Which pope and which King Henry? Please be specific.
The title of Defender of the Faith
King Henry fought the great pope because the pope would not grant him a divorce.
The Church of England, or Anglican Church
The Church of England, or Anglican Church
In a nutshell: Henry formed his own Church, the Church of England, and declared himself the head. He then granted himself a divorce. The pope then excommunicated Henry.
Pope Gregory VII.
King Henry VIII separated the English Church from the Catholic Church when the pope refused to grant King Henry a divorce. By forming a separate church, of which he was the head, he could grant himself a divorce.
The Pope stopped speaking to King Henry VIII because Henry requested an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, which the Pope refused to grant. This led Henry to break away from the Catholic Church and establish the Church of England with himself as the head, causing a rift between him and the Pope.
Which King Henry? There have been several.
Henry the 8th left the church after the Pope refused to grant him a divorce from his wife because she would not bare him a son. He was not in danger after the Pope excommunicated him from the church.
He broke with the Roman Catholic church (since the Pope did not grant him a divorce), and founded the Church of England. The King is head of the Church of England, and Henry could therefor grant himself a divorce.
Pope Paschall I
King Henry VIII was at odds with the pope because he wanted to get a divorce. This caused King Henry VIII to form the Church of England. This church was just like the Catholic Church, except the king of England was at its head, not the pope, and King Henry VIII could get divorced. A lot.