Undoubtedly, modern cinema has made enormous efforts to portray the English 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 the nation are far more intriguing than cinema is capable of portraying. 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 amount of influence exerted over the monarch varied depending on the courtier's individual motivations and the king's regnal year. In the early years of King Henry's reign, the king was more concerned with enjoying the benefits of fame and power than with governing his country. During this time, the king was young, energetic, athletic, and quite happy to embrace these qualities of youth. Unfortunately, this left a rather large void in terms of governing England. Into this void stepped his most trusted advisor, Cardinal Wolsey. Wolsey, during the early years of King Henry's reign, enjoyed immense power and influence over many different arenas of English society. He served in several ecclesiastical positions, much to the chagrin of his contemporaries, and served as Lord Chancellor of England from 1515 onwards until his fall from the king's grace. These positions rewarded Wolsey with enormous influence on the young King Henry VIII and his power. Since the king was concerned about his youth, he was happy to let the cardinal act in his place. As one might well imagine, letting another act in his place had a detrimental effect on the king's power.... middle of paper... his ruthlessness steadily progressed during his reign. Furthermore, what began as a friendly young king transformed into a powerful tyrant who would leave England upon his death with a lasting legacy of cruelty, depravity, and the very real dangers of power. Undoubtedly, the power of King Henry VIII is still present in the modern world as he has shaped the course of English history up to the present day. Bibliography Bucholz, 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". Il Giornale di Storia Ecclesiastica 64, n. 1 (2013): 20-44.Ives, E.W. "Will of Henry VIII: Protectorate Arrangements of 1546-7." Il Giornale Storico 37, n. 4 (1994): 901-14. Mantel, Ilario. Brings the bodies to the foreground. New York: Picador, 2013.