 In 1533 , Henry broke with Pope Paul III in order to annul his long @-@ standing marriage to Catherine of Aragon and remarry . Catherine was the aunt of Charles V , the Holy Roman Emperor , and he took the annulment as a personal insult . This resulted in France and the Empire declaring an alliance against Henry in 1538 , and the Pope encouraging the two countries to attack England . An invasion of England now appeared certain and Henry began to improve his coastal defences . 
