Was Henry VIII the worst monarch of all time?

In a recent poll, a group of British historical writers chose Henry VIII as the worst monarch. Was he really that bad?

Years 5 and 6 enjoyed debating whether Henry VIII was indeed the worst monarch of all time.  The children recalled lots of information about this most infamous of kings and discussed how he treated his wives and subjects.  The children were most amazed to hear that he blew his inheritance of approximately £375 million in modern day currency.

Years 3 and 4 revisited some of their history learning from Key Stage 1 and covered the main points of the Gunpowder Plot.  The children explored the reasons for this cunning plan and considered whether they thought the plotters were treated harshly.  Some were surprised to learn that the master of the plan was not Guy Fawkes himself but a Catholic named Robert Catesby