Changes

Henry made radical changes in traditional religious practices. He ordered the clergy to preach against superstitious images, relics, miracles, and pilgrimages, and to remove most candles.  The catechism of 1545, called the ''King's Primer,'' left out the saints.  Latin rituals gave way to English. Shrines to saints were destroyed—including the popular one of St Thomas at Canterbury; relics were ridiculed as worthless old bones.  

Henry made radical changes in traditional religious practices. He ordered the clergy to preach against superstitious images, relics, miracles, and pilgrimages, and to remove most candles.  The catechism of 1545, called the ''King's Primer,'' left out the saints.  Latin rituals gave way to English. Shrines to saints were destroyed—including the popular one of St Thomas at Canterbury; relics were ridiculed as worthless old bones.  

The reforms alienated [[Piety|pious]] folk who believed in the old rituals depended on the monasteries for religious devotions and helped provoke the great northern rising of 1536-1537, known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. It was the only real threat to Henry's security on the throne in all his reign.  Some 30,000 rebels in nine groups were led by the charismatic Robert Aske, together with most of the northern nobility. Aske went to London to negotiate terms; once there he was arrested, charged with treason and executed. About 200 rebels were executed and the disturbances ended.<ref>M. L. Bush, "The Tudor Polity and the Pilgrimage of Grace." ''Historical Research'' 2007 80(207): 47-72. Issn: 0950-3471 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]; Geoffrey Moorhouse, ''The Pilgrimage of Grace: The Rebellion That Shook Henry VIII's Throne'' (2003) [http://www.amazon.com/Pilgrimage-Grace-Rebellion-Shook-Throne/dp/1842126660/ref=pd_ts_b_33?ie=UTF8&s=books excerpt and text search]</ref> Elsewhere the changes were accepted and welcomed, as those who clung to Catholic rites kept quiet or moved in secrecy; they would reemerge in the reign (1553–58) of Henry's daughter Mary.

The reforms alienated [[Piety|pious]] folk who believed in the old rituals depended on the monasteries for religious devotions and helped provoke the great northern rising of 1536-1537, known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. It was the only real threat to Henry's security on the throne in all his reign.  Some 30,000 rebels in nine groups were led by the charismatic Robert Aske, together with most of the northern nobility. Aske went to London to negotiate terms; once there he was arrested, charged with treason and executed. About 200 rebels were executed and the disturbances ended.<ref>M. L. Bush, "The Tudor Polity and the Pilgrimage of Grace." ''Historical Research'' 2007 80(207): 47-72. Issn: 0950-3471 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]; Geoffrey Moorhouse, ''The Pilgrimage of Grace: The Rebellion That Shook Henry VIII's Throne'' (2003) [https://www.amazon.com/Pilgrimage-Grace-Rebellion-Shook-Throne/dp/1842126660/ref=pd_ts_b_33?ie=UTF8&s=books excerpt and text search]</ref> Elsewhere the changes were accepted and welcomed, as those who clung to Catholic rites kept quiet or moved in secrecy; they would reemerge in the reign (1553–58) of Henry's daughter Mary.

==Public image and memory==

==Public image and memory==

    

    

===Recent popular culture===

===Recent popular culture===

[[File:Henry8-laughton.jpg|thumb|270px]] Henry VIII is the most famous of all English kings, and has been portrayed n many ways. Charles Laughton's Oscar-winning Henry in "The Private Life of Henry VIII" (directed by Alexander Korda 1933) portrayed the macho, totally self-regarding, totally self-absorbed Henry; it created the popular notion that the Tudors had weak table manners. Laughton shows a lustful monarch, a cock among a bevy of sweet chicks, each with eyes on the royal bed; a man who sees women as objects.<ref>See Greg Walker, ''The Private Life of Henry VIII: A British Film Guide'' (2003) [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1860649092 excerpt and text search]; also [http://www.amazon.com/Private-Life-Henry-VIII/dp/B000085EF9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1211114013&sr=1-1 DVD]</ref> The same theme appears in the 1994 comedy "Carry On Henry."<ref>see [http://www.amazon.com/Carry-Henry-Sid-James/dp/B000QWGWE0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1211113897&sr=8-5 DVD]</ref> Television's "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" (1970) was more accurate Keith Michell's performance was deeper than Laughton's, but as the title shows, the focus was once again on Henry the married man.

