Why did Henry VIII create his own church?
It was basically a power struggle. The Pope would not grant a divorce, at least partially due to influences from other European nations. With the Church’s meddling in English affairs, the wealth tied up by Church holdings, and his obsession with marrying a woman who could bear him male children, Henry saw the opportunity to do several things at once. First, he could confiscate all that wealth by creating a Church of England. Second, he ensured that religious authorities would not interfere with his government by making himself the head of that church. He rallied many people who were discontented with the Catholic Church and its excesses. And of course, he was able to grant himself a divorce and go about remarrying to his heart’s content.
