ABSTRACT
Henry VIII ruled England at a time when the Protestant Reformation challenged the authority of the Roman Catholic church. The death of Henry VIIs first son, Arthur, who had been married to Catherine of Aragon, enabled Henry VIII to accede to the throne in 1509. Henry VIII also issued denunciations of Martin Luther's Protestant ideas, for which he was named “Defender of the Faith” in 1521 by Pope Leo X. The reign of Henry VIII had an enormous impact upon England. Henry VIII had opposed the radical positions of many contemporary Protestant reformers; when Henry broke from Rome in 1534, he had sought to retain many of the traditions of the Roman Catholic church. Henry's VIII violent behavior toward court and family had repercussions among his successors, while his moderate religious settlement contributed to the formation of the Anglican tradition.
