3 Causes
- Succession problem
- Role of Anne Boleyn
- Desire to govern the English church
What had Henry’s marriage with Catherine of Aragon failed to produce
A male heir
Why was the only living heir to the throne (Princess Mary) a problem
The previous female monarch (empress matilda) on accession had sparked a Civil War.
Henry didnt want to begin the Wars of the Roses again, especially as a female monarch meant a weaker tudor dynasty and stronger Yorkist one
How old was Catherine and why was this a problem
She was 40 and it was a problem because she was above childbearing age
What significance did religion hold in the succession problem
Henry read Leviticus in 1525 that it was unlawful to marry a brothers wife, and doing so would lead to an impossibility of a male heir.
The marriage was not sanctioned by God
Why was Anne Boleyn attractive to Henry
- He was personally lustful towards her due to personality and looks
- Anne was 15 years younger than Catherine therefore she was much more likely to produce Henry’s much needed/wanted Male heir.
What faction within court influenced the marriage to Anne Boleyn
The Boleyn faction because they would gain status from the marriage.
e.g. Thomas Boleyn
Why was the desire to govern the English church a factor in the annulment
Henry wished to re-establish England as a sovereign state
