 His contemporaries considered Henry in his prime to be an attractive , educated , and accomplished king , and he has been described as " one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne " . Besides ruling with considerable power , he was also an author and composer . His desire to provide England with a male heir stemmed partly from personal vanity and partly from his belief that a daughter would be unable to consolidate Tudor power and maintain the fragile peace that existed following the Wars of the Roses . This led to the two things for which Henry is most remembered : his six marriages and his break with the Pope ( who would not allow an annulment of Henry 's first marriage ) . As he aged , Henry became severely obese and his health suffered , contributing to his death in 1547 . He is frequently characterised in his later life as a lustful , egotistical , harsh , and insecure king . He was succeeded by his son Edward VI . 
