Unquestionably, modern cinema has gone to great lengths to portray England's King Henry VIII as a tyrannical monarch with an overwhelming libido who had absolute power over his kingdom; However, the true nature of the infamous king and his power over his nation are far more intriguing than cinema is capable of depicting. In reality, the power enjoyed by England's most infamous monarch varied throughout his reign. Furthermore, his power was easily manipulated by various courtiers or even his most personal advisors. Furthermore, the degree of influence exerted over the monarch varied depending on the individual motivations of the courtier and the year of the king's reign. In the early years of King Henry's reign, the king was more concerned with enjoying the benefits of fame and power than enjoying the benefits of fame and power. to lead his country. During this period, the king was young, energetic, athletic and very happy to embrace these youthful qualities. Unfortunately, this left a fairly large void in terms of the government of England. Into this void entered his most trusted advisor, Cardinal Wolsey. Wolsey, during the early years of King Henry's reign, enjoyed immense power and influence over many different areas of English society. He held several different positions in the Church, much to the smile of his contemporaries, and he served as Lord Chancellor of England from 1515 until his eventual fall from the king's grace. These positions rewarded Wolsey with immense influence over the young King Henry VIII and his power. As the king was concerned about his youth, he was quite happy to let the cardinal act in his place. As one can well imagine, letting someone else act in his place had a detrimental effect on the king's power. paper......his cruelty progressed steadily throughout his reign. Moreover, what began as a friendly young king became a powerful tyrant who would leave England upon his death with a lasting legacy of cruelty, depravity, and the true perils of power. There is no doubt that the power of King Henry VIII endures in the modern world, as he has shaped the course of English history up to and including the present day.BibliographyBucholz, Robert and Newton Key. Early modern England 1485-1714, a narrative history. Chichester: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2009. Clarke, Peter. "Canterbury as the New Rome: Henry VIII's Dispensations and Reform". The Journal of Ecclesiastical History 64, no. 1 (2013): 20-44. Ives, EW “The Testament of Henry VIII: The Provisions of the Protectorate of 1546-7”. The Historical Journal 37, no. 4 (1994): 901-14. Mantel, Hilary. Talk about bodies. New York: Picador, 2013.