Henry VIII was considered a good king by his contemporaries despite his unpopular decisions.

“At the time, people in England, they might have been frightened of him or they might have thought he was making strange and unpopular decisions. But nobody ever doubted that he was good at being a king and that he was good at standing up for England”

Henry VIII was the most consequential ruler in the history of England and Britain.

“I would say not only instantly recognizable I would say the single most important ruler. I mean not necessarily the best. I think Elizabeth has a good claim to be the best, but he's the one that matters.”