The main conflict that initiated the break from the Catholic Church in England was King Henry VIII's desire to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Facing pressure to produce a male heir and frustrated by the Pope's refusal to grant the annulment, Henry sought to establish greater control over religious matters in England. This led to the English Reformation, where Henry broke from the Catholic Church and established the Church of England in the 1530s, declaring himself its Supreme Head. This separation initiated profound changes in English religion, culture, and politics, influencing global Christianity and altering the landscape of Western religion forever.