Henry VIII (1491-1547), King of England (reigned 1509-1547). Henry was the second monarch of the Tudor dynasty. He is famous for his six marriages and his disagreement with the Pope in Rome that led to the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. Other notable events during his reign included the English-French meeting at the Field of the Cloth of Gold (1520) and the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536-1541). Henry waged a series of continental wars against the French while allied with the Spanish. There were also wars with Scotland during his reign. Artwork from 'Antiquarian Repertory' (1807).