“I call to order on this day in April 1532, the King’s Privy Council,” declares George Boleyn, “to discuss the bill we will submit to Parliament next week.”
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| King Henry VIII shares his itnent to annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn |
Attending the Privy Council in the role of a Bishop and adviser to King Henry VIII, I sat at the King’s right hand side, albeit my chair 2 feet lower than his, from where he presides over the 10 members of his Privy Council.
The audience participation re-enactment is quite convincing and the position of the large King both convincing and intimidating. When he asks "Do you not agree..." it doesn't exactly come as a question.
"Katherine of Aragon (the King’s wife of 20 years and Daughter of King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain) “does not want our marriage annulled," the King address to myself and other members of the Council. "Yet I know it to be illegitimate in the eyes of God. It says in the Book of Leviticus 'If a brother is to marry the wife of a brother they will remain childless.' Though my brother Arthur died before I took her as my own, I know God is punishing me by not delivering a male heir to the throne of England."
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| Hampton Court Palace - the Tudor Styled Entrance |
The bill in question will divorce England from Rome by removing the Church of England from the Pope’s authority and recognizing Henry VIII as the leader of both Church and State.
"Gentlemen, the Pope and I are aligned on matters of the Bible. This is a matter of politics,” the King’s voice booms through the Council chamber. “My wife’s nephew, “ Charles V, the ruler of the Roman Empire and influential with the Pope in Rome, “presses the Pope that the marriage should not be annulled for his own political gain. This is a matter of politics Gentlemen. Do you want to be without an heir to the throne of England? To be ruled from Rome by a Bishop? To risk returning England to Civil War again? That is what will happen I assure you.”
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| Seated at the King's Table |
Despite their 20 year marriage and very successful allegiance and teamwork, the King has no heir and Katherine has moved beyond prime child bearing age. Never mind she fought off an invading army of Scotts while Henry VIII was fighting in France. The only thing that matters is one simple fact - the King has no heir. The rest is political maneuvering to solve that problem. Dividing sentiment in England, divorcing with the Pope and Catholic Church, leaving his wife, it is all a high stakes political game to keep the Tudor family attached to the throne and win greater influence over all of Europe.
“Gentleman I propose three things to you three things" and proceeds to tell his Council to what they are to agree:
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| Where the Tudor and Baroque styles adjoin |
Second, Thomas Cranmer be appointed to the post Archbishop of Canterbury to lead the Church (and legally annul his first marriage).
Third, to bestow sufficient title upon Anne Boelyn for them to marry after everything is done properly such that the son he hopes to have with her will be the legitimate heir to the throne of England.
Ironically, it would be his youngest daughter, Elizabeth I from his marriage with Anne Boleyn, that would rule the longest of his children, 45 years, even though he would later have Anne beheaded on Tower Hill and go through four more wives seeking a strong male heir.
And so it was at Hampton Court in 1532.
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| Nearly 400 year old Maze in the Palace Gardens |
Dating from the early 1500s, Henry VIII began enlarging the palace in 1524 after effectively taking it from his former Finance Minister and closest adviser. Sounds a lot like the story of Louis XIV in France over 150 years later.
Notably, Louis XIV had tremendous influence over Hampton Court Palace. William III after seeing Versailles endeavored to add onto and begin renovating Hampton Court Place in a Baroque style. Running out of money before completing the project resulted in a palace today that is effectively two adjoined, one in the original Tudor style dating to the early 1500s and the later Baroque style influenced by Louis XIV.
The palace has not been occupied by the Royal Family since the 18th Century, but it is still impressive to behold, an important historical treasure of the Royal Family, and a clear stepping stone in the history of England to the palaces and leaders that were to follow.
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| Tudor Courtyard within the Palace |
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| Clock Tower - Astrological Clock that also keeps the Tides, and phases of Sun and Moon |
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