When Henry VIII came to the throne in 1509, he became yet another English monarch without absolute power over his kingdom. Although he did not have the same authority as his contemporary European monarchs, Henry was given two very important prerequisites for a successful reign. The first was a complete treasury and the second was a peaceful transfer of power, which had been far from certain in England since the Wars of the Roses. At first he was content to enjoy the fruits of his father's labor, but ultimately he sought glory in his own name. Henry immersed himself in unnecessary conflicts in Europe, eliminated anyone who opposed him, and became so obsessed with securing a male heir that he engineered a split with the Catholic Church. It was this adventurous spirit that would lead to the decline of both of his key legacies. Henry VIII may not have been an absolute monarch in the sense that his contemporaries were, but he often acted in a manner that resembled a supreme ruler. As a result, his reign appears to have been focused on his own ambitions rather than the well-being of his subjects. Henry VII had won the English crown in battle in what could be considered a glorious victory. There would be no need for his son to fight in such a battle, but that was a problem for young Henry. He wanted to achieve fame through military conquest and be considered a warrior king like many of his rivals. To achieve this goal, Henry sought to gain the throne of France for himself, thus extending his power and influence into continental Europe. Henry went to France, but was unable to make significant gains either financially or territorially. Instead he exhausted his treasury and left England open to invasion on its northern border. British forces with...... middle of sheet......1 (1954): 33-48. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2591224 (accessed March 9, 2012). Shore, Miles. "Henry VIII and the crisis of generativity". The Journal of Interdisciplinary History. 2. no. 4 (1972): 359-390. http://www.jstor.org/stable/202310 (accessed March 9, 2012).Smith, Preserved. "German Opinion on Henry VIII's Divorce". The English historical review. 27. n. 108 (1912): 671-681. http://www.jstor.org/stable/550985 (accessed March 9, 2012). Sommerville, J.P. History.wisc.edu, “Henry VIII and Wolsey.” Accessed March 9, 2012. http://faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/361/361-06.htm.Wedd, George. "The Church of England and its 'Head'." Contemporary Review 269.1566 (1996): 15+. Religion and Philosophy Collection. http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lib.apsu.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA18605354&v=2.1&u=tel_a_apsu&it=r&p=SPJ.SP01&sw=w (accessed March 9, 2012).