Edward Powell was a Welsh theologian and priest who lived during the early 16th century. Originally a respected academic at the University of Oxford, he served as a court preacher and was highly regarded by King Henry VIII for his scholarly defenses of Catholic doctrine. However, his refusal to support the King's break from the Roman Catholic Church led to his downfall. After declining to swear the oath of succession, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London and eventually executed for treason in 1540.