Henry VIII
A younger son of King Henry VII, Henry
Tudor succeeded to the throne due to the unexpected death of his older brother Arthur
Prince of Wales. Unlike his parsimonious and peace loving father, the new young King
delighted in extravagance, and renewed aggressions against France, England's traditional
rival.
Of course, Henry VIII is especially known for his 6 trips down the aisle. His
attempt to divorce Katherine of Aragon, and make Anne Boleyn his Queen led to the split
from Rome, and the establishment of the English Church. Of his 6 marriages, Henry left
only one legitimate male heir to succeed him.
Pictured: Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) from the film A Man For All Seasons.