I've been warned by the threadmistress against footnotes, but this is a most important point. If Henry had been interested only in sex, then he could have tricked or forced Anne into it and then abandoned her. He also wanted a legitiamte heir, which meant he had to marry someone which required a previous divorce of Catherine. I am in no position to resolve scholarly disputes between Mattingly and Pollard in the narrow compass of this thread or my time and knowledge. It seems to me that these two motives fitted well together. I can't access the Papers and Letters of Henry VIII or the Venetian ambassador's correspondence right now, but I think everyone agrees that Anne put Henry off (when he turned his passion from her older sister to her) until he promised her he would make her queen.
As to Catharine's legality, consider Leviticus XX.21 "If a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing; he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness, they shall be childless." The Papal dispensation was questionable. Could the Pope reverse the word of God? Henry himself had protested against the marriage during his father's life. IMO, Henry had a good faith belief in the sinfulness (illegality under canon law) of his marriage. He was able to convince many of the authorities (Universities) of the illegality. The Pope, under the pressure of the Emperor, was unwillingness to conform to the demand of Henry. As for Catherine? The principle of laches must throw her case out of court. In pragmatic terms, Henry was also right, and the Pope was wrong. The Pope needed some Jesuit advice.
Please, Edwarda, don't be so sarcastic. You write like a judge (or an infallible Pope) rather than a scholar about disputed things. I appreciate your attempt to clarify and your interest. I admit to trolling on "illegal" and look what I have caught! |
