The 16th century was a tumultuous time for England. For years the country had remained true to its Catholic beliefs, until the reign of Henry VIII. The monarch, infamous in history for having six wives, founded a new church free from papal control. Thus, the Anglican Church, or Church of England, arose amid growing European Reformation. A brief history of the monarch is necessary to understand the split in the Catholic Church. Henry Tudor was born the second son of King Henry VII who became heir upon the death of his older brother in 1502 (Phillips 99). In June 1509, Henry VIII was crowned king of England (Phillips 103). To ensure succession, he received a papal dispensation which allowed him to marry the Spanish princess Catherine of Aragon, his brother's widow ("Henry's Divorce from Catherine"). Henry VIII was a devout Roman Catholic, having defended the religion against the Reformed ideas of Martin Luther (Pettegree). This led to Henry being named Fidei Defensor, or Defender of the Faith, by Pope Leo X in 1521 (Robinson). In the early years of their marriage, Queen Catherine had a number of pregnancies that ended in stillbirths and short-lived children, with the exception of one "healthy little girl, later christened Mary » in 1516 (Phillips 102). In 1524 or 1525, Queen Catherine was examined by doctors who believed she was past childbearing age ("Henry's Divorce from Catherine"). Henry's desire to father a legitimate son, along with pressure from Anne Boleyn, a court lady with whom he had fallen in love, acted as a catalyst for ending the marriage which, he claimed, "in l “absence of a male heir,… threatened the marriage”. the future of his dynasty” (Pettegree). Henry VIII asks... middle of paper ...... basis of the Episcopal Church ("The Anglican Church in the World"). Anglican fundamental beliefs include that the Bible is essential, that the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds are statements of faith, and that Holy Communion is practiced (Firth). Baptism at an early age is also often practiced (Firth). The Book of Common Prayer, dating back to the time of Edward VI, serves as the basis for worship and doctrine ("A Brief History of Anglicanism"). The Anglican Church allows the ordination of women (Firth) and “[maintains] a hierarchy of priests and bishops” within the Church, similar to Catholicism, without a pope (Firth). The current head of the Anglican Church of England is Queen Elizabeth II. Henry VIII made history with the founding of a new reformed religion. The Anglican Church has stood the test of time, thanks to the reforms and counter-reforms of the monarchs of England..