Encyclopaedia Britannica (Henry VIII, 1992) goes on to say: “Henry had by now become truly dangerous: always secretive and suspicious, now he was beginning to how paranoiac tendencies. Convinced that he controlled everyone, he was in fact readily manipulated by those who knew how to feed his suspicions and pander to his self-righteousness” (p. 841). Even the final years of Henry’s life were not calm. He led wars with France and Scotland. He ruled the country on is own and as he was not very psychically balanced his policy
was not very good. He died at the beginning of the year 1547 (Henry VIII, 1992). “He left the realm feeling bereft and the government even more bewildered because, to the last, he had refused to make full arrangements for the rule of a boy king”(Henry VIII,1992, p. 842).
To sum up, Henry VIII was a true monarch. He really is a colossus among English kings. Although, the early and late years of his reign do not seem to be of a big significance he did something that highlighted his name in a history. He wanted so much to have a male heir. When the pope deny his claim for a divorce he did not step back from his aim and did what probably many kings in a history were secretly longing for, but they were too cautious and afraid to do that. He escaped from the papal influence and changed the face of the church in England forever. He was first among English kings who became “Supreme Head of the Church of England” and that is Henry’s biggest significance for a British history. Even after more that 450 years from Henry’s death his heritage – The Church of England – is still alive. Sources:
Halliday, F.E. (1995). England concise history. London: Thames and Hudson.
Haigh, Ch. (1992). The Cambridge historical encyclopedia of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Cambridge University Press. Henry VIII(1992). New Encyclopaedia Britannica: Micropaedia, vol. 5. Chicago:.