King Henry VIII

Henry VIII was born on 28 June 1491 at Greenwich Palace, the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. He became heir to the throne after the death of his elder brother Arthur in 1502 and succeeded his father in 1509 at age 17.

The young Henry was a Renaissance prince—tall, athletic, handsome, and accomplished in music, poetry, and theology. He married his brother's widow, Catherine of Aragon, shortly after his accession, beginning a marriage that would last 24 years.

Henry's desperate need for a male heir led to the most dramatic events of his reign. When Catherine failed to produce a surviving son, Henry sought an annulment from Pope Clement VII. The Pope's refusal led Henry to break with Rome, establishing the Church of England with himself as Supreme Head in 1534.

This break with Rome, known as the English Reformation, transformed England's religious, political, and cultural landscape forever. Henry dissolved the monasteries, seizing their wealth and lands, and fundamentally altered the relationship between church and state.

Henry married six times: Catherine of Aragon (divorced), Anne Boleyn (executed), Jane Seymour (died in childbirth), Anne of Cleves (divorced), Catherine Howard (executed), and Catherine Parr (survived him). Only Jane Seymour gave him a surviving son, the future Edward VI.

In his later years, Henry became increasingly tyrannical and paranoid, executing former friends and advisors. He died on 28 January 1547 at Whitehall Palace, leaving a complex legacy that continues to fascinate historians and the public alike.