How Did Henry Viii Influence The British Empire

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There are many influential events that affected the British empire. While some have more significance than others, most events shaped Britain into what it is today. These events are in a wide variety of severity all the way from small political changes to a loss on the world stage of battle. Some of these events could be at the scale of the loss against the United States for independence, and all the way down to a change in the food distribution. While some of these events were set in place by the third estate, most of these events were made because of the kings and queens that help maintain Britain as the leading world power of the time. These kings and queens have had a great influence on Great Britain. Some of these people were the rulers …show more content…

He reigned Britain from 1509 to 1547. He is described by some along the lines of, as my source states,“High-strung and unstable, and capable of gross cruelty ,” (“Henry VIII”). Henry VIII majorly influenced Britain in the ways of making England a sovereign state, religion, and gave Britain more overall power. With Henry VIII’s support, Cromwell’s Act in Restraint of Appeals, essentially stated that the king of Britain was supreme head ,and the country was a sovereign state free from all foreign authority. Henry also affected religion when the Catholic Pope told Henry VIII that he could not divorce. Henry then made himself head of a new church that was Protestant, and spit Britain away from the Catholic religion until later rulers came to power. Henry VIII affected the power of Britain by, as stated by my source, “The position of the crown was strengthened and the monarchy in England was raised in stature; control of the country was exercised, the papacy was excluded and the clergy subdued; the administration was reformed; a navy was created ;Wales was incorporated and Welshmen were granted equal rights; and much of the great wealth of the Church came under royal control,” (“Henry VII”). These reforms, under the rule of Henry VIII, majorly increased the British empire's power, stature, and

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