Henry VIII presenting a charter to the barber surgeons of London. Henry VIII (1491-1547) was King of England from 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France. Henry was considered an attractive, educated and accomplished king in his prime. Ruling with absolute power, he engaged himself as an author and composer. His desire to provide England with a male heir led to the two things for which Henry is remembered: his six marriages, and the English Reformation. The separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. Henry's struggles with Rome led to the separation of the Church of England from papal authority, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and establishing himself as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. In later life he became morbidly obese and his health suffered; his public image is frequently depicted as one of a lustful, egotistical, harsh, and insecure king. He was covered with painful, pus-filled boils and possibly suffered from gout. His obesity and other medical problems can be traced from a jousting accident in 1536 in which he suffered a leg wound. Henry's obesity hastened his death at the age of 55. The barber surgeon was one of the most common medical practitioners of medieval Europe.