Why Is King Henry Viii Important

Henry the VIII, king of England, desperately desired to have an heir to the throne of England. After his brother’s death, he married his brother’s wife, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine had a baby girl, but she never produced a boy. Henry became weary of Catherine and petitioned the pope for permission to end his marriage. The pope refused. After reading some of the reformers writings on the abuses of the Catholic Church and the corrupt practices, he decided that he too would break away from the Catholic Church and form his own church, the Church of England. In this Act of Supremacy, Henry VIII authorized himself not only the King of England, but also the head of the Church of England. The pope furiously complained, but now since Henry VIII ruled the Church he decided it proper to divorce his wife. …show more content…
Since Anne only delivered a little daughter, Henry VIII had her beheaded. His next wife, Jane Seymour, finally gave him a son, but Jane died during childbirth. So, Henry once again looked for a wife. He saw a portrait of Anne of Cleves and decided he wanted to marry her. When she came for the wedding, he realized that the artist painted her more beautiful than she was, and shortly after he married her he put her away. Then he married the wicked woman, Catherine Howard. He promptly had her beheaded. Finally, in his old age, Henry VIII married Catherine Parr. She cared for Henry the rest of his life. All in all, Henry VIII had six