Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn was born circa 1501, either at Blickling Hall, Norfolk, or Hever Castle, Kent. She was the second daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, a diplomat, and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Howard. She grew up at Hever Castle with her older sister Mary and her younger brother George.

Anne's early education was typical of a woman of her standing. Her academic education was limited to arithmetic, her family's genealogy, grammar, history, reading, spelling, and writing. She also developed domestic skills such as dancing, embroidery, good manners, household management, music, needlework, and singing. Anne learned to play games (chess, dice, cards) and was taught archery, falconry, horseback riding and hunting.

Sir Thomas Boleyn continued his diplomatic career under Henry VIII. In Europe, his charms won many admirers, including Archduchess Margaret of Austria. During this period, Margaret ruled the Netherlands on behalf of her nephew, Charles V, and was so impressed with Boleyn that she offered his daughter Anne a place in her household. Anne made a good impression with her manners and studiousness. Margaret reported that she was well-spoken and pleasant for her young age, and told Sir Thomas that his daughter was so presentable and so pleasant, considering her youthful age, that I am more beholden to you for sending her to me, than you to me. Anne stayed with the Archduchess from spring 1513 until her father arranged for her to attend Henry VIII's sister Mary in October 1514.

Anne was a maid-of-honour to Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and then to Mary's stepdaughter, Queen Claude, with whom she stayed nearly seven years. In the Queen's household, Anne completed her study of French and developed interests in art, fashion, illuminated manuscripts, literature, music, poetry, and religious philosophy. She also acquired knowledge of French culture, dance and etiquette, and gained experience in flirtation and the game of courtly love.
Anne's education in France proved itself in later years, inspiring many new trends among the ladies of England, and it may have been instrumental in pressing the King toward the culture-shattering contretemps with the Papacy itself.

Anne had been of average height and she had a slender build, with long straight and thick black or dark brown hair. She had dark brown eyes, a considerably long nose, a wide mouth with thin lips, and an olive complexion. She was considered to be brilliant, charming, driven, elegant, forthright, and graceful with a keen wit and a lively, opinionated and passionate personality. Yet Anne also had a sharp tongue and a terrible temper. The most influential description of Anne (but also the least reliable) came from the Catholic propagandist Nicholas Sanders in 1586 (so 50 years after Anne's death): Anne Boleyn was rather tall of stature, with black hair, and an oval face of a sallow complexion, as if troubled with jaundice. It is said she had a projecting tooth under her upper lip, and on her right hand six fingers. There was a large wen under her chin, and therefore to hide its ugliness she wore a high dress covering her throat... She was handsome to look at, with a pretty mouth.

Anne's experience in France made her a devout Christian in the new tradition of Renaissance humanism. While she would later hold the reformist position that the Papacy was a corrupting influence on Christianity, her conservative tendencies could be seen in her devotion to the Virgin Mary.

Anne's European education ended in 1521, when her father called her back to England. She was to marry James Butler, her Irish cousin, in an attempt to settle the dispute over the title and estates of the Earldom of Ormond. The plan ended in failure, perhaps because Sir Thomas Boleyn hoped for a grander marriage for Anne, or because he himself coveted the titles.

Anne made her début at court during the Château Vert pageant, playing Perserverance. There, she took part in an elaborate dance accompanying Mary Tudor, several other ladies at court and her own sister, Mary. All wore white satin gowns embroidered with gold thread. Anne quickly established herself as one of the most stylish and accomplished women at court, and soon a number of young men were competing for her.

During this time, Anne was courted by Henry Percy, the son of the Earl of Northumberland, and entered a secret betrothal with the young man. The romance was broken off when Henry's father refused to support the engagement. Anne was sent from court to her family's countryside home. When she returned to court, Percy was married to Lady Mary Talbot.

In 1526, Henry VIII became enamoured with Anne and began his pursuit. Some say that Anne resisted the King's attempts to seduce her, refusing to become his mistress, often leaving court for the seclusion of Hever Castle. But within a year, Henry proposed marriage to her and Anne accepted. Both assumed that an annulment could be obtained in a matter of months. There is no evidence to suggest that they engaged in a sexual relationship until very shortly before their marriage.

Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon had no living sons: all of Catherine's children died in infancy, except for Princess Mary. The marriage of Henry and Catherine took place in 1509, but eventually he became dubious about its validity. His feelings for Anne, and her refusals to become his mistress, probably contributed to Henry's decision to break with the Pope. Henry's quest for an annulment became known as The King's Great Matter. Anne saw an opportunity in Henry's infatuation. She determined that she would yield to his embraces only as his acknowledged Queen. She began to take her place at his side in politics and in state, but not yet in his bed.

In 1528, sweating sickness broke out with severity. Henry left London, frequently changing his residence. Anne went to the Boleyn's residence at Hever Castle, but she fell ill. Henry sent his own physician to Hever to care for Anne, and shortly afterwards, she recovered. It soon became the one absorbing object of Henry's desires to obtain an annulment from Catherine. He asked Pope Clement VII to annul his marriage, on the grounds that the dispensation bull of Julius II (that permitted him to marry his brother's widow) was obtained under false pretences. The Pope refused, and so Henry put the matters into Cardinal Thomas Wolsey's hands, who did all he could to secure a favourable decision. The Pope forbade Henry to contract a new marriage until a decision was reached in Rome, and not in England.

Queen Catherine was banished from court in 1531, and her rooms were given to Anne. The public support, however, remained with Catherine. In 1532, Thomas Cromwell brought before the Parliament a number of acts, including the Supplication against the Ordinaries and Submission of the Clergy, which recognised royal supremacy over the Church. England had definitely broken with Rome.

Even before marriage, Anne was able to grant petitions, receive diplomats and give patronage, and had enormous influence over her future husband. During this period, she played an important role in England's international position, by solidifying an alliance with France. On 1 September 1532, Henry granted Anne suo jure the Marquessate of Pembroke, an appropriate peerage for a future Queen of England. Anne's family also profited from the relationship. Sir Thomas Boleyn was created Earl of Wiltshire and, at the magnificent banquet to celebrate this, Anne took precedence over the Duchesses of Suffolk and Norfolk. She also sat in the place of honour beside the King which was usually occupied by the Queen.

Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn married in a secret ceremony on 14 November 1532. She soon became pregnant and, to legalise the first wedding, there was a second wedding service, which took place on 25 January 1533. Events now began to move at a quick pace. On 23 May 1533, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, declared the marriage of Henry and Catherine null and void. Five days later, on 28 May, he declared the marriage of Henry and Anne good and valid.

Catherine of Aragon was formally stripped of her title as Queen and Anne was consequently crowned on 1 June 1533, in a magnificent ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Unlike any other Queen consort, Anne was crowned with St Edward's Crown, which had previously been used to crown only monarchs. In according with tradition, she wore white, and on her head a gold coronet beneath which her long dark hair hung freely. The public's response to her appearance was lukewarm.

After her coronation, Queen Anne settled into a quiet routine at the King's favourite residence, Greenwich Palace. There, she prepared for the birth of her first child. On 7 September 1533, Anne gave birth to a girl, who was christened Elizabeth. However, the birth of a girl was a heavy blow to her parents, who were confident they would have a son. Nevertheless, the infant princess was given a splendid christening. Anne feared that Mary (now stripped of her title of Princess and labelled a bastard) posed a threat to Elizabeth's position. Henry soothed his wife's fears by separating Mary from her loyal servants, and sending her to Hatfield House, where Princess Elizabeth would be living.

The King and his new Queen enjoyed a reasonably happy life, with periods of calm and affection. Anne's sharp intelligence, political acumen and forward manners, although desirable in a mistress, were unacceptable in a wife. After a stillbirth or miscarriage as early as Christmas 1534, Henry was discussing with Cranmer and Cromwell the possibility of divorcing her without having to return to Catherine. Nothing came of this issue, as Henry and Anne reconciled. By October 1535, she was pregnant again.

