From Forbes.com:
A collector of old books turns his fixation on the Tudors into a big exhibit celebrating England’s most colorful ruler.
Henry VIII is best known for lopping off heads, marrying six times and expanding his gut. But his legacy, insists antiquarian-book collector and Tudor enthusiast Arthur Schwarz, runs much deeper. An accomplished theologian and sportsman, Henry wrote poetry and music and displayed a keen interest in astronomy and maps. Perhaps most important in Schwarz’s view, Henry VIII broke from Rome and established the Church of England, laying the ground for an expansion of British power.
Be sure to check out the slide show and video
seems like the abbey did it for this guy too! that building is just amazing and can spark anyone’s interest!
King Henry VIII was a nortorious person.But also was known for doing something good (creating the church of England) You have to thank him for that! Without the church of England everybody would be worshipping as a catholic today.
TudorRose: Your comment depends on who you are. To Catholics, Henry’s reign was seen as sheer terror. To “thank him” for breaking away from The Pope? You can’t make a generalized comment like that!
I understand what you are saying but only the catholics would have disliked him for wanting a divorce from Catherine of Aragon firstly and then breaking away from the church of rome second.But if you were a reformist (lutheran) at the time you would be happy and cheering the king on.But don’t forget that King henryVIII had worshipped as a catholic and was brought up as a catholic since the day he was born because since catholicism was the only religion that existed prior to the king’s break with Rome but even then the king was and stayed neutral he in other words made himself supreme head of the english church in1534 but still worshipped as a catholic.So he had people from both religions on his side and could easily entice or drop or be enticed by any side at any time.This is were I think king HenryVIII was very clever but at the same time he had to be that way otherwise he would lose favour be disliked or be the target of a rebellion or overthrow.
people that weren’t catholic might have also disagreed with henry wanting to divorce katherine! the divorce is what caused henry to break with the church. the break may have never happened if he hadn’t wanted a divorce. keep in mind, as you pointed out, that henry was raised catholic and remained so to his death. kinda ironic, huh?
catholics disliked the divorce because it was a divorce…before there was ever any talk about breaking with rome!
Only very few though.Mostly it would have been the catholics that were against it.Yes the divorce caused Henry to break with Rome but you are forgetting that it wasn’t Just catherine herself.It was the Lady Anne (Boleyn) who was the most main and vital cause of Henry’s break with Rome.Dont forget Henry wanted to divorce Catherine and marry Anne and the only way he could do this was by breaking with the church of Rome and even going as far as executing some who included his loyal and faithull servant the king’s cheif minister Thomas More.Now if he had never met or married Anne I can assure you More or Bishop Fisher (John) would not have lost their heads. Unless they had accepted the oath.Meaning fully recognized and accepted King Henry VIII His almighty majesty as Head Of the church of England.But not until.He soon regreted the death of More years later though blaming Anne of course.