Henry VIII - The King's great matter, 1529 Flashcards
Give 3 reasons for why Henry wanted an annulment.
- Henry believed that he was living in sin due to Leviticus 20:21
- Catherine of Aragon was too old to have children, she had a daughter and her other children were stillborns.
- Henry had fallen in deep enfatuation with Anne Boleyn by 1526
What is Leviticus 20:21
“If a man shall take his brother’s wife it is an unclean thing, he hath uncovered his nakedness. They shall be childless.”
What is the counter-argument to Leviticus 20:21?
“The book of deuteronomy” said that it was a man’s duty to marry his brother’s widow.
What was the Scriptual approach of Wolsey’s Three-Point Approach?
Wolsey took arguments from Leviticus 20:21 and accused Catherine of Aragon of lying about not consumating her marriage to Arthur.
What was the Diplomatic approach in Wolsey’s three-point approach?
- Reasons for the Sack of Rome
Charles V was Catherine of Aragon’s nephew and therefore opposed the annulment. In response to the League of Cognac Charles V sacked the city of Rome and had Pope Clement VII under his juridstriction.
1. Wolsey attempted to pressure Charles V into supporting the annumlent via the Treaty of Amiens.
2. The Treaty of Amiens fails so Wolsey emposes a trade embargo on the Burgundian lands.
3. In response, Charles V keeps English Cloth merchants hostage, resulting in widespread unemployment and economic distress.
What was the legal approach in Wolsey’s three-point approach?
Wolsey attempted to hold the divorce proceedings in England in order to undermine the power of the pope. However, the Pope sends another papal legate, Cardinal Campeggio to delay the proceedings.
What and when was the Court of Blackfriars?
- The Court of BlackFriars 1529.
This was a court held by Cardinal Campeggio to delay the proceedings of the annulment. The Court of Blackfriars was to investigate whether Henry and Cath’s marriage was valid.
–> Catherine would kneel infront of Henry and pledge herself as his loyal wife, resulting in major favour towards Catherine.
Court adjourned without a verdict and never met again until after the break with Rome. Campeggio would return to Rome showing that this was just another stall tactic.
What effect did the Sack of Rome have on Henry’s great matter?
Pope Clement VII did not want to offend Charles V due to his immense power and following 1527 he was under his control. Therefore the Pope avoided the issue for seven years so he would not alienate Charles V.
What did Catherine of Aragon do in 1529?
Catherine appealed to the Pope directly, this was accepted by Pope Clement.
What was the Treaty of Amiens?
The Treaty of Amiens (1527) was an anti-imperial alliance with France in the hopes of pressurising Charles V into accepting the annulment.
What does the failure of Henry to resolve his ‘Great Matter’ diplomatically show?
It showed the extent to which England remained a minor power in Europe.
