'The author does a wonderful job of telling a gripping story that also gives a sense of the complexity of the reign and the period ...Students who read this will be well instructed about a very significant period of English history - and they will be entertained as well' - Anne McLaren, "University of Liverpool".Henry VIII was one of the most dominant figures of the sixteenth century, yet remains one of the most enigmatic. He was popular with the public and charismatic, yet behaved brutally in his private life and brought about England's break with the Catholic Church in order to get himself out of his first marriage. Wooding's timely study provides an insightful and original portrait of this larger-than-life figure, and of the many paradoxes of his character and reign. Examining the strong medieval and Old Testament influences on the way Henry conducted his kingship, his obsessive concerns about the Tudor succession and the inescapable legacy bequeathed to his children and his country, this book also explores his afterlife in historical debate in literature and legend. This compelling new biography gives a fresh portrayal of Henry VIII, cutting away the misleading mythology in order to provide a vivid portrayal of this passionate, willful, intelligent, and yet fearful king.