The reign of Henry VIII was marked by many characteristics and one such characteristic was his legal maneuverings. Henry VIII was an educated man and knew not only the law but he also knew religion as well. Taught by Erasmus under the Humanist traditions of reading and interpreting the bible for one's self, Henry VIII gained a wealth on knowledge and in 1527 it came to a great use with his request for a divorce from Catherine of Aragone. It was not only the dissolution of the marriage that required Henry to utilize his legal knowledge but the entire situation in England stemming from the divorce, to parliament, and even to Cardinal Wolsley's actions demanded the monarch use all of his legal insights to maneuver through a mine field of issues. Not only did his vast understanding of the law become of vital importance but his keen understanding of the Bible would also become important in the struggle for a divorce. The situation started early in 1527 but to really understand the situation in England you must look back further. Henry VIII married the widow of his brother, Arthur, by special dispensation from Pope Julius II in 15051. After a short time the king's fancy turned and he began an affair with Elizabeth Blount in early 1514. This affair bore Henry a son, named Henry Fitzroy in 1519. Henry's bastard son was passed on to Lancashire gentlemen to be raised with the proper grooming. In 1522 Henry's appetite changed again, discarding Elizabeth Blount and beginning a new affair with Mary Carey, formerly Mary Boleyn. This affair lasted until 1525 when Henry left Mary to her husband. During this time Henry and Queen Catherine experienced three pregnancies. The first child, a girl named Mary, was born in 1516 and was quite healthy. That is where the good luck ended for Catherine and child birth. In 1517 there was another pregnancy but it ended abruptly in a miscarriage. The following year again Catherine was pregnant and th...
