Henry VIII in 1520s: background of his decision for divorce

It should be pointed out that ‘No one is sure when Henry decided that his marriage to Catherine had to end simply because the evidence does not exist that can pinpoint an exact date’ (http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/henry_catherine_divorce.htm), nevertheless, it would be worthwhile to present some known facts and allegations in chronological order from early 1520's, as it follows:

First of all, it is known that Henry ‘had at least two mistresses that we know of: Elizabeth “Bessie” Blount and Mary Boleyn’ (http://tudorhistory.org/aragon/). It is also said that ‘There were rumours in court of Henry wanting a divorce as early as 1520 but this was probably nothing more than mere court gossip based on no fundamental facts’ (http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/henry_catherine_divorce.htm).
Since Henry ‘was acutely aware of the importance of securing a male heir during his reign’ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/people/henry_viii), his daughter Mary’s ‘prospects in life were made a matter of sordid bargaining from the first’ (http://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/queenmary.htm). She ‘was little more than two years old when she was proposed in marriage to the dauphin, son of Francis I. Three years afterwards the French alliance was broken off, and in 1522 she was affianced to her cousin the young emperor Charles V by the Treaty of Windsor. No one, perhaps, seriously expected either of these arrangements to endure… [and] not many years passed away before Charles released himself from this engagement’ (ibid). Some argue that this marriage proposal for Mary already triggered the very issue; ‘whether the marriage between the king and the mother of lady Mary, were good or no ?’ (http://www.thereformation.info/Divorce.htm).

Thomas Boleyn

Whilst ‘the Cardinal de’ Medici was eventually chosen pope’ (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04024a.htm) as Clement VII on 18 November, 1523, Henry VIII was told from his physicians ‘either in 1524 or 1525… that Catherine was unlikely to give birth again’ (http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/henry_catherine_divorce.htm). In the meantime, Thomas Boleyn, father of Mary Boleyn – one of Henry’s mistresses, was ‘first ennobled as Viscount Rochford’ (http://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/thomasboleyn.htm) on 16 June, 1525. It is said that ‘There cannot be a doubt that not only his elevation to the peerage, but several earlier tokens of royal favour besides, were due to the fascination his daughter had begun to exercise over the king’ (ibid). A further twist then followed. By 1526, Henry began ‘to separate from Catherine because he had fallen in love with one of her ladies [and sister of one of his mistresses]: Annee Boleyn’ (http://tudorhistory.org/aragon/).

For reading the text in full: http://wrex2009.wordpress.com/2014/11/21/the-divorce-between-henry-viii-and-catherine-of-aragon/