Why did Henry the 8th open the chuch of England?

Answer 1

Henry VIII was an ardent catholic, so much so that he wrote a treatise titled Assertio Septem Sacramentorum (Defence of the Seven Sacraments), which defended the sacramental nature of marriage and the supremacy of the Pope and opposed the ideas of Martin Luther. In return the Pope bestowed upon him the title Fidei defensor (Defender of the Faith).

At the time Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Aragon, the widow of his elder brother Arthur. In order for the Henry to marry his brother's widow, a papal dispensation from the Pope was normally required to overrule the impediment of affinity because as told in the book of Leviticus "If a brother is to marry the wife of a brother they will remain childless". Catherine swore that her marriage to Prince Arthur had not been consummated. But a papl Bull was obtained just to be safe.

Despite several attempts Catherine had been unable to bear Henry a son (two had died shortly after birth). As Henry got older this became more and more important to him and he sought a quick solution to the problem.

Henry and his ministers wanted the pope to annul the marriage on the grounds that it was invalid as Catherine had previously been married to his brother and the marriage had in fact been consummated. The Pope, however, was being held hostage by Catherine's nephew, Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, and was in no position to acquiesce to Henry's request. Eventually, Henry, determined to produce an heir to the throne, broke with Rome, and declared himself head of the Catholic Church in England. He then gave Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, the power to annul the marriage.