Section A: Cromwell’s rise to power 1529-34

• why did cromwell help henry with his divorce from catherine of aragon?

  he was sure that it was a way of gaining a further promotion
• what solution did cromwell propose in 1531 for henry's divorce to cath of aragon?

  the power of annulment should be removed from the pope and given to henry instead, and to provide a legal basis for this, parliament could be used to pass a law transferring the power.
• what happened in january 1533 that made henry need to divorce quickly?

  anne boleyn was pregnant, and he needs to be married anne so her child can be legitimate
• what did anne and henry do on the 25th of january?

  the archbishop of canterbury, thomas cranmer, performed a secret marriage ceremony for the couple
• what act was passed in march 1533?

  the act in restraint of appeals was passes, which stated that the king was the supreme head of england. this meant that he, and not the pope, had the right to grant annulments
• when was the divorce hearing and who was it headed by?

  may 1533, headed by archbishop cranmer
• what happened on the 23rd of may?

  the court announced that the original papal dispensation had been invalid, that henry and catherine had never been legally married, and that henry's secret marriage to anne was therefore legal
• when did anne give birth to elizabeth?

  september 1533
• when did cromwell act as henry's chief minister?

  1533 until 1540
• what other titles did cromwell have?

  chancellor of the exchequer, lord of the privy seal, lord great chamberlain, earl of essex