Final answer:
King Henry VIII's only son was Edward VI, born to his third wife, Jane Seymour. Edward became king at age nine but died at fifteen, leading to a period of instability in England's succession.
Step-by-step explanation:
The only son of King Henry VIII was Edward VI. Henry's desire for a male heir to secure the Tudor dynasty was a driving force in England's political and religious landscape. After his marriage with Catherine of Aragon, which produced only one surviving child, a daughter named Mary, Henry aimed to ensure a male successor. Catherine's inability to provide a son led to the king's pursuit of an annulment and a break with the Roman Catholic Church, establishing the Church of England. His third wife, Jane Seymour, successfully gave birth to a son, Edward, in 1537. Edward VI became king at the age of nine after Henry's death but ruled for just six years before his own untimely death at the age of fifteen.
Learn more about Edward VI