Why was and wasn't Henry VIII a tyrant?

Answer 1

Was Henry VIII a tyrant?

A tyrant is a leader/ruler that uses his/her powers for cruelty. Was Henry VIII a tyrant? Some people think he was because he beheaded two of his wives and divorced two. On the other hand some people think that he wasn't a tyrant that he was wise and fair because although he wanted a son he raised his daughters up and they became the queens of England.

Some evidence that suggests he was a tyrant was what he did to his wives. His first wife was Catherine of Aragon, she gave him a daughter called Mary although she was getting to old to try for a son so he divorced her even though Catherine's uncle was Charles V and it could've started a war through-out Europe. His second wife was Anne Boleyn, who gave him a daughter called Elizabeth, she was said to have had an affair so he beheaded her.

His third wife was Jane Seymour, who gave him a son, he loved Jane but she died a few weeks after giving birth, Henry's son died at the age of 15. Henry didn't marry for 2 years after that but when he did he married Anne of Cleeves. In a photo she looked pretty but when he met her he referred to her as a 'horse' and he divorced her. His fifth wife was Catherine Howard, who like Anne Boleyn, had an affair so of course he beheaded her.

His final wife was Catherine Parr, the one who he was with until he died. Some people think that was terrible what he did to his wives although others feel that he had reasons for doing what he did.

Furthermore the way he treated his friend Thomas More was terrible a lot of people thought. This was after he broke away from the church, Thomas More became a saint. He was close friends with Henry VIII but when Henry told him to join his church he had no choice but to decline. He was true to the Pope and the Catholic Church. Henry murdered him and if he killed his companion who wouldn't he kill?

Most people think it was wrong what he did to the monasteries although he did it because he had a problem - he needed money. He knew money made a king powerful and money - apart from a son - was what he needed most. So he sent someone down to find Monks that were breaking the law. There were a few bad reports which Henry was happy to find but whenever a good report came up Henry would send it back and say 'more negative results.' Eventually he had enough evidence to shut them down - and that is what he did.

Evidence to show that Henry wasn't a tyrant would be that he raised his daughters well. Although what he wanted was a son he was a good father, to both Mary and Elizabeth. When Henry died they became queens - although not for very long.

More evidence is that, he was smart and solved his problems. He needed money - he shut down the monasteries. He came up with ways to solve nearly anything and that makes a good, devoted king. He tried hard with his problems which all eventually good sorted although he broke his father's alliance with Spain.

In conclusion I think that Henry VIII was not a tyrant because he raised his daughters and cared for them. He was smart and solved his problems. Most of the stuff he did was reasonable. I think for them reason's he was not a tyrant and made a good king.