Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 1509 until his death. Henry was the second Tudor monarch, succeeding his father, Henry VII.

Henry VIII’s marital problems lead to a break with the Catholic Church and decades of conflict as England becomes a Protestant nation.

Henry is best known for his six marriages, in particular his efforts to have his first marriage, to Catherine of Aragon, annulled. His disagreement with the Pope on the question of such an annulment led Henry to initiate the English Reformation, separating the Church of England from papal authority. He appointed himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England and dissolved convents and monasteries, for which he was excommunicated. Henry is also known as “the father of the Royal Navy”; he invested heavily in the Navy, increasing its size greatly from a few to more than 50 ships.

From 1509 to 1547 thousands of people were beheaded….

King Henry VIII: The Church and The Reformation