Henry VIII and Louis XIV were both men whose accomplishments on a national level for their respective countries of England and France were great, but whose very different personal problems gave them a negative impression in history.
The two leaders had very different ruling styles, but with a few similar themes throughout. Perhaps the best thing to look at first is their very different attitudes toward God and Godùs power in monarchy and state. Henry VIII on England grew up as a very strong Catholic, at the insistence of his mother and father. He was known to be "a man of daily devotionals, setting an example for his people" (Canon 76). His own writings, most especially a book of Catholicism entitled The Sanctoreum earned him the title from Pope Leo III the title "Defender of the Faith." His book had served as an answer to the teachings of Martin Luther, a man whose principals Henry later put into effect in his very
own country, in the Protestant Reformation.
Portrait of Thomas Cromwell. New York, Frick Colle...
Portrait of Anne Boleyn, Henry's second queen; a l...
Painting of Anne of Cleves, fourth wife of the Eng...France, however, was a very strongly Catholic country where the Roman church had a great deal of influence. Louis, although supposed not to be a very fastidious devote of the religion, or any religion, took part in a minor reorganization of the Roman Catholic Church inside France. It is apparent now
that Louis basically went along with the reforms dictated by the pope in regards to religion.
In economic matters, the two rulers perhaps differed even more greatly. Henry was a fastidious economist, often commenting about the expense of things at the royal court, and taking action to have whatever the latest offense to the treasury happened to be. Louis, however, spent extravagantly, sparing no expense for himself or his nobles. His ultimate goal was once again to make the court of...