Henry VIII Silver Groat Pendant in a Silver Frame

Henry VIII was king of England from 1509-1547 AD. He was son to Henry VII, from the Tudor line and Elizabeth, from the York line. After his elder brother Arthur died, Henry became heir to the throne. As a youth the king was highly intelligent, speaking multiple language, writing books and playing music. He was also very athletic and religious. The beginning of his reign was stable financially and with the connections with Spain, France and Rome. Henry VIII was most known for his formation of the Church of England. The main basis of this Protestant reform was to allow Henry to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon and thus famously have five more wives. This put a strain on the protestant and catholic relations among the English people. The king was only able to produce one male heir, Edward VI, who became king after Henry’s death on the 28th January 1547 AD. However, this reign was short lived at six years when he died at fifteen years old.