Having looked at the role of the pope in Philip and Mary's burnings, we take a look at the pope Henry had to deal with.
After years of negotiation and confrontation, Pope Clement VII was heard swearing unpapally over Henry VIII’s divorce. And no wonder. The history of Henry’s pope is a murky tale of code-breaking and ruthless sieges that involves Michelangelo and Machiavelli and a great deal of double-dealing. Pope Clement was trapped between a rock and a hard place: the only way to save his Medici family’s city of Florence was to refuse Henry his divorce and split Christendom.

#40 Henry VIII: his pope, Katherine, Anne and FLORENCE

Britain is gripped by fear of invasion. Government leaflet 'If the Invader Comes' calls for pepper and ‘a sharp knife to kill them if necessary.’ Churchill goes on BBC and says ‘we await undismayed by the impending assault. Perhaps it will come tonight.’ So why in private is Churchill saying he doubts the invasion would ever take place?

#03 'Always carry pepper to throw in their eyes' - ep 3 of Who really won the Battle of Britain?

True history storytelling at the History Café. Join BBC Historian Jon Rosebank & HBO, BBC & C4 script and series editor Penelope Middelboe as we give history a new take. Drop in to the History Café weekly on Wednesdays to give old stories a refreshing new brew. 75+ ever-green stand-alone episodes and building...

#40 Henry VIII: his pope, Katherine, Anne and FLORENCE

History Cafe

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