On 8 January 1536, news of Catherine of Aragon's death reached the King and Queen, who were overjoyed. The following day, they wore yellow from head to toe, and celebrated Catherine's death with festivities. Anne, pregnant again, was aware of the dangers if she failed to give birth to a boy. With Catherine dead, Henry would be free to marry without any taint of illegality. At this time, Henry began courting Jane Seymour; he gave her a locket with a miniature portrait of himself inside and Jane, in the presence of the Queen, began opening and shutting it. Anne responded by ripping off the locket with such force her fingers bled.

Later that month, Henry suffered an injury during a tournament and was unconscious for two hours. This incident is believed to be the reason that led to Anne's miscarriage five days later. The miscarried baby seemed to be a male child and Eustace Chapuys, the imperial ambassador, commented She miscarried of her saviour.
As Anne recovered from her miscarriage, Henry declared that he had been seduced into the marriage by means of sortilège, a French word meaning deception or spells. His new mistress was quickly moved into royal quarters.

It is believed that Anne's fall was engineered by Thomas Cromwell. They argued over the redistribution of Church revenues and over foreign policy. Anne advocated that revenues be distributed to charitable and educational institutions, and she favoured a French alliance. Cromwell insisted on filling the King's depleted coffers, while taking a cut for himself, and preferred an imperial alliance.

Towards the end of April 1536, a Flemish musician in Anne's service named Mark Smeaton was arrested. He initially denied being the Queen's lover, but later confessed, perhaps after being tortured or promised freedom. Another courtier, Henry Norris, was arrested on May Day, but being an aristocrat, could not be tortured. Norris denied his guilt and swore that Queen Anne was innocent. One of the most damaging pieces of evidence against Norris was an overheard conversation with Anne, where she accused him of coming often to her chambers not to pay court to her lady-in-waiting Madge Shelton, but to herself. Sir Francis Weston was arrested two days later on the same charge of adultery with the Queen, as was William Brereton, a groom of the King's Privy Chamber. Sir Thomas Wyatt, who was allegedly infatuated with Anne before her marriage to the King, was also imprisoned for the same charge, but was later released. Sir Richard Page was also accused of having a sexual relationship with the Queen, but was acquitted of all charges. The final accused was Queen Anne's own brother, George Boleyn, was arrested on charges of incest and treason.

On 2 May 1536, Anne was arrested and taken into the Tower of London by barge. In the Tower, she collapsed, demanding to know the location of her father and swete broder, as well as the charges against her.

Four of the accused men were tried on 12 May 1536. Weston, Brereton and Norris publicly maintained their innocence and only Smeaton supported the Crown by pleading guilty. Three days later, Anne and George Boleyn were tried separately, before a jury of 27 peers. Anne was accused of adultery, incest, and high treason. Henry Percy, once enamoured of Anne, sat on the jury that unanimously found her guilty. When the verdict was announced, he collapsed and had to be carried from the courtroom. On 14 May, Cranmer declared Anne's marriage to Henry null and void.

Although the evidence against them was unconvincing, Anne and George were found guilty and condemned to death. George and the other accused were executed on 17 May 1536. Henry commuted Anne's sentence from burning to beheading, and rather than using the common axe, an expert swordsman was brought from France to perform the execution. Her impending death may have caused her great sorrow from sometime during her imprisonment. The poem Oh Death Rock Me Asleep is generally believed to have been authored by Anne and reveals that she may have hoped death would end her suffering. Shortly before dawn, she heard mass and swore in the eternal salvation of her soul, upon the Holy Sacraments, that she had never been unfaithful to the King.

On the morning of Friday 19 May 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed within the Tower precincts. She wore a red petticoat under a loose, dark grey gown of damask trimmed with fur and a mantle of ermine. She made a short speech to the crowd:

Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul.

The ermine mantle was removed and Anne lifted off her headdress, tucking her hair under a coif. After a brief farewell to her ladies and a request for prayers, she kneeled down and was blindfolded. The execution consisted of a single stroke. Thomas Cranmer was reported to have said She who has been the Queen of England on earth will today become a Queen in heaven.

Anne Boleyn was buried in an unmarked grave in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula.

Anne Boleyn

Late 16th century

Copy of a lost original