How did foreign affairs affect Henry’s attempts to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon?
The need for a papal annulment to end Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon was down to the fact that it was the only way for it to appear as legitimate across Europe, and in order be granted this annulment, Henry would have to prove that his marriage was unlawful.

However, there were immediate setbacks for Henry, which came in the shape of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor and the most powerful man in Europe at the time. He was Catherine’s nephew, and also held significant influence over the Pope due to the military superiority in the Habsburg-Valois conflict. Imperial troops sacked Rome, which meant that the Pope was essentially a prisoner to Charles, and was in no position to disagree with him.

Wolsey was of the belief that he could use his position as Papal Legate to achieve this annulment, and attempted to call a council of leading archbishops to decide on the matter in the Pope’s absence. The French cardinals were relcutant to play along and before long, the Pope was freed, although still under heavy influence from Charles, who had the Pope’s freedom in his hands, and could imprison him again if he so wished.

Wolsey then had the case heard in England, but the Pope did not want to anger Charles or Henry, and suggested that Henry seeked a divorce and promised him he would be able to attain an annulment later on. Henry was not interested though. Cardinal Campeggio was sent to hear the case, but his main purpose was to stall the case. He suggested that Catherine was to go into a nunnery, but |Henry was adamant on an annulment through Rome, and Catherine was not keen on this idea either.

Catherine also played a vital role in the rejection of Henry’s annulment, as she gained many supporters in court who sympathised with her. The true Catherine was said to have come out in court, as she desperately defended her marriage and the legitimacy of her daughter Mary. She argued that she was a virgin when she married Henry, and therefore the Levitical line that Henry was using so much did not apply. As well as this, the king’s love for Anne Boleyn did him no favours, as it became clear that he was trying to cast Catherine aside for a younger woman.

By the time the hearing started in England, the Pope had already made up his mind not to dispense the annulment, and Campeggio was under strict orders to make sure it was not granted. The trial was delayed by the supposed finding of a letter from Julius II to Catherine’s mother in 1503, which was meant to have cleared any discrepancies up, but they refused to let it out of their sight. The good timing of the find led many to believe it was a lie.

The Blackfriars hearing lasted until July 1529, when it was decided that the hearing would continue in Rome, which essentially was the end for Henry, who although he would continue to try and attain the annulment, it was no longer a realistic option, and a split from Rome had to be seeked.