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Henry worked hard to present an image of unchallengeable authority and irresistible power. He executed at will, beheading  more English notables than any monarch before or since. The roll of heads included two wives, one cardinal, twenty peers, four leading public servants, and six of the king's close attendants and friends, not to mention various heads of monasteries. In addition Cardinal Wolsey died in prison.  

Henry worked hard to present an image of unchallengeable authority and irresistible power. He executed at will, beheading  more English notables than any monarch before or since. The roll of heads included two wives, one cardinal, twenty peers, four leading public servants, and six of the king's close attendants and friends, not to mention various heads of monasteries. In addition Cardinal Wolsey died in prison.  

A big, strong man (over six foot tall and broad in proportion)<ref>People were smaller in those days. A comparable man today would be a star athlete at 6'5" and 300 pounds.</ref>, he excelled at jousting and hunting. More than pastimes, they were political devices that served multiple goals, from enhancing his athletic royal image to impressing foreign emissaries and rulers, to conveying Henry's ability to suppress any rebellion.  Thus he arranged a jousting tournament at Greenwich in 1517, where he wore gilded armour, gilded horse trappings, and outfits of velvet, satin and cloth of gold dripping with pearls and jewels. It suitably impressed foreign ambassadors, one of whom wrote home that, "The wealth and civilisation of the world are here, and those who call the English barbarians appear to me to render themselves such." Henry finally retired from the lists in 1536 after a heavy fall from his horse left him unconscious for two hours, but he continued to sponsor two lavish tournaments a year.<ref>Steven Gunn, "Tournaments and early Tudor chivalry," ''History Today,'' (June 1991), Vol. 41, #6 in [[Academic Search Premier]];  James Williams, "Hunting and the Royal Image of Henry VIII" ''Sport in History'' 2005 25(1): 41-59. Issn: 1746-0263 </ref> He then started adding weight and lost that trim athletic look that had made him so handsome; Henry's courtiers began dressing in heavily padded clothes to emulate--and flatter--their increasingly stout monarch.  

A big, strong man (over six foot tall and broad in proportion)<ref>People were smaller in those days. A comparable man today would be a star athlete at 6'5" and 250 pounds.</ref>, he excelled at jousting and hunting. More than pastimes, they were political devices that served multiple goals, from enhancing his athletic royal image to impressing foreign emissaries and rulers, to conveying Henry's ability to suppress any rebellion.  Thus he arranged a jousting tournament at Greenwich in 1517, where he wore gilded armour, gilded horse trappings, and outfits of velvet, satin and cloth of gold dripping with pearls and jewels. It suitably impressed foreign ambassadors, one of whom wrote home that, "The wealth and civilisation of the world are here, and those who call the English barbarians appear to me to render themselves such." Henry finally retired from the lists in 1536 after a heavy fall from his horse left him unconscious for two hours, but he continued to sponsor two lavish tournaments a year.<ref>Steven Gunn, "Tournaments and early Tudor chivalry," ''History Today,'' (June 1991), Vol. 41, #6 in [[Academic Search Premier]];  James Williams, "Hunting and the Royal Image of Henry VIII" ''Sport in History'' 2005 25(1): 41-59. Issn: 1746-0263 </ref> He then started adding weight and lost that trim athletic look that had made him so handsome; Henry's courtiers began dressing in heavily padded clothes to emulate--and flatter--their increasingly stout monarch.  

Henry loved palaces; he began with a dozen and died with fifty-five, in which he hung 2,000 tapestries.<ref>Simon Thurley, "Palaces for a nouveau riche king." ''History Today,'' (June 1991), Vol. 41, #6 in [[Academic Search Premier]]</ref> He took pride in showing off his collection of weapons, which included exotic archery equipment, 2,250 pieces of land ordnance and 6,500 handguns.<ref>  Jonathan Davies, "'We Do Fynde in Our Countre Great Lack of Bowes and Arrows': Tudor Military Archery and the Inventory of King Henry VIII," ''Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research'' 2005 83(333): 11-29. Issn: 0037-9700 </ref>  

Henry loved palaces; he began with a dozen and died with fifty-five, in which he hung 2,000 tapestries.<ref>Simon Thurley, "Palaces for a nouveau riche king." ''History Today,'' (June 1991), Vol. 41, #6 in [[Academic Search Premier]]</ref> He took pride in showing off his collection of weapons, which included exotic archery equipment, 2,250 pieces of land ordnance and 6,500 handguns.<ref>  Jonathan Davies, "'We Do Fynde in Our Countre Great Lack of Bowes and Arrows': Tudor Military Archery and the Inventory of King Henry VIII," ''Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research'' 2005 83(333): 11-29. Issn: 0037-9700 </ref>