[[File:Henry8-laughton.jpg|thumb|270px]] Henry VIII is the most famous of all English kings, and has been portrayed n many ways. Charles Laughton's Oscar-winning Henry in "The Private Life of Henry VIII" (directed by Alexander Korda 1933) portrayed the macho, totally self-regarding, totally self-absorbed Henry; it created the popular notion that the Tudors had weak table manners. Laughton shows a lustful monarch, a cock among a bevy of sweet chicks, each with eyes on the royal bed; a man who sees women as objects.<ref>See Greg Walker, ''The Private Life of Henry VIII: A British Film Guide'' (2003) [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1860649092 excerpt and text search]; also [https://www.amazon.com/Private-Life-Henry-VIII/dp/B000085EF9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1211114013&sr=1-1 DVD]</ref> The same theme appears in the 1994 comedy "Carry On Henry."<ref>see [https://www.amazon.com/Carry-Henry-Sid-James/dp/B000QWGWE0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1211113897&sr=8-5 DVD]</ref> Television's "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" (1970) was more accurate Keith Michell's performance was deeper than Laughton's, but as the title shows, the focus was once again on Henry the married man.

A recent UK-Ireland cable TV program co-production, ''The Tudors'', shows an accurate portrayal of Henry VIII's (played by Irish actor [[Jonathan Rhys-Myers]]) reign.

A recent UK-Ireland cable TV program co-production, ''The Tudors'', shows an accurate portrayal of Henry VIII's (played by Irish actor [[Jonathan Rhys-Myers]]) reign.

* Scarisbrick, J. J. ''Henry VIII'' (1968) 592pp, a favourable scholarly biography; his Henry was "a formidable, captivating man who wore regality with a splendid conviction. But easily and unpredictably his great charm could turn into anger and shouting.... He was high-strung and unstable; hypochondriac and possessed of a strong streak of cruelty."

* Scarisbrick, J. J. ''Henry VIII'' (1968) 592pp, a favourable scholarly biography; his Henry was "a formidable, captivating man who wore regality with a splendid conviction. But easily and unpredictably his great charm could turn into anger and shouting.... He was high-strung and unstable; hypochondriac and possessed of a strong streak of cruelty."

* Smith, Lacey Baldwin. ''Henry VIII: The Mask of Royalty'' (1971), a leading scholar writes the psycho-history of an egotistical border-line neurotic given to great fits of temper and deep and dangerous suspicions, with a mechanical and conventional, but deeply-held [[piety]], and no better than a mediocre intellect to hold these contradictory forces in harness. [http://www.questia.com/read/85955084?title=Henry%20VIII%3a%20The%20Mask%20of%20Royalty online edition]

* Smith, Lacey Baldwin. ''Henry VIII: The Mask of Royalty'' (1971), a leading scholar writes the psycho-history of an egotistical border-line neurotic given to great fits of temper and deep and dangerous suspicions, with a mechanical and conventional, but deeply-held [[piety]], and no better than a mediocre intellect to hold these contradictory forces in harness. [http://www.questia.com/read/85955084?title=Henry%20VIII%3a%20The%20Mask%20of%20Royalty online edition]

* Weir, Alison. ''Henry VIII, King and Court'' (2001). 640pp a flattering portrait [http://www.amazon.com/Henry-VIII-King-His-Court/dp/034543708X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211115337&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

* Weir, Alison. ''Henry VIII, King and Court'' (2001). 640pp a flattering portrait [https://www.amazon.com/Henry-VIII-King-His-Court/dp/034543708X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211115337&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

==See also==

==See also==

* Scarisbrick, J. J. ''Henry VIII'' (1968) 592pp, a favourable scholarly biography; his Henry was "a formidable, captivating man who wore regality with a splendid conviction. But easily and unpredictably his great charm could turn into anger and shouting.... He was high-strung and unstable; hypochondriac and possessed of a strong streak of cruelty."

* Scarisbrick, J. J. ''Henry VIII'' (1968) 592pp, a favourable scholarly biography; his Henry was "a formidable, captivating man who wore regality with a splendid conviction. But easily and unpredictably his great charm could turn into anger and shouting.... He was high-strung and unstable; hypochondriac and possessed of a strong streak of cruelty."

