Anne Boleyn - Lady Anne Boleyn - Marquess of Pembroke - Queen of England
Anne Boleyn, Queen of England
Anne Boleyn was born in 1501, at Blicking Hall, Norfolk. The third Child to Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire, and Elizabeth Howard Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire. Anne had a Sister called Mary Boleyn, and a Brother called George Boleyn.
In 1505, the family had moved to Kent, as Anne's Father Thomas Boleyn had inherited Herver Castle from his Father William Boleyn. It it also believed that the Boleyn Family, at the time, was a well respected family within the English Aristocracy. Anne's Father, Thomas Boleyn, was a well respected diplomat, with a gift for languages. He was also a favorite of Henry Tudor VII - who would send Thomas on many diplomatic missions.
By 1513, Anne was invited to join the Schoolroom of Archduchess Margaret of Austria, Governor of the Netherlands. While here, her education was limited to Arithmetic, her Family Genealogy, Grammar, History, Reading, Spelling and Writing. She also learnt domestic skills such as Dancing, Embroidery, Good Manners, Household Management, Music, Needlework and Singing. Anne also learned to play Games such as Cards, Chess and Dice. And also got taught Archery, Falconry, Horseback riding and Hunting - I mean...what an education!!!
August 1514, Anne and her Sister, Mary Boleyn, were selected to go to France, to serve as Maids for Princess Mary - Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and Sister to Henry Tudor VIII, as she was going to be marrying King Louis XII of France. By October that year, they had both arrived in France. Anne Boleyn would remain serving for Mary Tudor, up until January the following year, where she was asked to serve for the new Queen of France, Claude, the Wife of Francis I, Anne would remain serving the new Queen for the next 7 years of her life...!
James Butler, Earl of Ormond, Anne Boleyn's Cousin
January 1522, after serving for Claude of France, Anne Boleyn returned back to England as her Father had begun marriage negotiations for her and James Butler, Earl of Ormond - Anne Boleyn's Cousin...The marriage was mainly to settle a dispute over the Titles and Estates of the Earldom of Ormond... Poor Anne. The following Month, the marriage negotiations between James and Anne came to an holt, and Anne Boleyn was given a place in Catherine of Aragon's - Henry VIII's first Wife - Household.
4 March 1522, at York Place - a property owned by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Anne made her first public appearance at the first court Pageant 'The Château Vert' - a special Shrovetide Pageant. During this time, Anne gets courted with Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland. As Spring passed, and Summer of 1522 arrived, Anne had now began a relationship with Henry Percy.
Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland
The following year, Spring 1523, Anne and Henry Percy decided - in secrecy, to marry as soon as possible. But by Autumn, Thomas Wolsey had learnt that Henry Percy was already betrothed to Mary Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury! Henry Percy was then forbidden to see Anne, and he was sent back to his Homeland of Northumberland to marry Mary Talbot. Anne Boleyn, was also sent back to her Home at Hever Castle, Kent, as you can imagine, Anne was angry at Thomas, and she also swore to seek revenge! Anne would only spend a couple of years back Home, and she returned to Catherine of Aragon's Court, and back to serving as Maid of Honor. This time round, Anne caught the eye of a Tudor Poet, Thomas Wyatt - but they would only ever remain as close friends, and with that, Anne was brought into the Kings circle at the court, where she then caught the attention of Henry Tudor VIII...
Anne Boleyn, Queen of England
Early 1526, Henry VIII, who is now aged 35, asks a young 19 year old Anne to be his Mistress...although he is taken back when she turns him down, stating she will "only give up her virginity to the Man she marries", Henry doesn't give up though, as he keeps showering Anne with much unwanted attention.
March 1526, and Thomas Wolsey is sent on a diplomatic mission, although this is believed to be because Henry VIII wanted him away from Anne, which made sense considering she had sworn revenge on him... As months go by, Anne is unable to cope with Henry VIII's attention, and by Summer she had had enough and returns Home, but Henry continues to protest his love for her through letters...how sweet.
Spring 1527, Anne returns to the courts, and she's given beautiful apartments, and showered with jewelry and clothes, she also finally accepted Henry VIII's request to marry - but only if he divorced Catherine of Aragon...
Henry Tudor, King Henry VIII
August 1526, Henry VIII traveled to Beaulieu to go Hunting, and Anne Boleyn joined him, this wasn't uncommon as they were now living openly as a couple, and it was now, publicly rumored that they were planning on marrying. John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester was against this arrangement - read more about the difficulties Catherine of Aragon went through when Henry VIII wanted to divorce her here - .https://wednesdayshistory.blogspot.com/2020/05/catherine-of-aragon-spanish-princess.html.
