King Henry VIII: Informative essay :: essays research papers

Henry VIII, born in 1491, was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. The significance of Henrys reign is, at times, overshadowed by his six marriages dispensing with these forthwith enables a deeper search into the major themes of the reign. He married Catherine of Aragon (widow of his brother, Arthur) in 1509, divorcing her in 1533, the union produced one daughter, Mary. Henry married the pregnant Anne Boleyn in 1533, she gave him another daughter, Elizabeth, but was punish for infidelity (a treasonous charge in the kings consort) in May 1536. He married Jane Seymour by the end of the same month, who died giving birth to Henrys lone anthropoid heir, Edward, in October 1536. Early in 1540, Henry arranged a marriage with Anne of Cleves, after viewing Hans Holbeins beautiful portrait of the German princess. In person, alas, Henry prove her homely and the marriage was never consummated. In July 1540, he married the adulterous Catherine Howard - she was executed for infide lity in March 1542. Catherine Parr became his wife in 1543, providing for the needs of both Henry and his children until his death in 1547.The court life initiated by his father evolved into a cornerstone of Tudor government in the reign of Henry VIII. later on his fathers staunch, stolid rule, the energetic, youthful and handsome king avoided governing in person, much preferring to journey the countryside hunting and reviewing his subjects. Matters of state were left in the hands of others, most notably Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York. Cardinal Wolsey virtually ruled England until his failure to secure the papal annulment that Henry needed to marry Anne Boleyn in 1533. Wolsey was quite capable as Lord Chancellor, but his own interests were served more than that of the king as powerful as he was, he still was subject to Henrys favor - losing Henrys confidence be to be his downfall. The early part of Henrys reign, however, saw the young king invade France, defeat Scottish forces at the Battle of Foldden Field (in which James IV of Scotland was slain), and save up a treatise denouncing Martin Luthers Reformist ideals, for which the pope awarded Henry the title Defender of the Faith.The 1530s witnessed Henrys growing involvement in government, and a series of events which greatly altered England, as well as the whole of Western Christendom the separation of the Church of England from Roman Catholicism.