3 - the divorce & wolsey's fall

Question 1

When did Henry marry Catherine of Aragon?

Answer 1

1509

Question 2

Why did Henry want a divorce from Catherine of Aragon?

Answer 2

• conscience -> believed it was against God’s will, pope did not have power to issue papal dispensation
• ‘Great Matter’ -> needed a legitimate heir to secure dynasty (marriage & Mary=illegitimate), Catherine’s last pregnancy in 1518 & was now over 40, made Henry Fitzroy Duke of Richmond & sent him to run Council of the North (possibility of succeeding?)
• in love with Anne Boleyn -> love letters, Anne refused to become his mistress until she was definitely going to be Queen

Question 3

Henry’s illegitimate son

Answer 3

Henry Fitzroy

Question 4

Why did attempts to obtain a divorce fail?

Answer 4

• Charles (Catherine’s nephew) had taken Rome in 1527 & held the pope prisoner
• 1st attempt -> persuade pope that original dispensation was invalid (would’ve meant agreeing that the previous pope was wrong)
• 2nd attempt -> error in original dispensation (Catherine’s advisors found a version which satisfied objections)
• 3rd attempt -> hear case in England (Cardinal Campeggio took a long time to arrive & reach verdict, suspended court until July 1529)

Question 5

Wolsey’s fall from power

Answer 5

• resisted attacks on his position for 15 years
• promised Henry divorce would be quick & easy (seen as responsible)
• Boleyn faction put pressure on Henry (Wolsey = deliberately slow as Anne = more politically active)
• by 1529 -> Henry desperate, urgently needed male heir
• failure of hearing in England -> H used praemunire agst Wolsey

Question 6

Wolsey’s arrest

Answer 6

• charged w/ praemunire
• released, but then rearrested
• brought to London -> died on the way at Leicester

Question 7

When & where did Wolsey die?

Answer 7

29th November 1530, Leicester