The Act of Supremacy 1534 (26 Hen. 8 c. 1) acknowledged the leadership of the Church of England as being vested in King Henry VIII and his heirs, declaring Henry to be the “supreme head on earth of the Church of England”. The Act was carefully worded to avoid the impression that it was granting that title to the King, which would have implied that it could also be revoked by parliament, instead of merely formally confirming the status quo.[1]
Soon after the Act was passed, Henry devolved the authority now formally granted to him over the Church’s spiritual and doctrinal issues to a spiritual vicegerent, the layman Thomas Cromwell.[1]
The primary motivation behind the Act of Supremacy was Henry’s desire to produce a male heir. He had been trying for years to have his marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled, and had convinced himself that God was punishing him for marrying his brother’s widow.[2][a]Henry had needed a dispensation from Pope Julius II to allow his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, which was granted after she testified that her marriage to Henry’s brother, Arthur, had never been consummated.[3] But Pope Clement VII was refusing to grant an annulment because, according to Roman Catholic doctrine, a validly contracted marriage is indissoluble until death.[b]The Pope may not have been entirely unbiased in the matter, as Catherine of Aragon was his aunt.[4]
Notes
| a | Henry had needed a dispensation from Pope Julius II to allow his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, which was granted after she testified that her marriage to Henry’s brother, Arthur, had never been consummated.[3] |
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| b | The Pope may not have been entirely unbiased in the matter, as Catherine of Aragon was his aunt.[4] |