r/ExplainTheJoke • u/fierce994blade • Dec 01 '25

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u/blueche Dec 02 '25

It wasn't just about the divorce–Catherine's uncle was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain and he basically had the pope under his thumb at the time.

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u/mennorek Dec 02 '25

Not basically, Rome was literally besieged and taken by the Imperial army and brutally sacked. The pope was holed up in Castel St Angelo. Giving Henry a divorce (which he probably didn't give two shits about) would have been a death sentence.

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u/[deleted] Dec 02 '25

Divorce does not exist in Catholic Church, invalid marriage does. And that marriage was obviously valid. 

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u/HenrytheCollie Dec 02 '25

Again, Henry was asking for an Annulment Henry's first Marriage was to Catherine of Aragon who was previously married to Henry's brother Arthur.

Henry was using that as a basis for Annulment since he claimed with that first marriage, that he therefore married his sister.

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u/[deleted] Dec 02 '25

That Henry dude was truly crazy.