Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
Wolsey & Catherine of Aragon (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Why was Henry VIII's Marriage to Catherine of Aragon Controversial? - Summary
Henry's married Catherine of Aragon in 1509. The marriage was controversial from the start. Catherine married Henry's eldest brother, Arthur, in 1501. In Tudor times, a lawful marriage required the couple to consummate. Catherine insisted that she had never consummated her marriage to Arthur so it should not be considered a lawful marriage. The uncertainty about Catherine's previous marriage led some people to question the legitimacy of Henry and Catherine's union. Another controversy surrounded Catherine's age. Catherine was six years older than Henry. This limited the amount of time that Catherine had to have children. There was a lot of pressure on Catherine to have a son. One of the most important duties of a Tudor monarch was to secure the line of succession through a male heir. |
Henry's Marriage to Catherine
The successes of the marriage
Henry was a supportive and affectionate husband to Catherine
Henry trusted and valued Catherine
During Henry's war with France from 1512 to 1514, Henry left Catherine as regent of England whilst he was away from England
Catherine proved herself capable of the role. She sent an army to defeat King James IV of Scotland
Catherine sent James' blood-stained shirt to Henry as a gift
Catherine was a popular queen in England
She participated in a lot of charity work
Catherine improved Henry's relationship with Spain and the Holy Roman Empire
Catherine was the aunt of Charles V (Charles I of Spain)
England was more likely to gain the support of Spain in times of war
The failures of the marriage
Catherine did not give birth to a son
Between 1509 and 1520, Catherine was pregnant at least six times
Only a daughter, Mary, survived
Henry blamed Catherine for their inability to have a son
Henry had an illegitimate son with his mistress, Bessie Blount
Catherine was 42 in 1527. She was running out of time to have any more children
Henry thought that not having a son damaged his reputation and masculinity
By 1527, the succession was not secured
Claimants from inside and outside of England started to see an opportunity to become Henry's heir
The chance of civil war increased the longer that Henry did not have a legitimate male heir
Henry believed that his marriage with Catherine was cursed
Henry thought that God was punishing him for marrying his brother's wife by not giving him a male heir
The Old Testament states:
If a man shall take his brother’s wife it is an impurity… they shall be childless
Henry began to be attracted to Anne Boleyn
She promised to provide Henry with a son
She refused to be Henry's mistress
How did Wolsey attempt to gain Henry an annulment?
Examiner Tips and Tricks
In your revision, it is helpful to consider the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors behind certain events. ‘Push’ factors are events or motivations for someone to act. Catherine not producing a male heir 'pushed' Henry to want to end the marriage. ‘Pull’ factors are benefits from performing an action. His attraction to Anne Boleyn and her potential to have a son 'pulled' Henry away from his marriage to Catherine. Considering the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors will help you to explain why Henry sought an annulment of his marriage with Catherine.
How Did Wolsey Attempt to Gain an Annulment?
What is an annulment?
An annulment is a method of ending a marriage
It is different from a divorce
A divorce is where someone ends a valid marriage due to an issue that occurred during the marriage
An annulment is where someone proves the marriage was invalid from the beginning so is not considered a legal marriage
Why was it tricky for Henry to annul his marriage to Catherine?
Only the Pope could annul marriages
Catherine's nephew, Charles V (Charles I of Spain), would be angry with Henry
This anger could trigger a war
Catherine would resist an annulment
Catherine's daughter, Mary, may lose her claim to the throne
An annulment would discredit Catherine's reputation
Worked Example
Explain why Henry VIII decided to seek an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon
12 marks
Partial answer:
One reason why Henry VIII wanted to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon was because she had not given birth to a son. Between 1509 and 1520, Catherine was pregnant at least six times. Only a daughter, Mary, had survived. This made Henry want to end their marriage because his duty as monarch was to have a male heir to the throne. With Catherine growing older, she would be unable to have any more children. Therefore, Henry felt it was necessary to divorce Catherine and remarry a younger woman to produce a male heir to the throne.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This is a partial answer to this question. You would need to write another two paragraphs to complete this question. Other reasons you could discuss include:
His attraction to Anne Boleyn
The religious reasons why his marriage to Catherine was invalid
The growing threat of civil war after his death
Wolsey's actions
Opposition to the Annulment
Factor | Why did this increase opposition to the annulment? |
|---|---|
Catherine had support from key individuals in England such as Thomas More and John Fisher, the Bishop of Rochester | These individuals held power in Henry's government and the Church. Their disagreement could weaken Henry's power |
Catherine publicly begged Henry not to end their marriage | This won public sympathy towards Catherine. She was already popular among the people |
The Pope and Cardinal Campeggio made it impossible for Henry to achieve an annulment through the Church | Henry had to act carefully. It would be very challenging for Henry to end the marriage without papal approval |
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