What if Catherine of Aragon had consented to having her marriage to Henry VIII annulled?

In reality Catherine staunchly resisted being put aside by Henry, maintaining that she was Henry's rightful wife until her death, dragging the 'King's Great Matter' out into a very painful and lengthy affair. As she herself put it: 'God did not call me to a nunnery, I am the King's true and legitimate wife.'

But what if Catherine had come to share Henry's belief that their marriage was cursed because she was his brother's widow? What if she did, in fact, think that retiring to a nunnery was an option for her, devoutly Catholic as she was.

How does this impact the situation? Is Pope Clement VII still afraid of Catherine's nephew Charles V if Catherine is okay with giving up her marriage? What would Henry's attitude towards their daughter Mary be? Would he still decide to break with Catholicism?

Posted Aug 7, 2025, 4:39 PM UTC

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