, ▁Henry ▁broke ▁with ▁Pope ▁Paul ▁III ▁over ▁the ▁ann ul ment ▁of ▁his ▁long - standing ▁marriage ▁to ▁Catherine ▁of ▁Arag on . ▁Catherine ▁was ▁the ▁a unt ▁of ▁Charles ▁V , ▁the ▁Holy ▁Roman ▁Emperor , ▁who ▁took ▁the ▁ann ul ment ▁as ▁a ▁personal ▁ins ult . ▁This ▁resulted ▁in ▁France ▁and ▁the ▁Empire ▁declaring ▁an ▁al liance ▁against ▁Henry ▁in ▁ 1 5 3 8 , ▁and ▁the ▁Pope ▁encourag ing ▁the ▁two ▁countries ▁to ▁attack ▁England . ▁An ▁invasion ▁of ▁England ▁appeared ▁certain . ▁In ▁response , ▁Henry ▁issued ▁an ▁order , ▁called ▁a ▁" device ", ▁in ▁ 1 5 3 9 , ▁giving ▁instructions ▁for ▁the ▁" def ence ▁of ▁the ▁real m ▁in ▁time ▁of ▁invasion " ▁and ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁for ts ▁along ▁the ▁English ▁coast line . ▁ ▁Hur st ▁Castle ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁western ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁Sol ent , ▁a ▁body ▁of ▁water ▁that ▁led ▁from ▁the ▁English ▁Channel ▁to ▁the ▁naval ▁base ▁at ▁Port sm outh ▁and , ▁through ▁South am pton ▁Water , ▁to ▁the ▁important ▁port ▁of ▁South am pton . ▁The ▁castle ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁four ▁fort ifications ▁that ▁William ▁Fitz will iam , ▁the ▁Lord ▁Admir al , ▁and ▁William ▁P au let ▁recommended ▁building ▁to ▁strength en ▁the ▁def ences ▁along ▁the ▁Sol ent ; ▁the ▁others ▁were ▁at ▁East ▁and ▁West ▁Cow es , ▁and ▁Cal shot . ▁It ▁was ▁position ed ▁on ▁the ▁Hur st ▁Sp it , ▁a ▁strip ▁of