* Smith, Lacey Baldwin. ''Henry VIII: The Mask of Royalty'' (1971), a leading scholar writes the psycho-history of an egotistical border-line neurotic given to great fits of temper and deep and dangerous suspicions, with a mechanical and conventional, but deeply-held piety, and no better than a mediocre intellect to hold these contradictory forces in harness. [http://www.questia.com/read/85955084?title=Henry%20VIII%3a%20The%20Mask%20of%20Royalty online edition]

* Smith, Lacey Baldwin. ''Henry VIII: The Mask of Royalty'' (1971), a leading scholar writes the psycho-history of an egotistical border-line neurotic given to great fits of temper and deep and dangerous suspicions, with a mechanical and conventional, but deeply-held piety, and no better than a mediocre intellect to hold these contradictory forces in harness. [http://www.questia.com/read/85955084?title=Henry%20VIII%3a%20The%20Mask%20of%20Royalty online edition]

* Starkey, David. ''Six Wives: the Queens of Henry VIII'' (2003) [http://www.amazon.com/Six-Wives-Queens-Henry-VIII/dp/069401043X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211115162&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]

* Starkey, David. ''Six Wives: the Queens of Henry VIII'' (2003) [https://www.amazon.com/Six-Wives-Queens-Henry-VIII/dp/069401043X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211115162&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]

* Starkey, David. ''The Reign of Henry VIII: Personalities and Politics'' (1986). 174pp

* Starkey, David. ''The Reign of Henry VIII: Personalities and Politics'' (1986). 174pp

* Starkey, David, and Susan Doran. ''Henry VIII: Man and Monarch'' (2009) 288pp

* Starkey, David, and Susan Doran. ''Henry VIII: Man and Monarch'' (2009) 288pp

* Weir, Alison. ''Henry VIII, King and Court'' (2001). 640pp a flattering portrait [http://www.amazon.com/Henry-VIII-King-His-Court/dp/034543708X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211115337&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

* Weir, Alison. ''Henry VIII, King and Court'' (2001). 640pp a flattering portrait [https://www.amazon.com/Henry-VIII-King-His-Court/dp/034543708X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211115337&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

* Weir, Alison.  ''The Children of Henry VIII.'' (1996). 400 pp.

* Weir, Alison.  ''The Children of Henry VIII.'' (1996). 400 pp.

* Fox, Alistair, and John Guy, eds. ''Reassessing the Henrician Age: Humanism, Politics and Reform 1500-1550'' (1986), 242pp; advanced essays by scholars

* Fox, Alistair, and John Guy, eds. ''Reassessing the Henrician Age: Humanism, Politics and Reform 1500-1550'' (1986), 242pp; advanced essays by scholars

* Head, David M. "Henry VIII's Scottish Policy: a Reassessment." ''Scottish Historical Review'' 1982 61(1): 1-24. Issn: 0036-9241 Argues that if Henry intended to take over Scotland then his 1542 victory at Solway Moss was the opportune moment, for the French were unable to intervene, the Scottish nobility was in disarray, and the infant Mary was in line for Scotland's throne. Instead, Henry adopted a policy similar to that in Ireland, since he could not afford outright conquest or the luxury of diplomacy.

* Head, David M. "Henry VIII's Scottish Policy: a Reassessment." ''Scottish Historical Review'' 1982 61(1): 1-24. Issn: 0036-9241 Argues that if Henry intended to take over Scotland then his 1542 victory at Solway Moss was the opportune moment, for the French were unable to intervene, the Scottish nobility was in disarray, and the infant Mary was in line for Scotland's throne. Instead, Henry adopted a policy similar to that in Ireland, since he could not afford outright conquest or the luxury of diplomacy.

* Loades, David. ''Henry VIII: Court, Church and Conflict'' (2007) 248pp; by a leading scholar [http://www.amazon.com/Henry-VIII-Court-Church-Conflict/dp/1903365996/ref=pd_ts_b_10?ie=UTF8&s=books excerpt and text search]

* Loades, David. ''Henry VIII: Court, Church and Conflict'' (2007) 248pp; by a leading scholar [https://www.amazon.com/Henry-VIII-Court-Church-Conflict/dp/1903365996/ref=pd_ts_b_10?ie=UTF8&s=books excerpt and text search]

* MacCulloch, Diarmaid, ed.  ''The Reign of Henry VIII: Politics, Policy, and Piety.'' (1995). 313 pp.  essays by scholars

* MacCulloch, Diarmaid, ed.  ''The Reign of Henry VIII: Politics, Policy, and Piety.'' (1995). 313 pp.  essays by scholars

* Mackie, J. D. ''The Earlier Tudors, 1485-1558'' (1952), a political survey of the era [http://www.questia.com/read/8546253?title=The%20Earlier%20Tudors%2c%201485-1558 online edition]

* Mackie, J. D. ''The Earlier Tudors, 1485-1558'' (1952), a political survey of the era [http://www.questia.com/read/8546253?title=The%20Earlier%20Tudors%2c%201485-1558 online edition]