day is far richer. It's a complex tapestry woven from ancient pagan rituals, early Christian observances, and medieval poetic inspiration, culminating in the globally recognized celebration of love we know today.

Understanding these distinct historical layers reveals that Valentine's Day is not the invention of a single monarch, but a holiday that evolved organically over more than a millennium.