The Great Matter

The Great Matter refers to King Henry VIII's struggle to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon in the 16th century. He sought this annulment primarily because Catherine had not borne him a male heir and he wished to marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope's refusal to grant the annulment led Henry to break away from the Catholic Church, establishing the Church of England. This pivotal event not only changed the course of English religion but also had lasting effects on politics and society, setting the stage for the English Reformation.