Wikipedia:Today's featured article/January 3, 2005

Henry VIII was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from April 22, 1509, until his death. He was the second monarch of the Tudor dynasty, succeeding his father, Henry VII. He is famous for having been married six times and for wielding the most untrammeled power of any British monarch. Notable events to occur during his reign included the establishment of the Church of England, the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the union of England and Wales. Several significant pieces of legislation were enacted during Henry VIII's reign. They included several Acts which severed the English Church from the Roman Catholic Church, the Acts of Union 1536-1543 (which united England and Wales into one nation), the Buggery Act 1533 (the first anti-homosexual enactment in England), and the Witchcraft Act 1542. (more...)