[Pyro7480]

I never gave it much thought until I saw a special about William Tyndale and his struggle merely to translate the Bible into English

That is an oversimplification.

And it was Henry VIII, AFTER he broke with the Catholic Church, who had him executed.

[fortheDeclaration]

Henry VIII of England
However, around 6 October 1536, Tyndale was tried on a charge of heresy and summarily condemned to death, despite Thomas Cromwell’s intercession with Henry on his behalf

http://nethelper.com/article/Henry_VIII_of_England#Martyrdom_of_William_Tyndale