King Henry VIII of England (1491- 1547) was a member of the Tudor family and the son of King Henry VII. He is widely and most often remembered for having had six wives. It was his wish to marry his second wife, Anne Boleyn in 1533, while still married to his first Catherine of Aregon, that caused Henry to split with the Catholic Church. Pope Clement VII refused to grant Henry the annulment of his marriage to Catherine and as a result Henry took legal steps to break from Rome and have himself instated as the head of the church in England. In the following years, Henry ordered the closure of numerous monasteries in England and Ireland and the breaking up of the lands and property.

Henry was succeeded on his death in 1547 by his son Edward. Edward’s reign was short-lived and his Catholic sister Mary inherited the throne in 1553. She herself was succeeded on her death by her step-sister Elizabeth 1, daughter of Anne Boleyn in 1558. Elizabeth reigned for 45 years until 1603 and it was during her reign that the Protestant religion became fully established as the religion of England.