The public, and of course, those who loved Catherine of Aragon, did not approve of any of this either, they even blamed Thomas Wolsey and Anne Boleyn of trying to replace Catherine...and even went as far as blaming them for the poor harvest that happened in 1527...!!! Anne Boleyn was proving to be unpopular by the public, booing and jeering whenever they seen her.
Two years later, June 1528, one of Anne Boleyn's Ladies becomes unwell with the 'sweating sickness', Henry VIII decided it was best for Anne to go back Home, incase she had also caught the disease - which she did on 16 June. When Henry VIII heard of this, he sent one of his own Physicians to Hever Castle. By July, Anne had made a full recovery.
Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal of the Catholic Church
Early November 1529, Anne would have been aged around 29, and she is constantly reminding Henry VIII, that if it wasn't for him, she would have been married with Children by now...but at the same time, she would accuse Henry of keeping her waiting - this was probably more aimed at how long the court proceedings were over Henry and Catherine's estranged marriage, she would also demand that Henry stopped sending his mending and embroidering to Catherine. Come late November, and Henry VIII had changed the name of York Palace to Whitehall Palace, and began renovations for Anne Boleyn. December 1529 Anne Boleyn is Titled Lady Anne Boleyn as her Father was created Earl of Wiltshire, she is also ordered to leave Greenwich Palace and go reside at Richmond.
Anne Boleyn, Queen of England
During September 1530, Thomas Wolsey made a journey to York, he had quite the crowd accompanying him, and during the travel, rumors' s spread that Thomas would lead a revolt against the King. By October 23, Henry VIII hears that Thomas is trying to bring down Anne Boleyn, the King see's this as Thomas Wolsey working against him, and he orders that Thomas Wolsey be arrested. The warrant for Thomas' arrest was made on November 1, and it was sent to Henry Percy, who was also instructed to bring him back to London upon his arrest! Few days later, and Henry Percy arrives at Cawood Palace, where he told Thomas Wolsey that he is being arrested in the name of the King. When Henry Percy and Thomas Wolsey made their trip down South, Thomas' health started to deteriorate, and at 8am on 29 November 1529, Thomas Wolsey passes at the Abbey of St Mary in Leicester.
Some people were sad to hear this news of course, however, Anne Boleyn had other emotions and ideas...The following month, Anne threw a Masque called 'Of the Cardinals Going to Hell'...How nice of her...
Anne Boleyn, Queen of England
5 January 1531 Henry VIII get's handed a brief of the Pope ordering Henry and Anne to split, this was issued by his wife Catherine of Aragon, who just refused to divorce Henry VIII - read more about this here: https://wednesdayshistory.blogspot.com/2020/05/catherine-of-aragon-spanish-princess.html. By Summer of 1531, Anne was becoming very inpatient with Henry, and had fits of tempers and bad moods, and as you can imagine, Henry was finding it difficult to be with her.
By October 1531, Anne and Henry are now living openly with each other - which as you can imagine caused quite the stir... 24th November and a mob of 7,000 women charged at a house where Anne was dining, with the intent of lynching her! Fortunately she escaped, unhurt but obviously shaken.
August the following year, Anne and Henry begin a Summer Progression of the foreign countries, however this had to be abandoned due to the hostility shown towards Anne. But not all was bad for Anne, as on 1 September she was created Marquess of Pembroke - this was the first time a hereditary Title was given to a woman.
George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford, Anne's Brother
Anne and Henry married, on 14 November 1532 at a secret wedding in London, but now they were living openly as a married couple! Anne even had her own court which included her Brother George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford, and his wife Lady Jane, Lady Rochford, Sir Francis Bryan, Francis Weston, William Brereton, Sir Thomas Wyatt and other members of the Boleyn family.
7 October 1532, Anne and Henry travel to Dover, where they would cross to Calais, while there a Nun named Elizabeth Barton, told Henry that he needed to return to the Pope and Catherine of Aragon immediately or face a life of damnation! Henry did not return, and instead ordered that Elizabeth Barton be watched. 3 days later, Anne and Henry along with, Henry Fitzroy, Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk, Thomas Cromwell and other members of the nobility crossed the channel from Dover to Calais to meet with Francis II of Boulogne - Anne however did not go to the meet up.
