Henry VIII and His Six Wives Henry VIII married his brother’s widow, Catherine of Aragon, in a political marriage (much like most weddings of the time). When Catherine of Aragon had stillborn children as well as early infancy deaths to all of their children, except Mary, Henry VIII began to worry that he would not have a son to heir the thrown. He began to petition the court for an annulment, so that we could marry his mistress Ann of Boleyn. At first Catherine, was kept in the dark of Henry’s plans, he was using the text of Leviticus to justify his annulment. In the book of Leviticus, it states that if a man takes his brother’s wife they shall remain childless. Even though they had a healthy daughter, Mary, this did not count in Henry’s eyes, it was the male heir to the thrown that he wanted. Catherine was adamant in her claims that she had not consummated her marriage with Author, Henry’s brother. The political and legal debate continued for six years, Catherine not only wanted to retain her position, but also her daughter’s position in the kingdom.Things came to a close when Anne became pregnant in 1533. Anne was possibly the person who gave the king the new ideas for religious reform. Henry knowing he had to act fast rejected the decision of the Pope in England and had Thomas Crammer, the archbishop of Canterbury, grant the annulment. Catherine was to renounce the title of Queen and would be known as the Princess Dowager of Wales, something she refused to acknowledge through to the end of her life. Catherine and her daughter were separated and she was forced to leave court. While Henry and Anne were planning for the birth of their first child, the king knew for sure that it would be a boy and had prince written on the documents and then on Sept 7, 1533 around 3:00 pm princess Elizabeth was born. Anne knew she had to produce a son but had two miscarriages shortly after Elizabeth’...
