HENRY VIII., born in 1491; succeeded his father, Henry VII., at the age of 19. The first years of his reign were auspi cious owing to his generosity; but at length his conduct grew capricious and arbitrary. The Emperor Maximilian and Pope Julius II., having leagued against France, persuaded Henry to join them, and he, in consequence, invaded that kingdom, where he made some conquests. About the same time, James IV., King of Scotland, invaded England, but was defeated and slain at Flodden Field. Car dinal Wolsey succeeded in bringing Henry over from the imperial interests to those of the French king. When Lu then commenced his reformation in Ger many, Henry wrote a book against him, for which he was complimented by the Pope with the title of "Defender of the Faith." But this attachment to the Ro man see did not last long; for, having conceived an affection for Anne Boleyn, he determined to divorce his wife, Cath arine of Aragon, to whom he had been married 18 years. His plea for the di
vorce was that Catharine was his brother Arthur's widow. The divorce being re fused by the Pope, Henry assumed the title of Supreme Head of the English Church, put down the monasteries, and alienated their possessions to secular pur poses. His marriage with Anne Boleyn followed; but he afterward sent her to the scaffold, and married Lady Jane Sey mour, who died in child-bed. He next married Anne of Cleves; but she not proving agreeable to his expectations, he put her away, and caused Cromwell, Earl of Essex, the projector of the match, to be beheaded. His next wife was Catharine Howard, who was be headed for adultery; after which he es poused Catharine Parr, who survived him. He was a man of strong passions and considerable learning. The historian Froude has vindicated his memory in many respects. He died in 1547.