D, 1588, that was the first big push, I think. I do take your point about the local powers-that-be, but local is still better than foreign when it comes to control.
And Spanish troops were sent to assist Ireland in it's struggle.

Henry's supplantation (is that a word?) of the Pope with himself as head of the church (at that time he still considered himself a catholic) had several reasons, personal, political, and venal. At the time, devout landowners had bequeathed the Catholic Church with about 25% of England, (which he grabbed) but he also wanted a successor and a wife who could give him one. (A successor, I mean) He tried divorce first, but the church wouldn't let him keep going.