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- "I am glad Anne has refused to do that. It would be dreadful for Queen Catherine. Mark laughed when I said this. "Anne has no sympathy for the Queen," he said. "She is refusing to be the King's mistress for just one reason. She wants to be his wife, and she will settle for nothing less.""
- —Elinor Valjean[5]
Anne Boleyn (c. 1501 – 19 May 1536) was King Henry VIII's second wife and the Queen of England. Before becoming Queen, Anne was a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon, Henry's first wife. Anne married the King in 1533 and gave birth to their daughter, Elizabeth, later that year. She was falsely accused of adultery and executed three years later.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Anne was possibly born as early as 1501,[1] or as late as 1507.[2] Her parents were Thomas Boleyn and Elizabeth Howard. Anne's father was a wealthy tradesman, while her mother was a daughter of the Earl of Surrey.[1] She had two siblings, Mary and George Boleyn.
In 1513, Anne served as a court lady to Margaret of Austria. She became a maid of honour to Mary Tudor and accompanied her to France the following year. Anne and her sister, Mary, returned to the English court in 1522. She had a suitor, Henry Percy, whom Cardinal Wolsey dismissed when King Henry VIII took an interest in Anne. When Anne protested, she was sent away to her parent's home, Hever Castle.[1]
1525 – 1536[]
By 1525, Anne had returned to court and became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon. Henry retained an interest in Anne, but she refused to become his mistress after seeing how her sister was treated for being his mistress. He then became determined to marry Anne, feeling she would give him his long hoped for son. Henry made an entreaty to the Pope, whom sent a representative to make a decision. Anne was sent away to her parents home during the beginning of the trial. A decision was not reached after a long process. Later that same year, Anne was given her own household in 1528. She demanded for most of the younger ladies to join her household, including Elinor Valjean.
In 1529, Anne began to blame Cardinal Wolsey for failing to obtain the divorce. The Cardinal was later stripped of his titles, but that was not enough for Anne. He was charged with high treason in 1530, though he passed away before going on trial. The following year, Henry decided to separate from the Catholic church and make himself head of the Church of England. The following year, Henry separated from Catherine. He granted Anne the title of Marquess of Pembroke in 1532, making her a peeress in her own right. The same year, Henry and Anne traveled to Calais to meet the King of France.
Anne began to show signs of pregnancy by early 1533, leading to her and Henry marrying in a private ceremony. The following June, she was crowned Queen of England though the common people clearly expressed their displeasure. She gave birth to her daughter, Elizabeth on 7 September 1533. Anne became pregnant three more times over the following years, but lost each of them. The last one she miscarried on the day of Catherine's funeral. Henry had long since grown tired of Anne and his attentions soon turned to Jane Seymour in 1536. Thomas Cromwell later falsely accused Anne of committing adultery with Henry Norris, Francis Weston, William Brereton, Mark Smeaton, and her brother George Boleyn. She declared her innocence, but was ultimately beheaded on 19 May 1536.
Physical appearance[]
Elinor stated that Anne was "not really beautiful." She had a "slim figure," a "pointed chin," and "jet-black eyes" that were as "lively as a bird's."[4] After a few years, Anne appeared "much older" due to her face setting into "bitter lines" and seeming "scrawny" rather than slim.[6]
Personality and traits[]
Anne was depicted as a stubborn and headstrong woman, whom refused Henry's advance unless he would marry her. She never learned when to hold her tongue, which would get her into trouble numerous times. Many at court also thought was uncouth for her to argue with King. Once they were married, Anne became jealous of Henry's infidelities. This caused the first rift in their marriage as Henry expected her to put up with his infidelities now that they were married. Their marriage was further strained when Anne was unable to give birth to his hoped for son. Anne was never popular among the people, whom still held Catherine in their hearts. Nevertheless, there was no rejoicing at her death.
Behind the scenes[]
- Anne Boleyn is a major character in the My Story book, Anne Boleyn and Me.
- Besides My Tudor Queen, Anne is mentioned in every book in My Story and The Royal Diaries featuring the Tudor family.
Appearances[]
- In chronological order:
- My Tudor Queen (Mentioned in the Historical Note)
- Anne Boleyn and Me
- Henry VIII's Wives (Mentioned only)
- Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor (Mentioned only)
- "Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor" (film) (Mentioned only)
- Lady Jane Grey (Mentioned only)
- Bloody Tower (Mentioned only)
- Mary, Queen of Scots: Queen Without a Country (Mentioned only)
- The Queen's Spies (Mentioned only)
- Armada (Mentioned in the Historical Note)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Anne Boleyn and Me, Alison Prince, Historical Note, pages 237-243
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, Kathryn Lasky, page 224
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Anne Boleyn and Me, Alison Prince, pages 229-230
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Anne Boleyn and Me, Alison Prince, page 18
- ↑ Anne Boleyn and Me, Alison Prince, page 20
- ↑ Anne Boleyn and Me, Alison Prince, page 167
See also[]
Further reading[]
- Anne Boleyn at Biography
- Anne Boleyn at English History
- Anne Boleyn at Tudor History
Anne Boleyn on Wikipedia