divorce from Catherine of Aragon

• Why did Henry want a divorce from Catherine of Aragon?

  1. legitimate heir
  2. conscience
  3. love for Anne Boleyn
• legitimate heir

  -  ‘King’s Great Matter’

  -  CoA’s first son Henry died at only a few weeks old

  -  CoA had 4 unsuccessful pregnancies before Mary, then one short-lived daughter after

  -  Elizabeth Blount (CoA’s lady-in-waiting) had Henry Fitzroy, but he was illegitimate

  -  Number of other suspected to be illegitimate children but they were never acknowledged by Henry

  -  If marriage was illegitimate, so was Mary

  -  A female could not inherit the throne

  -  Female ruler could lead to unrest once Henry died, esp due to descendants of Edward IV having claims

  -  Catherine was over 40, last pregnancy in 1518 & Henry stopped sleeping with her in 1524

  - Visit to France in 1528  Mary’s legitimacy questioned over marriage negotiations with French heir
• legitimate heir (counter)

  -  CoA gave birth to a son, Henry, Duke of Cornwall in 1511

  -  Elizabeth Blount gave birth to Henry Fitzroy in 1519, (was acknowledged & made Duke of Richmond in 1525)

  -  Henry Fitzroy was sent to run Council of the North to gain experience (seen as possible successor)

  - Catherine of Aragon had given him a daughter, Mary
• conscience

  -  Gained papal dispensation to marry Catherine (doubting pope’s authority to do this)

  -  Henry very religious (given title ‘Defender of the Faith’ by pope)

  -  Lack of son within marriage – God’s punishment. Supported by Hebrew translation of the Book of Leviticus – “If a man shall take his brother’s wife, they shall be without sons.”

  - Ives – “Henry had no choice but to construct a legal marriage & a son would be the reward.”
• conscience (counter)

  - Latin translation of Book of Leviticus said, “If a man shall take his brother’s wife, they shall be without children.” – incorrect, they had Mary
• love for Anne Boleyn

  -  Love letters (“your loyal & most ensured servant…” “Writne with the Hand of him that was, is, and shall be yours by his will…”)

  - 1529 -> Cardinal Campeggio commented – “cannot stay away from her an hour… his love is something amazing”
• love for Anne Boleyn (counter)

  -  Argued that Henry truly loved CoA – marriage lasted 23 years, 11 months

  -  Henry took many other mistresses during his marriage to CoA (inc. Bessie Blount & Mary Boleyn)

  -  Marriage only lasted from Nov 1532 – May 1536

  -  Henry never made it public that he had fallen in love with Anne

  - Anne refused to sleep with Henry until she was queen – more sexual frustration than love?