10 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About Henry VIII

King Henry VIII is most famous for two things: his six wives, and his decision to break away from the Papacy and establish the Church of England. These two crucial events have gained the second Tudor King infamy. His six marriages - to Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr - were largely brought about by a desire to produce a male heir to the throne, and this also played a large part in his decision to split from the Catholic Church. Henry wanted a marriage annulment, but the Pope refused to give him one, so he decided to create his own national church and force through the divorce that way instead. When you also add to that the fact is that "Old Coppernose" is likely to have ordered the execution of up to 72,000 men and women during his reign - the most ever by a British monarch - then the case again Henry VIII gains strength. However, Henry VIII's positive traits and achievements are rarely discussed. This is a man who was thrust on to the English throne as an untrained 17-year-old when his father, Henry VIII, died unexpectedly and who would reign as monarch for the best part of 38 years. Contemporary chroniclers were effusive in their praise of Henry's abilities as a king and, even sometimes, in their summary of his own personal traits. So, here are 10 things that everyone gets wrong about King Henry VIII - and prove why he was not a totally selfish and evil monarch as many would have you believe.