Henry's Great Matter Flashcards
Catherine’s Supporters in England
FOR
-General Public supported Catherine-shown by reception outside Blackfriars
-John Fisher (Bishop of Rochester) - Wrote 7 books providing convincing theological argument for Catherine
-Thomas More -Requested to resign as chancellor - disapproved of Henrys treatment of Catherine but couldn’t stop her
-Both More and Fisher were motivated by belief of legitimacy of Catherine and Henrys Marriage and commitment to marriage as a sacrament
AGAINST
- Annes was obviously Henrys favourite at court so it was unwise not to support her
-Peer Pressure from factions - Annes lead by Duke of Norfolk (Uncle) - so little support at court
Annes supporters Abroad
FOR
-Charles 5 (Nephew) had power over the pope as he held him as a virtual prisoner in the Castel San Angelo after the sack of Rome
AGAINST
-Annulment had been granted to Louis 12 on much lesser grounds
Key Dates of Henrys Initial attempt to Divorec
1527- Henry decides to formally seek annulment using Wolsey
March 1529- Court at Blackfriars Opened
23rd July 1529- Decision expected from Campeggio but court to meet in Rome in October
October 1529-Wolsey replaced as Chancellor by Thomas More
November 1529- More calls parliament
Henrys Arguments For the Divorce
Text of Leviticus - it is an impurity for a man to take is brothers wife (Author died 1504)
Other Scholars refer to Deuteronomy which says the opposite but herby argues Leviticus is older
Argument about whether ‘childless’ is the same as ‘heirless’
Henrys Letters to Annes
Show Henrys devotion to Annes - he notoriously hated writing letters
Show that by 1527 he no longer wanted her as his Mistress but as his wife - ‘my heart shall be dedicated to you alone; greatly desirous that so my body could be as well’
Henrys Motives for the Divorce
Seemed to be a variety of factors which changed a lot over time (even for Henry)
Lust for Anne
+ Contemporaries amazed at henrys sustained devotion
+Letters show his love
-Health concerns higher priority than being with his loved one (Anne sent away from court on suspicion of sweating sickness & Henry often left Anne behind when disease broke out in London)
Rivalry with Charles 5
+Means not outcome (could have got rid of problem is easier way e.g. killing Catherine as he had done with other enemies. Catherine’s friends even feared this would happen )
+Very public debate, Henry a proud man, didn’t seem to be giving up on attack on Pope even when there was little hope
Control over English Church
Genuine Religious Guilt
+It was French who first suggested that Mary could be illegitimate when Henry was trying to arrange a marriage for her
Wolsey and Anne
Wolsey wanted to gain influence in European affairs though diplomatic links with France ( not military force for once !). Through this he wanted to create a balance of power as England’s traditional ally had been Spain.
Anne had links to French courts so Wolsey was prepared to support her even though this supported the Duke of Norfolk (Anne’s Uncle) who was his political rival.
Influence of Charles 5
Power over Pope
+ He held him a virtual captive in the Castel del Angelo after the sack of Rome in 1527 (after Habsburg victory at the Battle of Pavia in 1525)
- Didn’t have complete power - could only stop him acting in a certain way but could not make him act in a certain way
-Technically the Pope could do what he wanted just at a cost ( as he did in 1528 when he allied with Henry 8 in a fool hardy attempt to lesson Charles 5 grip on Europe )
Wolseys Motives
Some say he was a secret saboteur
+His personal feelings were against the divorce
+He changed his mind and said that only Rome could annul the marriage and it was out of the English Churches Power. This is ironic as Wolsey did not seem have any problem with exceeding ones powers (although this could have merely been to prevent any future problems and secure the legitimacy of future children)
+Wolsey resented the influence that Anne had as Kings favourite and Anne made to no secret that she expected to be the Kings Confidante
-Wolseys political and personal sure depended on the Kings happiness with him (as can bee seen through his downfall in 1529)
- People Argue that he was less energetic but there are really few examples ( example given above can be reversed )
-Later letters to Rome seem pleading - can it be argued that his political activity form 1528-29 had an air of desperation
Role of the Pope
Conflicting Image
- ‘dithering and distressed’ old man often backtracking on his decisions
- But also determined not to be bullied by Henry or tool of Charles
This combined made him almost unmanageable
Main Tactic- Delay
- He hoped the problem would just go away with time ( By henry tiring of Anne, either of them dying, English taking the law into their own hands, Catherine being persuaded into entering a nunnery )
Motives of Charles 5
Helped Catherine as his Aunt
+Family ties
-no proof of personal feelings, he actually handle knew her
-seemingly made no attempts to better their acquaintance on his visits to England
-Track record of only being sensitive to family name when it helped him to be so ( e.g. did nothing to help aunt thrown over by husband King of Denmark )
-Did nothing to right wrongs done to Catherine in the 3 years after the divorce
-Done more for political self interest and personal pride- the debate was very public- rivalries with Henry 8
