Henry VIII, Wolsey and the case for a divorce
- Created by: maddydavey
- Created on: 04-06-21 20:07
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- Henry VIII - case for a divorce
- Reasons Henry wanted a divorce
- Loved Anne Boleyn, she no longer wanted to be his mistress
- Came to believe his lack of a male heir was a punishment from God for marrying his brother - scriptural arguments
- Barriers to getting a divorce
- Catholic Church didn't allow divorce
- Charles V was Catherine's nephew and had control over the Pope - so neither would be supportive of Henry
- Henry himself was a catholic, didn't want to offend the Pope
- Went to Mass at least once a day
- Went on pilgrimage to Walsingham
- Had made a fervent attack on Martin Luther's 95 theses
- Scriptural arguments
- Wolsey argued that Henry's marriage to Catherine depended on her word that her previous marriage to his brother Arthur hadn't been consummated - Leviticus
- However many theologians disagreed with Leviticus' meaning, part of the Old Testament, written at a time when polygamy was still practiced. Also argued that Deuteronomy implied that it was Henry's duty to marry his brother's wife and have children on his brother's behalf
- Unsuccessful
- Wolsey argued that Henry's marriage to Catherine depended on her word that her previous marriage to his brother Arthur hadn't been consummated - Leviticus
- Legal efforts
- Wolsey tried to move the hearings to England rather than Rome so he, as Papal Legate, could make the final judgement
- Pope still cautious of offending Charles - agreed to send over Cardinal Campeggio in 1528, however gave him strict instructions to delay the hearings and not reach a final conclusion
- Catherine of Aragon appealed against hearings and asked the Pope for them to be held in Rome, Pope agreed
- Wolsey's last attempts had failed, Henry no longer had any use for him
- Catherine of Aragon appealed against hearings and asked the Pope for them to be held in Rome, Pope agreed
- Pope still cautious of offending Charles - agreed to send over Cardinal Campeggio in 1528, however gave him strict instructions to delay the hearings and not reach a final conclusion
- Wolsey tried to move the hearings to England rather than Rome so he, as Papal Legate, could make the final judgement
- Diplomatic manoeuvres
- Wolsey created a French alliance to try and distract Charles by creating conflict in the Italian Peninsula, so they could free the Pope
- Unsuccessful
- Charles was too deeply entrenched in the Italian Peninsula to be evicted by the French
- Anti-Hapsburg alliance broke down - the League of Cognac - little else Wolsey could do to combat Charles' immense power and influence
- Unsuccessful
- Wolsey created a French alliance to try and distract Charles by creating conflict in the Italian Peninsula, so they could free the Pope
- Reasons Henry wanted a divorce
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