Skip to main content

June 28, 1491 - Henry VIII

Henry VIII reshaped English religious and political life through a combination of personal will and institutional force, breaking from Rome not on doctrinal grounds but to secure a marriage annulment — then building an entire church structure around the crown's supremacy. The dissolution of the monasteries, the execution of ministers and nobles who fell from favor, and the fates of two of his six wives reflect how thoroughly he wielded the new powers he had consolidated. His reign is a study in how personal authority, when structurally unchecked, can redirect the course of a nation.

From Wikipedia

Henry VIII

Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 22 April 1509, and King of Ireland from 18 June 1542, until his death in 1547.

Born in Greenwich, Henry was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. His elder brother, Arthur, Prince of Wales, had been the heir apparent, but died in 1502 at the age of 15. Henry VII died in 1509, and Henry took the throne at the age of 17. He married Catherine of Aragon, who had been Princess of Wales and became widowed from Arthur. Henry had sought a male heir from Catherine, who produced the future Mary I but no surviving male children.

The English church had been in communion with the pope of the Catholic Church. Henry desired to annul the marriage to Catherine, appealing to Pope Clement VII. Since Catherine was the aunt of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, the pope delayed the verdict amid political pressure from Charles.

Further reading

As an Amazon Associate, Evil Birthdays earns from qualifying purchases.

⚠ Report a problem with this article

  • Last updated on .