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How Did King Henry Viii Influence On Society

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Who would've thought that a man who divorced and killed so many of his wives would be such an important and positive influence on today's world? Claiming the throne as King at the young age of 17, Henry VIII welcomed new vibrant ideas and contributions to England. The English Reformation was one of the biggest Catholic advances for England, courtesy to the new King royal supremacy and independence over the church largely expanded. Henry’s influence on the constitution, naval forces, and the Catholic Church impacted a change in the society and ruling system of England as well as in the world we live in today. Although Henry was often arrogant and hot headed, he strongly impacted the independence gained over the rule of Catholic Churches in England, …show more content…

One of his most important contributions during his rule was his instigation to begin the English Reformation. This was a series of events held in order for the Church of England to break away from the jurisdiction of the Pope and Roman Catholic Church. The idea for this reformation began with the annulment of the marriage of his first wife Catherine of Aragon. At this time, King Henry was still Roman Catholic and the Pope still had major control of the church. This was an issue since their faith would not allow the divorce, to the point that Henry would have been excommunicated. Therefore, being the King, Henry decided to make himself the ruler of the Catholic Church so that to him his divorce became perfectly legal and it would not be considered a sin. As well as gaining freedom from the Pope, King Henry gained much admiration, and respect from most of the English Catholic society. The entire society and culture began to revolve around the Catholic faith, even much of the land was sold to the churches. Monasteries on the land were looted and destroyed in order for churches to be built, which resulted in the bulk of the wealth Henry gained from this

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