Why was Henry VIII important to history?

Find out more about the history of Henry VIII, including videos, interesting articles, pictures, historical features and more. Get all the facts on HISTORY.com. read more

Henry VIII was important because of the role he played in the Reformation when he separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church that refused his petition for divorce. The move to separate the English church from Rome resulted in the king's excommunication from the church, but Henry still held to core Catholic beliefs and theology despite the separation. read more

The biggest reason Henry VIII was important in the great spectrum of history is because his decision to break from the Roman Catholic Church in the early 1530’s was monumental. He declared himself the Supreme Head of the Church in England, which spurred on the English Reformation and led to religious conflict in England for many decades to come. read more