Henry VIII has always had a big pop culture presence. Even Shakespeare had the nerve to tackle him while his daughter was sitting on the throne. (Great play, incidentally, and perhaps one of the less appreciated historical plays.) But Elizabeth I or Mary I are both big personalities who were actually effective rulers. Henry V or Henry II are also good "big personality" choices, if you want a male leader for England. There's even Empress Maude for the "out of left field choice." IMO there's just not a compelling reason to choose a guy who's only famous for his politically motivated religious and marital decisions (and extramarital decisions). He wasn't a good king, and his reign wasn't disastrous only because he inherited a strong realm from his father and both of his daughters were extremely canny rulers. Had Henry been succeeded by a weak monarch (as Edward VI might have turned out to be--we'll never know), the consequences for England would have been dire. It's also a bit ironic to complain about Louis XIV being a bad person while recommending Henry VIII...
KING. What's he that wishes so?
My cousin, Westmorland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow.
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By
Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my
coz, wish not a man from England.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmorland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd
the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say "To-morrow is Saint Crispian."
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words—
Harry the King,
Bedford and
Exeter,
Warwick and
Talbot,
Salisbury and
Gloucester—
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.