Henry was a big spender. By his death on 28 January 1547, he had accumulated 50 royal palaces — a record for the English monarchy — and spent vast sums on his collections (including musical instruments and tapestries) and gambling. Not to mention the millions he pumped into wars with Scotland and France.

He was, in fact, one of the most cultured and sophisticated monarchs ever to sit on the throne. His enthusiastic patronage of the arts in England, and serious passion for music, painting and poetry, helped drag our country into a new age of creativity.

England’s King Henry VIII is best known for two things: His many wives and his decision to execute several of them. His decision to suppress the Roman Catholic Church, establishing the Church of England as the official religion of the nation. This act became known as the English Reformation.

His last words were to summon Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to his bedside, but Henry was unconscious by the time the clergyman arrived. “Cranmer asked the king for a sign that he still believed Christ would save him, and Henry is said to have shook hands with the Archbishop in response. ”

Much of Henry’s bad reputation comes from his eventful (to say the least) marital life. When Anne produced only a daughter as well, Henry had her executed for adultery and treason and immediately married Jane Seymour, who produced the much-desired son, but died in childbirth.

Jane Seymour is often described as Henry’s true love, the woman who tragically died after giving the king his longed-for son. Not so, Tudor expert Tracy Borman told BBC History Revealed.

Henry is best known for his six marriages, including his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disagreement with Pope Clement VII about such an annulment led Henry to initiate the English Reformation, separating the Church of England from papal authority.

One of the most beautiful monarchs in history was Catherine of Aragon, Dowager Princess of Wales, who lived from 1485 until 1536. She was, unfortunately, married to King Henry VIII (the one with all the wives that you remember from your history class), but she made quite the name for herself.

age 17
Henry VIII: First Years as King Henry VIII took the throne at age 17 and married Catherine of Aragon six weeks later. Over the next 15 years, while Henry fought three wars with France, Catherine bore him three sons and three daughters, all but one of whom died in infancy.

Henry VIII
King John I may forever be known as a Bad King following that seminal history textbook 1066 and All That, but according to history authors, it is Henry VIII who should bear the title of the worst monarch in history.

Yes, Henry VIII was brutal, selfish, and at times, very unpleasant. But despite this, it’s hard to deny that King Henry VIII was a very accomplished leader. He achieved a great many things during his reign as King of England between years 1509 and 1547. – King Henry VIII established the Church of England.

The Tudor king’s huge meals were washed down with 600,000 gallons of beer every year. To drink that much beer, each of the 1,200 people at court would need to have consumed an average of 10 pints every day. Henry’s spending dwarfs our current Queen ‘s £1.4 million food bill for 2014/15.