The King's 'Great Matter'

H8 and COA deeply interested in theology
Both could be described as Humanists
Thomas More was close friend on H8, they discussed removing supersition from Church practices
H8 dependent for his position as King on the legitimacy given by the Church through ceremony of coronation
Regarded himself as owing obedience to Pope in metters of religion
Concept of a 'Godly Prince' key to his view of himself
Recognised Pope had legal authority over his marriage
Nothing before 1529 to suggest he believed he should be Head of the Church
Deeply committed to his faith, his relationship with God formed a central part of his exsistance
Attended mass at least once a day
Fervent in his attack on 95 thees of Luther
Catholic faith was the philosophy by which he lived his life

• H8 very conscious of upheaval of the disputed succession of the Wars of the RosesH8 surrounded by thise who could claim royal blood from Edward III -Prospect of Civil War horrific
• 1527- H8 and COA married for 18 years, COA 42 years old , 1518- COA's last pregnancy, likely entered menopause by 40
• COA had number of still-births and miscarriages but only 2 pregnancies were child survived, male heir, Henry born New Year's Day 1511 but died 7 weeks later, and Mary born 1516
• Seems by 1524 H8 ceased marital relations with COA, certainly by 1527 -Idea of woman inheriting throne of England unthinkable
• 18 May 1527 Spanish Ambassdor Chapuys reported to CV that H8 had secretly assembled a group of bishops and lawyers to sign a declaration his marriage to COA was null and void
• Chapuys said H8 was claiming marriage was invalid as COA had been his brother's wife so Pope Julius II had been wrong to grant permission in 1509 - H8 had not told COA anything
• H8 hope Pope Clement VI would annul his marriage on bibical grounds
• The older section, Leviticus 20:21 If a man takes his brother's wife it is an impurity; he has uncovered his brother's nakedness, they shall be childless H8 interprets hildless to as meaning without a male heir
• Deuteronomy 24:5  If brothers dwell together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside the family to a stranger; her husband's brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife

• Historians have questioned why after so many years H8 came to believe his marriage was invalid in eyes of God
• His reasoning has been regared with a degree of cynicism- he was trying to find any solution that would enable him to put COA aside
• in 16th century explanations for events were sought in religion, H8 had failed to produce a survivng son with COA but had sired a son with his mistress, therefore, his marriage must be sinful in eyes of God
• COA found out H8's intentions from Chapuys
• COA's response based on religious principles, her marriage was valid, her marriage to Arthur never consummated + papal dispensation to allow her to marry H8, COA was a true Catholic, marriage was a sacrament and once joined by priest husband and wife couldn't be seperated
• CV (her nephew), the Holy Roman Emperor holding Pope captive in Rome following Sack fo Rome
• 1527- H8 confronted COA with the illegality of their marriage, said his conscience was troubled
• he wanted annulment, meant her could marry as if for first time and conceive an heir to Tudor Dynasty
• H8 hoped COA would withdraw into nunnery quietly, accepting his interpretation, H8 had already shown interest in AB, made COA more determined to protect marriage + made Wolsey's job harder

• 1527- Wolsey petitioned Pope to reverse the permission granted by his predecessor
• H8 and Wolsey believed as legatus a latere, W had authority to decide, but as Pope virtual prisoner of CV, a court was assembled as Blackfriars with Pope's emissary Cardinal Campeggio to pronounce of behalf of Pope. Most negotiations by Vatican were protracted but this was even more so
• End of 1529- Anne was H8's constant companion and she played the main role in court, despite COA still being queen - Frustrations built up. COA continued to hold out for decision of papal court
• March 1529-court opened in Blackfriars to hear case for divorce with representations from H8's lawyers. Behind the scenes W sought to put pressure on Campeggio to find for king
• COA made biggest impact at hearing where she appeared resolute in her position as H8's legal wife while H8 tried to prove her marriage to Arthur had been consummated
• H8 presented very questionable evidence
• 23rd July 1529  when a decision was expected, Camppeggio said the court was part of the court in Rome and that the case was being adjourned there to meet in October. COA made it clear she would appeal to Rome should the commission's decision go against her
• W couldn't do anything, court didn't meet in Oct + by end of year H8 altered his tactics
• Oct 1529- W replaced as Chancellor by Thomas More, called parliament in Nov to put pressure on Pope to force him to change mind about marriage's validity
• CV's influence on Pope was greater than W's, if H8 had the financial or diplomatic power to come to his aid Pope might have been more receptive to his demands, but presure of CV much more immediate

• COA had considerable support in England - her reception from the crowd on leaving Blackfriars was testament to the esteem in which she was held by ordinary people
• Few at court prepared to support her attempt to save her marriage
• Pressure brought to bear on members of court by the faction surrounding AB, led by DON, sufficient to leave her few supporters
• Clear to those at court that AB relegated to role of king's consort- not to acknowledge this was to lose royal favour
• Thomas More and John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester stood firm in support for COA- both motivated by belief in legitimacy of COA and H8 marriage and commitment to marriage as a sacrament, only ended by death or annulment by Pope
• Fisher tireless advocate of COA's case, wrote at least 7 books that provided convincing theological argument in support of marriage
• More's request to resign from his position as Chancellor and retire to his Chelsea home was a recognition that he disapproved of H8's treatment of COA and was unable to prevent H8 setting aside his wife

• Main reason H8 unable to annul marriage was because of support given to COA cause by her nephew CV, Holy Roman Emperor. Main players in Europe in 1520s were France and HRE.
• Francis I and CV vied for supremacy and specifically for territoral gains in Italian states
• Traditionally England closer to Spain than France and valued links with HRE
• Success of Habsburg forces against F at battle of Pavia resulted in CV forces gaining territory unopposed in the Italian states - involved Sack fo Rome by CV's troops which he did not encourage but capitalised on opportunity to make Pope a virtual prisoner in Castel San Angelo
• CV prevented Pope granting annulment both in support of COA personally but also becuase of the slight to the Aragonese family
• An annulment have been granted to FI on much less secure grounds than H8 but diplomatic situation worked in COA's favour
• Both COA and H8 sought evidence to support their cases from international scholars- COA's defence was formidable; scholars in European unis exposed the misrepresentation of H8's claim of Levitican text and the misquotation on which it was based and challenged H's interpretaion of canon law

• W dependet for his position on ensuring he carried out H8's bidding
• W was supportive on a major shift in foreign policy, E moving away from links with its tradtional ally S to greater diplomatic links with F
• Can be partly explained by W's policy to gain influence in European affairs, not through military strength but through holding the balance of power therefore useful for W to cultivate the F, with whose court AB had close links and to challenge traditional relationship with S
• Early 1526- H8 attracted to AB, W prepared to act in reponse to H8's demands, even if he had to promote the interests of DON, AB's uncle and he political rival in privy council
• H8 had tired of MB who gave into his demands very rapidly
• Dispute as to when H8 and AB's relationship began and whether it pre-dated H8's decision to seek annulment
• H8 appears to have been attracted to her as early as 1526, letters between H8 and AB survive from 1527-1528
• General view is AB learnt from MB's relationship with H8 and was determined to ensuure she gained more from H8's interest than a temporary affair
• H8's interest in AB exploited by DON and her father who wished to promote his standings in court