The king's 'Great Matter' and the reasons for the fall of Wolsey (The case for the annulment)

The King's 'Great Matter' and the reasons for the fall of Wolsey

The case for annulment 

H was loyal Catholic so he interpreted the absence of a male heir as God's intervention.
He became convinced that by marrying Cath he had broken the law of God from the Old Testament, and that Pope Julius II had been incorrect to give the 1509 dispensation that preceeded the marriage.

H, found a passage in the Old Testament book of Leviticus that confirmed his judgement- that his marriage had never been lawful before God. This was the case for an annulment, rather than a divorce.

H recruited Richard Wakefield, the reader in Hebrew to give his opinion on the Biblical passage- He advised him  that 'childless' in Leviticus meant 'male childless' in Hebrew text.

Bible was not straightforward, however, as opponents of the annulment were swift to point out.

The role of Cardinal Wolsey

Once…