Final answer:
The purpose of Emma of Normandy's marriage to Cnut is unrelated to the question, which seems to be incorrectly worded. The details provided relate to the English Reformation during the reign of Henry VIII and his marriage issues with Catherine of Aragon, leading to the establishment of the Church of England.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of Emma of Normandy's marriage to Cnut was not to assist Henry VIII in his quest for an annulment to his marriage or to create a hierarchy within the Church of England. Emma of Normandy's marriage to Cnut occurred much earlier in history. However, the information provided pertains to events during the reign of Henry VIII and the establishment of the Church of England following his plea for annulment from Catherine of Aragon, which Pope Clement VII refused. This led to the English Reformation and the subsequent Act of Supremacy in 1534, establishing the Church of England with the English monarch as its head.
Key events mentioned include Thomas Cranmer's granting of the annulment against the pope's decision, the succession acts passed by Parliament, and the broader political and religious turmoil involving England, such as the battle for control over Normandy and the principles laid out in the Magna Carta.