Why Did Henry Break from Rome in 1534?

Why did Henry break from Rome in 1534? There are many reasons to why Henry broke with Rome. In this essay I am going to show you the main reasons why Henry broke with Rome and which one I think is most important. I think the most important reason why Henry broke with Rome was because he wanted power. The reason he wanted power was because it would solve all his problems. In a textbook it said, Henry also wanted to control the church. Since medieval times there have been struggles over whether priests should listen to the King or the Pope.
Henry wanted to control the church in his own country. Henry knew that if he could control the church, he would be able to use the church’s money as he was bankrupt. Also, if he had power he would be able to divorce Catherine of Aragon, and marry the love of his life, Anne Boleyn. Then Anne Boleyn would be able to give Henry an heir. Once Henry had control of the Church, he persecuted those who opposed him. He even cut off the he head of his close friend, Thomas More, because More wouldn’t accept Henry as head of the Church.
This evidence, from a textbook, show that Henry was greedy for power and would kill anyone who got in his way. As you can see, power gave Henry everything he needed and that’s why I think Henry broke with Rome. Another reason to why Henry broke from Rome because of his desire for a son. He wanted this so that the Tudor dynasty could continue. Henry knew Catherine of Aragon had now chance of giving him a son. She has had lots of miscarriages and still births.

If he broke from Rome he could divorce Catherine and marry Anne Boleyn who had more chance of giving him a son. Catherine’s last pregnancy had been in 1518. Henry didn’t stop sleeping with her until 1524 when he was sure Catherine wouldn’t give him a son. As you can see, this shows Henry would do anything for a son and that’s why Henry broke with Rome. The next reason to why Henry broke with Rome was because he wanted to marry the love of his life, Anne Boleyn. Henry loved Anne so much he even wrote love letters to her, despise how much he hates writing.
One of the love letters said; Since I parted with you I have been advised that the opinion in which I left you is now altogether changed, and that you will not come to court… the which report being true I cannot enough marvel at, seeing that I am well assured I have never since that time committed fault. This love letter sows that Henry is trying to show off to Anne Boleyn. But to make Anne Boleyn his wife he needed a divorce which meant he had to break from Rome. This shows that Henry broke with Rome to marry Anne Boleyn who he thinks is the love of his life.
Another reason to why Henry broke with Rome was because he had problems with the church. Henry was jealous because the Pope had control over the churches in England. Also, the Pope wouldn’t give Henry a divorce from Catherine because it was against the Christian laws. This was one of the main reasons that Henry broke from Rome. Henry wanted to choose the archbishops and priests of the churches. There was already a rivalry between the pope and Henry but when the pope said no to the divorce, it made it even worse. As you can see, the rivalry between the Pope and the King was enough for Henry to break from Rome.
The next reason is that Henry was bankrupt. He used all his money on very expensive wars in Europe and had no money left. If he broke with Rome, he could use all the money the church had. So from 1536-39 Henry closed down all the church’s so he could use their money. As you can see, Henry only broke from Rome so he could use the church’s money. The last reason that Henry broke from Rome was because of his conscience. In the bible it clearly states that if you marry your brother’s wife, in Henry’s case Catherine of Aragon, they shall be without children.
Thinking this was why Catherine didn’t give him a son Henry wanted to marry Anne, so the curse would be broken. But to divorce, Henry needed the Pope’s permission which he didn’t have. That’s why he broke from Rome. As you can see there are many reasons to why Henry broke with Rome. I think the main reason was because he wanted power. Power would solve all his problems from financial things to an heir. That’s why I think that the main reason of why Henry broke from Rome was because he wanted power.