This essay seeks to explain weather religion was the only reason henry viii broke with Rome. Henry viii reigned over England from 1509 to 1547. When he came to the throne he was a roman catholic but by the end of his reign he had made himself had of the church go England. This was due to four main reasons; religion, money, love and power. A first reason why henry viii broke from Rome was religion. You know this because he wanted to change the catholic church to protestant and he also thought that the Catholic Church was corrupt so he thought if he was head if the church it wouldn’t be. Henry viii didn’t like the way that Catholics could pay to have their sins removed.
Therefore religion made henry viii break with Rome because if he was made head of the church he could say that only god could remove their sins he could also change the way the church was run so maybe it wouldn’t be corrupt. Another reason why henry viii broke with Rome was money. This is because henry didn’t like the fact that the pope was collecting taxes, he knew that the church had a lot of land and that they collect rent from it. Therefore religion was a reason why henry viii broke with Rome because he wanted to stop the pope collecting taxes and by making himself the head of the church would make him the tax collector so he would get more money also if he was head of the church he could get the money from the land. Another reason why henry viii broke with Rome was love. This is because in 1526 henrys marriage to Catherine of Aragon had gone wrong, he asked the pope for a divorce but the pope said know- Catholics didn’t believe in divorce.
The Essay on Henry VIII broke from Rome because he wanted to increase his personal power
... The break with Rome was the end of papal rule in England. For several reasons, which I shall discuss in this study, Henry VIII decided ... and appoint himself as the Supreme Head of the Church. ... to replace the Pope as Head of the Church in England ...
Henry fell in love with Anne Boleyn but Anne said she wouldn’t do anything with unless henry divorce Anne. Therefor love was a reason why henry boke with Rome because the pope said no to the divorce so he thought if he was head of the church he could divorce Catherine then marry Anne. The final reason why henry broke with Rome was power. This is because the public didn’t obey henry they obeyed the pope and also henry wanted a male heir to rule over England after he died. Two powerful Protestants; Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cranmer advice told the king that the pope shouldn’t have any power over England. Therefore power was a reason why henry viii broke with Rome because he wanted the pope to have no power and wanted people to obey him which would mean he would have more power and people will respect him more.
Also he wanted a male heir because that would give England more power because there wouldn’t be a squabble over the next king if he had a male son it would keep the Tudor family going. To conclude I think that religion was the most important reason why henry viii broke with Rome because he changed England to protestant and became the head of the church because he didn’t like the way that the catholic church was run he thought that because he was the head of the church and because he made these changes it would make people closer to god.
