Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death.

He is also Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) and claimant to the Kingdom of France.

Henry is the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII.

Henry VIII is a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy.

Besides his six marriages, he is known for his role in the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church.

Henry's struggles with Rome ultimately lead to the separation of the Church of England from papal authority, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and establishing himself as the Supreme Head of the Church of England.

He changes religious ceremonies and rituals and suppresses the monasteries, while remaining a fervent believer in core Catholic theological teachings, even after his excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church.

Henry also oversees the legal union of England and Wales with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.

Henry is, by all accounts, an attractive and charismatic man in his prime, educated and accomplished.

He rules with absolute power, perhaps the last English monarch to do so.

His overwhelming desire to provide England with a male heir, partly from personal vanity, but also on the grounds that a female is not strong enough to consolidate the Tudor Dynasty and the fragile peace that exists following the Wars of the Roses, lead to the two things that Henry is remembered for today: his six wives, and the English Reformation that made England a Protestant nation.

In later life he becomes morbidly obese and his health suffers; his public image is frequently depicted as one of a lustful, egotistical, harsh and insecure king.

The six wives—two of whom he had beheaded—made him a cultural icon, with many books, films, plays, and television series based around him and his wives.