Why did Henry VIII want to break from Rome?
- heir: he needed to remarry so he could try to have a son and Pope wouldn't allow
annulment
- Catherine: needed annulment from her as she was too old to have children
- Wolsey: failed to secure annulment so Henry had to resort to other means to remarry
- Pope Clement VII: wouldn’t allow annulment because of control of Charles V over him
- Anne Boleyn: in love with Anne and needed to end marriage with Catherine to marry her.
Also a faction formed around her was in favour of reform.
- Cromwell: allowed creation of Church of England and annulled marriage between Henry
and Catherine
Why did Henry and Catherine’s relationship break down?
- The origins of the break with Rome are in the 1520s.
- There are three possible reasons - he wanted to end an ungodly marriage, he wanted a
new wife and male heir, he wanted Anne Boleyn
1. Decide what you consider to be the main reason for Henry’s wanting an end to the
marriage. (God’s will, male heir, love for Anne) Male Heir- because the earliest events
influencing him or carried out by him (questioning of Mary’s legitimacy by french and
giving Henry Fitzroy Dukedom)
2. Which year do you consider the ‘point of no return’ for the break with Rome? Explain
your decision. Sept 1530 Collectanea Satis Copiosa gave Henry authority
The Deteriorating relationship between Henry and Catherine
Date Event Explantation
1524 Henry stopped sleeping Catherine had had several miscarriages and two
with Catherine (now aged still borns. There was little chance of a male heir.
39) Her last pregnancy had been 1518.
1525 Henry Fitzroy made Duke Evidence of Henry promoting his illegitimate son
of Richmond. as future heir. Decision was made in the wake of
Charles V’s rejection of a proposed marriage to
Henry’s daughter Mary.
1526 Henry began to woo Anne Henry had no plans for marriage at this stage.
Boleyn
1526-7 Henry decided on an It is possible that Henry’s conscience was pricked
annulment by French enquiries as to the legitimacy of Mary.
Henry was trying to arrange her marriage to
Francis I, but the French questioning Henry and
Catherine’s marriage may have started the train of
thought in Henry’s mind.
1527
,Easter Henry pressed Anne to Henry did not want to marry Anne at this stage. He
become his mistress. did seem happy to have her as his acknowledged
mistress.
May Secret proceedings started Catherine did not know about this development.
for the annulment
May Charles V sacked Rome Charles’ mercenary troops went on the rampage in
Rome. The Pope was taken prisoner which
severely limited his ability to negotiate a settlement
with Henry as Charles was Catherine’s nephew.
June Henry told Catherine of his All these moves suggest Henry saw no real
plans problems in gaining his annulment.
July Henry and Anne agreed to
marry after the annulment
was granted
September Henry applied to Pope for
dispensation to marry
anne
December Negotiations in Rome for
the annulment
1528
September Anne was sent to Hever Done to get her out of the way
Castle
October Cardinal Campeggio Appointed by Pope to act as judge (with Wolsey)
arrived in England in hearing of Henry’s case. Originally a popular
choice with Henry but this would not continue.
December Anne returned to court Evidence of her influence over Henry.
1529
May Proceedings for case
hearings began at
blackfriars.
June Catherine makes her Heartfelt plea to Henry to remain loyal is clear
single appearance at the evidence of her commitment to marriage.
hearing.
July Summer recess called and Pope was under complete control of Charles after
the case was recalled to his victory at the Battle of Landriano (June).
Rome by the Pope.
, October Wolsey accused of Offence of recognising or responding to foreign
Praemunire, forced to authority (e.g Pope) instead of King. Henry
surrender the Great Seal chooses a layman rather than a man of the Church
and replaced as Lord at this vital time in the annulment process.
Chancellor by Thomas
Cromwell
November The ‘Reformation
Parliament’ was
assembled.
1530
January Anne’s brother led a This marked the moment when Henry was pushed
mission to the Pope and into a more radical solution - the rejection of Papal
Charles V in Bologna to authority.
gain support for the case.
This failed.
May Cambridge and Oxford
Universities found in
favour of Henry.
September Edward Foxe and Thomas This justified Henry’s annulment on legal grounds,
Cramner presented Henry based on historic principles. The authors argued
with their book Collectanea that the English Church had always been under
Satis Copiosa (the the authority of the monarchy. Henry could
sufficiently abundant therefore claim control over his own matrimonial
collections) affairs legally without reference to the Pope.
1531
February The Convocation of This brought henry into direct opposition to the
Canterbury recognised power of the Pope
Henry as supreme head of
the Church so far as the
law of Christ allows.
1532
May Submission of the Clergy - Confirmed strength of Henry’s power within the
the clergy accepted the Church
King and not the Pope as
their law maker.
December Anne became pregnant Stakes higher for Henry now.
1533
January Henry and Anne marry in Ceremony carried out by Cramner, made
secret Archbishop of Canterbury in Feb
April Cranmer ruled Henry’s
marriage to Catherine
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