Question

Strictly speaking, in the 1530s Henry VIII did not want the pope to allow him to divorce Catherine of Aragon. He wanted one of these, a declaration that his marriage had been invalid from the outset. What is the term for this?

A) Annulment
B) Excommunication
C) Separation
D) Dispensation

Answer 1

Henry VIII desired an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon in the 1530s, which was granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury after the pope refused the request, leading to the establishment of the Church of England.

Step-by-step explanation:

Honestly, in the 1530s, Henry VIII did not seek a traditional divorce from Catherine of Aragon; instead, he desired an annulment, which is a declaration that his marriage was invalid from the start. Henry contended that his marriage to Catherine was illegitimate because she had been married to his brother first, and according to Catholic Church law prohibiting the marriage of close relatives, they should never have been allowed to wed.

When Pope Clement VII refused the annulment, citing the potential undermining of papal authority and the complex political situation with Catherine's nephew, Charles V of Spain, Henry took radical action. He declared the English church independent of papal authority through the Act of Supremacy passed by Parliament in 1534. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, who had Protestant inclinations, then granted the annulment, allowing Henry to marry Anne Boleyn.