PART ONE: HENRY VIII – A TUDOR KING-Introduction

Introduction

To understand the English monarchs it is important to understand their times. Today some of their actions seem cruel or extravagant①. But remember that their times were very different from ours.

A king or queen of the 16th century had unlimited power.
Everyone wanted to please the monarch. Rebels② or enemies were eliminated! Executions were a common event in Europe.

Henry VIII was the son of Henry VII, the first Tudor King. He became king during the Renaissance③, a time of great change. The Renaissance brought new ideas to art, science and philosophy.

However, many of these new ideas clashed④ with the church. So, the church and religion changed with the Reformation⑤. The geography of the world changed too. Explorers discovered new lands, new people and new products. All his life Henry VIII desperately wanted a male heir⑥ to keep the Tudor on the throne of England. He had a very complex personality⑦. He had his faults but he was a brilliant talented man and an unforgettable monarch.

① extravagant: 挥霍无度的。
② rebels：叛乱分子。
③ Renaissance：欧洲文艺复兴。
④ clashed：有重大分歧的。
⑤ Reformation：宗教改革。
⑥ male heir：男继承人。
⑦ complex personality：复杂性格。