The Kings Great Matter

What did the problems over resolving the Kings Great Matter lead to?

Short term- downfall of Wolsey

Long term- establishment of royal supremacy

Why was H8 becoming dissatisfied with his marriage?

Catherine was past the age of childbearing

Only 1 child- Mary- had survived infancy

H8 was fearful for the kingdom should he die without a male heir

Who did H8 consider legitimising?

Henry Fitzroy- son from his mistress Bessie Blount

What complicated the matters?

H8 had fallen madly in love with Anne Boleyn- niece of Duke of Norfolk

What was Anne unwilling to become?

Henry’s mistress like her sister had been

What did henry require Wolsey to secure?

A papal dispensation for the annulment of his marriage to Catherine- the kings great matter

What did H8 find to form the basis of his annulment?

Biblical justification from the book of Leviticus as it contained a prohibition on a man carrying his brother’s widow

What did H8 argue about his own papal dispensation?

The papal dispensation issued by Pope Julius II to permit his own marriage to Catherine was invalid as she had briefly married his brother Arthur

What was the problem with H8 argument?

Catherine claimed that her marriage to Prince Arthur had never been consummated, so the biblical ban didn’t apply

What happened on the 6th May 1527 in Rome?

Rome had been sacked by the troops of Emperor Charles V and the Pope was in effect the emperor’s prisoner

Why was what happened in Rome bad for H8?

The Emperor was Catherine’s nephew and was not prepared to see his family insulted

What did Wolsey do in May 1527?

Brought Henry before a fake court to ‘accuse’ him of living in sin with his supposed wife, a fault that H8 admitted

What was Wolsey’s role to the Pope?

His personal representative

How did Catherine respond to the court’s verdict?

Refused to accept it and appealed to the Pope