The Royal Gambler

As Mel Brooks once noted, 'It's great to be King.'

Brooks was right. A king answers to nobody for his actions. He can be benevolent or rule his people with an iron fist. Nobody opposes a king if he cares for his life or his safety.

King Henry VIII wore the royal crown in England in the 15th century. He was born in the palace, one of seven children. Three of his brothers died at birth or in their infancy.

To put it in a nutshell, Henry was spoiled.

He was given incredible powers by his parents when he was a child. That was the practice in those days. The King and Queen allowed their frisky son to order the palace staff around like he was already King. By the time Henry reached his 18th birthday, he was ready to rule the world.

He became King of England at the age of 18 when his father died. Almost immediately he became embroiled in a battle with the Pope and the Catholic Church over who would rule the UK.

Henry VIII wondered aloud who his subjects would be loyal to -- the King or the Pope? There was also the subject of divorce. The King loved beautiful women and would be married six times durng his lifetime. The Pope said anyone who got a divorce would be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

This did not set well with Henry VIII who would become involved in a passionate love affair with Anne Boleyn and make her one of his wives.

To show the Pope who was really boss of England, Henry VIII found fault with Catholic Monks and Nuns, claiming they were violating law by forming families. He ordered a number of them executed.

Henry believed in and practiced the divine right of Kings. He separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church and made dramatic changes in the English Constitution. He easily disposed of his political enemies by charging them with treason and heresy and then having them publicly executed without benefit of a trial.

In his more mellow moments, he was an author and a composer.

He also became known for his gambling. Henry VIII had a voracious appetite for eating, drinking and gambling. His gambling passions included dice, checkers, backgammon, and poker and his wagers were not small.

Once in an outrageous bet, he even lost the bells of old St. Paul's Church on a single roll of the dice to Sir Miles Partridge.

Henry VIII was so humiliated over the loss that he charged the winner with treason and had him executed in a public hanging. After that incident, nobody wanted to gamble with the king.

Because of his appetite and an injury to one of his legs, he gained a lot of weight. His girth was reportedly 54 inches and he spent much of his time in his bed indulging in food and drink.

On Jan. 28, 1547, King Henry VIII died. He was 55 and left his kingdom to his son, Edward VI who succeeded him on the throne.