All Because of an Affair

King Henry VIII was the son of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. He was the second son in his family, and is older brother Arthur became the heir to the throne. King Arthur married Catherine of Aragon, but soon after King Arthur died from an illness. Therefore, Henry VIII was next in line to be the next king. At the age of 17, he took the throne and married his brother’s wife, Catherine of Aragon.

In order to marry a widower, King Henry VIII was able to receive a papal dispensation, which is when the Pope exempts a couple from the Canon Law. At the beginning of King Henry’s reign he was unable to effectively rule, so he then relied on Thomas Wolsey. After one year, King Henry regained control and decided to raise his status as Lord Chancellor.

King Henry and Catherine of Aragon were able to produce 6 children. However, all but one child was able to survive after infancy, and her name was Mary I. However, Henry VIII was worried that he would not be able to produce an heir to the throne and he was growing ti

Catherine of Aragon

King Henry VIII

red of his 24 yearlong marriage with Catherine. He then had an affair with a woman named Anne Boleyn, and married her later. However, the problem King Henry had to face was with the Pope, who did not agree with this marriage. King Henry VIII was going to be charged with treason until he made a decision that would change He decided that he did not need to have the Pope’s permission to make decisions during his reign. In order to do this King Henry broke up the Roman Catholic Church and closed monasteries. Then the Parliament was able to pass the Act of Supremacy, which allowed the king to be above the Church. Therefore, allowing King Henry VIII to do want pleases him, if that means to divorce and marry another woman.

Anne Boleyn

The act of breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church has caused a ripple in the new line of Kings.  The new idea of Anglicanism, which is the faith that the Church of England will contain both Catholicism and Protestant features, was in place after King Henry’s plan to break away from the Roman Catholic Church. Although non-Catholics such as Luther and Zwingli started the Protestant reformation, King Henry’s break away from the Roman Catholic Church was the first political action of the English Reformation.





More Fun Facts about King Henry VIII: http://www.history.com/topics/british-history/henry-viii

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/people/henry_viii/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/people/catherine_of_aragon/