Excerpts from Books and Wikipedia
"The Act of Supremacy, passed in November, 1534, made it clear that the monarch was the 'supreme head' of the English Church." [1001 Days] "Henry is best known for . . . his efforts to have his first marriage . . . annulled. His disagreement with the Pope on the question of such an annulment led Henry to initiate the English Reformation, separating the Church of England from papal authority. He appointed himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England and dissolved convents and monasteries, for which he was excommunicated. . . . He invested heavily in the Navy, increasing its size greatly from a few to more than 50 ships. Domestically, Henry is known for his radical changes to the English Constitution, ushering in the theory of the divine right of kings. He also greatly expanded royal power during his reign. He frequently used charges of treason and heresy to quell dissent, and those accused were often executed without a formal trial . . . He achieved many of his political aims through the work of his chief ministers, some of whom were banished or executed when they fell out of his favour." [Wikipedia] Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell & Thomas Cranmer were his ministers.