Sir Thomas More said of King Henry VIII, “[that] [i]f a loin knew his strength, it [would be] hard for any man to hold him”.[1] This quote suggests that King Henry VIII knew exactly what it meant to be king and that nobody was going to stand in his way. This proved to be true as King Henry VIII was the most contentious king in England’s history. He is most famous for his six wives, two of whom he beheaded, and his role as instigator of the English Reformation. Through his manipulation of government and iron-clad authority, King Henry VIII forever altered England’s place in Western Civilization. Born as Henry Tudor on 28 June 1491, he was the second son to King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York of the Tudor Dynasty.[2] Growing up, young Henry
