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Archiver > Bristol_and_Somerset > 2000-09 > 0967988825


From: Punkin <>
Subject: Re: Legal marriages
Date: Sun, 03 Sep 2000 09:47:05 -0400
References: <000001c01412$946fdde0$0a917ed4@oemcomputer> <39B1EEDA.4B298005@sympatico.ca> <01fd01c01599$1a855860$64076e0a@aenone> <000501c01596$70061b60$ef97bc3e@napier>


Dave:

This is so much fun, because Henry is a classic example of a messy family
tree!

After Arthur's death, the Pope granted a dispensation for Henry VIII to
marry Catherine - this was all done under the reign of Henry VII, who did
not want to lose the huge dowry that came with the Spanish princess. But
Henry VIII did not actually marry her until his coronation - I believe
the events took place on the same day.

Anne Boleyn was the one that put pressure on Henry. She wanted to be
queen, and would not let Henry into her bed until she was assured of this
course of action. Henry essentially was asking the Pope to dispense with
his dispensation and grant a divorce. Naturally, that wasn't going to
happen, especially when evidence had been offered earlier that
Catherine's marriage to Arthur had not been consummated - the best
evidence was Catherine's word, which certainly had more sincerity than
anyone else's in England at the time.

Punkin

Dave Napier wrote:

> Well, that's roughly it... but he actually wanted to annul his
> marriage to Catherine on the grounds that she had previously been
> married to his older brother Arthur ..... he wasn't tired of
> Catherine, he would have been quite happy to stay married to her and
> continue to spread his genes through the normal unofficial channels
> but he needed a male heir and after 18 years it was clear that
> Catherine wasn't going to come up with the goods. Unfortunately, the
> pope wasn't about to let him have his annulment and upset the King of
> Spain (or the King of France for that matter.)
>
> Dave Napier
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "AEnone McRae-Clift" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: 03 September 2000 12:05
> Subject: Re: Legal marriages
>
> > Hi Punkin,
> > Maybe my history is a little rusty, but I always thought that the
> formation
> > of the (eventual)Church of England (now Anglican) was due to rotten
> old
> > Henry 8 being besotted by Anne Boleyn, tired of Catherine and then
> the Pope
> > wouldn't grant him a divorce. So he said "***#@! to you" and formed
> his own
> > church and gave himself a divorce.
> > Someone straighten me out, please??
> > AEnone in Tasmania.
> >

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