Henry went and visited Francis II at the Exchange Palace in Calais on 27 October, he orders Anne to remain out of sight as he's worried her presence may affect the outcome - this was a common occurrence with Henry and Anne. And soon enough, Anne becomes fed up, and later that night, at the Masked Ball - held to celebrate the meeting, Anne makes her grand presence, unmasks, and boldly asks Francis II to dance. By November 11 Anne and Henry return home, and again, Henry is approached by Elizabeth Barton who tells him if he marries Anne he will die within a month, and that a plague will hit England in 6 months...
Anne Boleyn, Queen of England
January 1533, Anne announces she is pregnant - Henry now knew he had to marry her in a open wedding to make sure their child would be legitimate, and so on 25 January, at Kings Chapel in Whitehall Palace they got married...in secret...again! A few months went by before the public knew anything about the marriage or the pregnancy. However, it wasn't Anne who broke the news. April 8, Henry VIII announces that him and Anne are married, and that they are having a Child. This wouldn't be a happy marriage for ling though, because only a month later on 23 May, the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Carnmer declared the marriage as null and invalid - but then 5 days later he changed his mind and declared it was a valid marriage...
1 June 1533, and Anne was crowned Queen Consort of England, in St Peters Abbey, Westminster. Anne walked in procession from Westminster Hall to the Abbey, the streets were full of people watching and observing...but no-one was cheering for the new Queen... By July Anne had gone to Hampton Court in preparation for the birth of her child. One month later, Anne and Henry move to Windsor where Anne can continue her resting before the birth. 7 September Anne births a Child - though Henry is upset and blames her, and the Gods for denying them a Son, they name the Child after Henry VIII's Grandmother, Elizabeth Tudor - read the blog I wrote on her here: https://wednesdayshistory.blogspot.com/2020/04/elizabeth-tudor-elizabeth-i-of-england.html. And Anne and Henry leave the year 1533 on a high, as Anne announces she is pregnant with their second child.
Elizabeth Tudor, Anne Boleyn and Henry Tudors Daughter
Sadly, in June or July 1534, Anne delivers a still horn - Henry decides to keep this a secret, mainly to save face... February the following year, Henry has an affair with Anne's Cousin, Madge Shelton...I mean, he's cheated on Catherine and now Anne, what a Gent...! And sadly the months only got worse for Anne. Anne announces she's pregnant with their third child, but sadly, she delivers another still birth, and again, Henry kept this a secret... November, Anne is pregnant with their fourth child, aware everything depends on this pregnancy...Heartbreakingly, on 29 January 1536 Anne suffers a miscarriage...
Henry see's this as Gods way of punishing him and declares his marriage with Anne as unlawful, either because of her pre-contract with her cousin James Butler all them years ago, or it could have been the affair Henry himself had with Anne's cousin Madge Shelton... Meanwhile, Anne blamed it all on Henry, but deep down, Henry decided he needed a way out of this...and this meant Anne would have to suffer...
Anne Boleyn, Queen of England
Spring 1536, Henry has asked Thomas Cromwell to 'gather evidence' on Anne Boleyn, and they accused her of commiting adultery with 5 men: George Boleyn, Henry Norris, Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton, as they were all seen entering her Chambers, they also accused Anne and the others for plotting to kill the King! April 30, Mark Smeaton is arrested, and taken to Cromwell's House for questioning. He was tortured and admitted to adultery with Anne.
May 1 Anne and Henry are watching the May Day Joust, here Henry publicly accused his wife and Henry Norris - who was taking part in the Jousting event, of adultery! The next day, Anne's brother George Boleyn, and Henry Norris were arrested and taken to the Tower of London. Anne was also arrested and taken by barge to the Tower of London, she was charged with 'having committed adultery
with Henry Norris, Francis Weston, William Brereton, Mark Smeaton and incest with her brother George Boleyn'... The men were sentenced to death on May 12.
Anne Boleyn, Queen of England
3 days later, on May 15, Anne was tried in front of 26 peers, including her Uncle, Duke of Norfolk. She argued her innocence, and she was found guilty, she, just like her Brother and the others, was also sentenced to death - die by burning or be beheaded, this fell on whichever Henry VIII chose... May 17, and Anne heart wrenchingly watched the executions of those sentenced before her. The following day her execution was delayed as the executioner hadn't arrived from France yet, but Henry wanted this over and done with - so he sent for St Omar, a skilled headsman who was known for severing heads with a sword!
And on the 19th May, Anne Boleyn was beheaded with one single stroke of the sword. She was buried in the Choir of the Royal Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula
What do you think? Do you think Anne was guilty of all those things...Or was Henry the only Man she ever gave everything to?
Until next time...
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