The fall of Wolsey

• Henry saw Wolsey, as Papal Legate, as the man who should secure the Pope’s agreement to the annulment.
• Thus Wolsey was given an impossible task. He used all his skills as a diplomat and statesman to achieve an annulment.
• He hoped to be made ‘acting Pope’ while Clement was a captive in Rome, so that he, Wolsey could decide in the king’s favour. The Pope refused!
• He persuaded another Papal Legate, Cardinal Campeggio, to put the ‘nunnery plan’ to Catherine. She refused.
• He got the Pope to agree to a special court to be held at Blackfriars in London in 1529. However, this was just a ploy by Clement VII playing for time. Before a verdict could be reached, the case was revoked to Rome.