Henry VIII

Henry VII was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. According to the
traditions, the first male heir of the royal family would be the next king, but in this case, Henry
became the king. His big brother, Arthur had died of tuberculosis at the young age of fifteen.
King Henry was not a good person, but he had some striking features that made him
very popular in nowadays.
First, he was known for being the most handsome king of England when he was young.
He was six feet tall, powerfully built and a tireless athlete, huntsman and dancer. He also had a
strong desire on having a male heir. It is usual for a king to want a boy for throne because that
was according to the traditions, but what he did to his wives is unacceptable. This is one of the
main reasons the he is known in the history.
Second, Henry was capable of making the divorce with Catherine of Aragon happen, just
because she wasn’t able to give him a male heir. The Pope Clement VII didn’t agree with his
decision, but he couldn’t stand a chance. His determination made the Church of England
separate from the papal authority. This shows that how much did his fear of not having a son
affect him and the ones around him, especially his wives.
A last striking feature of him is the sudden change in appearance and health. From a
very handsome and built prince to a sick and obese old king.

Păun Bianca, X E