[Harmless Teddy Bear]

That was the problem. The pope at the time was solidly in Spain's pocket and they wanted Katherine to remain Queen of England. The maneuvers they went through to get her married to Arthur then Henry were almost unbelievable.

Now days if they had movie where a king named his daughter as an Ambassador just so she could stay and put pressure on a adolescent prince to marry her the howls would echo from New York to Hollywood.

Yet that was exactly what did happen.

Any other time Henry would have gotten his annulment and England would have remained in Rome's sphere.

[daniel1212]

That was the problem. The pope at the time was solidly in Spain's pocket and they wanted Katherine to remain Queen of England. The maneuvers they went through to get her married to Arthur then Henry were almost unbelievable. Now days if they had movie where a king named his daughter as an Ambassador just so she could stay and put pressure on a adolescent prince to marry her the howls would echo from New York to Hollywood. Yet that was exactly what did happen. Any other time Henry would have gotten his annulment and England would have remained in Rome's sphere.

But that would have removed the marriage of Henry from being a recourse of RCs to impugn Protestantism, vs. above-the-board Rome.