Henry VIII is most famous for having married six times. He is infamous for having two of his wives executed. He is popular for having axed his relationship with the then Pope and cutting ties with the Vatican. Despite his eccentricities and certain decisions that cannot really be explained or justified in a rational way, Henry VIII is an important monarch in the history of England. Here are some Henry VIII major accomplishments.
1. Launched the Largest Invasion Attempt on France After King Henry V.
Henry VIII was always inclined to develop a stronger army which was also equipped with powerful weapons. The Mary Rose was developed during the early years of his reign. It was the first English gunship of its kind. He made a few strategic decisions that paid off. For instance, he established Woolwich and Deptford as the Royal Dockyards. He was fondly called ‘Father of the English Navy.’
2. Raged War Against Scotland and France.
He emerged victorious in the battle of Flodden against the Scots. His aspiration to be more powerful as an empire led him to expand his naval might from five ships to more than sixty ships. He was also a strategist. Circa 1540, he developed coastal fortresses along the shoreline to protect the empire from invasions. Later in mid 1540s, he defeated the French when they landed on the coast of England.
3. Transitioned Between Faiths.
Despite being a devout Catholic and being acknowledged by Pope Leo X as the ‘Defender of the Faith’, he led a religious reformation by going against the Roman Catholic faith and switched to being a Protestant. He established the Church of England and also passed the Act of Supremacy. His primary interest in going against the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church was to be able to remarry but his actions had long term repercussions in the evolution of Christianity over the five centuries henceforth.
4. Combined Imperial and Feudal Concepts.
He curbed the power of noblemen and their families. Instead, he enhanced the power of the monarchy and the parliament. He paved the way for the constitution of England.
King Henry VIII was relatively fickle and was hotheaded. His personal life was in perennial turmoil as a result. He married six times and had three children, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth I and King Edward VI. King Henry VIII was also a musician and a closet writer.