Explain why a series of Acts changing the position of the clergy was passed in the years 1529 1534. (12 marks)

Authors Avatar

Explain why a series of Acts changing the position of the clergy was passed in the years 1529 – 1534.

(12 marks)

        During the years 1529 till 1534 in 16th Century England, there was a period of considerable change in the law, they were designed to do three things; to mass the laity solidly behind the king, to overawe the clergy into acquiescence in his demands, and to frighten the pope into yielding to them. Henry VIII put forward many different acts, all focussing on different things, and each with different meanings. It is not certain why the series of acts were passed, however we are able to suggest different reasons and how they link together.

        One of the key ideas, and background reasons for some of the acts to be passed, is to be granted an annulment between himself and Catherine of Aragon. Henry wanted the divorce for a number of reasons, including the lack of male heir and the thought that marrying Catherine in the first place may have been a sin against god. Henry wished for Wolsey to secure him a papal annulment of the marriage, however as Wolsey failed to do as the king had wished, Henry looked into other ways, to allow the annulment he wanted.

One of the acts passed was ‘The Annulment’. Passed on the 23rd May of the year 1533, this act stated that due to the marriage between Arthur Tudor and Catherine of Aragon being consummated, the pope should never have allowed it in the first place. Backing up this act was Thomas Cranmer, the appointed new chief minister after Wolsey’s failure in the ‘Great Matter’, he stated that the marriage between Henry and Anne was valid, as said in the act, the pope should have never granted an already consummated marriage, this resulted in the declaration that the marriage to Catherine was both null and void. It is clear that the reason for this act being passed is to grant Henry VIII the annulment he desired, however it additionally links with religion, as it was against gods will to marry someone, after having already consummated with someone else, however this is unlikely to be the reason Henry wanted to pass the act.

        A second act passed, supporting the annulment between Henry and Catherine was the ‘Death of Warham & the appointment of Cranmer.’ This was passed in the year 1532, on the 23rd of August. William Warham was the archbishop of Canterbury, during the years 1450 and 1532, when he passed away Henry appointed Thomas Cranmer as he knows that he will support his views and fulfil what he wants to be done. He wants to get Cranmer to annul the marriage which Wolsey was unable to sort out. The passing of this act strongly increases Henry VIII’s power, and needs as he is getting exactly what he wants on the matter, and also fully trusts Cranmer with the responsibility of arranging an annulment, he knows that Cranmer follows what he asks. This act is however a major flaw for the level of power the Pope can contain, as the King is gaining more control, by appointing churchmen himself, which means he can get around the rules of the church which act as obstacles in the path of what he wants to achieve. This act also strongly supports the suggestion for an annulment of the marriage between Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII; it also links with power and the increase of it, which the King is gaining by appointing churchmen himself. Resulting in the power of the Pope hugely decreasing, as even the monarch, is not following the rules of god in his eyes.

Join now!

        A third act which also supports and encourages an annulment to be granted between Catherine and Henry is the ‘Treason Act’. Passed in December 1534, a law was placed that stated, anyone maliciously denying the validity of the marriage between Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, would be sentenced with treason, anyone denying simply with words could be punished with either imprisonment or the loss of property. The nation was made to take an oath to observe the ‘Treason Act’, to test and make sure the people were accepting royal supremacy. This act was necessary in the eyes of Henry VIII, ...

This is a preview of the whole essay