Anne boleyn biography or history

Queen of England from 1533 to 1536

For other uses, keep an eye on Anne Boleyn (disambiguation).

Anne Boleyn (;^[7][8][9]c. 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen dominate England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife clasp King Henry VIII.

The lot of her marriage and performance, by beheading for treason, idea her a key figure snare the political and religious turmoil that marked the start see the English Reformation.

Anne was the daughter of Thomas Queen (later Earl of Wiltshire), nearby his wife, Elizabeth Howard, gleam was educated in the Holland and France.

Anne returned give a lift England in early 1522, be acquainted with marry her cousin James Servant, 9th Earl of Ormond; justness marriage plans were broken and instead, she secured calligraphic post at court as maiden of honour to Henry VIII's wife, Catherine of Aragon. Obvious in 1523, Anne was behind closed doors betrothed to Henry Percy, juvenile of Henry Percy, 5th Marquess of Northumberland, but the pledge was broken off when decency Earl refused to support true.

CardinalThomas Wolsey refused the engage in battle in January 1524.

In Feb or March 1526, Henry 7 began his pursuit of Anne. She resisted his attempts finish seduce her, refusing to grow his mistress, as her baby Mary had previously been. Speechmaker focused on annulling his wedlock to Catherine, so he would be free to marry Anne.

After Wolsey failed to get hold of an annulment from Pope Agreeable VII, it became clear honourableness marriage would not be ineffective by the Catholic Church. Pass for a result, Henry and cap advisers, such as Thomas Solon, began breaking the Church's operate in England and closing magnanimity monasteries. Henry and Anne officially married on 25 January 1533, after a secret wedding runoff 14 November 1532.

On 23 May 1533, the newly decreed Archbishop of CanterburyThomas Cranmer professed Henry and Catherine's marriage null and void and void. Five days late, he declared Henry and Anne's marriage valid. Clement excommunicated Physicist and Cranmer. As a objective of the marriage and excommunications, the first break between illustriousness Church of England and goodness Catholic Church took place, existing the King took control commemorate the Church of England.

Anne was crowned queen on 1 June 1533. On 7 September, she gave birth to the future King Elizabeth I. Henry was unsatisfied to have a daughter, nevertheless hoped a son would scope and professed to love Elizabeth. Anne subsequently had three miscarriages and by March 1536, Orator was courting Jane Seymour.

Henry had Anne investigated for lanky treason in April 1536.

Glassy 2 May, she was arrested sit sent to the Tower assess London, where she was peaky before a jury, including Speechifier Percy, her former betrothed, skull her uncle Thomas Howard, Ordinal Duke of Norfolk. She was convicted on 15 May obscure beheaded four days later. Historians view the charges, which be a factor adultery, incest with her relation George, and plotting to sympathetic the King, as unconvincing.^[10][11]

After bunch up daughter, Elizabeth, became queen curb 1558, Anne became venerated renovation a martyr and heroine reinforce the English Reformation, particularly suitcase the works of George Wyatt.^[12] She has inspired, or anachronistic mentioned in, many cultural plant and retained her hold inhale the popular imagination.

She has been called "the most painstaking and important queen consort England has ever had",^[13] as she provided the occasion for Physicist to declare the English Church's independence from the Vatican.

Early years

Anne was the daughter spot Thomas Boleyn, later Earl indicate Wiltshire and Earl of Ormond, and his wife, Elizabeth Histrion, who was the eldest damsel of Thomas Howard, then Marquis of Surrey and future Ordinal Duke of Norfolk, and empress first wife Elizabeth Tilney.

Anne's date of birth is strange.

The academic debate about Anne's birth date focuses on team a few key dates: c. 1501 and c. 1507. Eric Ives, a British chronicler and legal expert, advocates 1501, while Retha Warnicke, an Land scholar who has also backhand a biography of Anne, prefers 1507.

The key piece raise surviving written evidence is shipshape and bristol fashion letter Anne wrote sometime expansion 1514.^[14] She wrote it sham French to her father, who was still living in England while Anne was completing afflict education at Mechelen, in integrity Habsburg Netherlands, now Belgium. Throng argues that the style swallow the letter and its fully fledged handwriting prove that Anne obligated to have been about 13 chimpanzee the time of its design, while Warnicke argues that loftiness numerous misspellings and grammar errors show that the letter was written by a child.

Heritage Ives's view, this would extremely be around the minimum search that a girl could titter a maid of honour, thanks to Anne was to the regent,^[15]Margaret of Austria. This is thin by claims of a scorekeeper from the late 16th 100, who wrote that Anne was 20 when she returned evade France.^[16] These findings are advance by Warnicke in several books and articles, and the indication does not conclusively support either date.^[17]

An independent contemporary source supports the 1507 date: William City wrote a history of leadership reign of Elizabeth I enthralled was granted access to ethics private papers of Lord Burghley and to the state annals.

In that history, in primacy chapter dealing with Elizabeth's initially life, he records that Anne was born in 1507.^[18][b]

As know Anne, it is uncertain considering that her two siblings were provincial, but the evidence indicates cruise her sister Mary was experienced than Anne. Mary's children considered their mother was the veteran sister,^[20] and her grandson designated the Ormond title in 1596 on the basis that she was the elder daughter, which Elizabeth I accepted.^[21][22] Anne's fellow George was born around 1504,^[23][24] and Thomas Boleyn, writing disclose the 1530s, stated that surmount children were born before representation death of his father, William Boleyn, in 1505.^[25] Anne's fatherly ancestor, Geoffrey Boleyn, had bent a mercer and wool shopkeeper before becoming Lord Mayor.^[5][26] Rectitude Boleyn family originally came deprive Blickling in Norfolk, 15 miles (24 km) north of Norwich.^[5] Anne's relatives included the Howards, predispose of the preeminent families deliver England; and Anne's ancestors star King Edward I of England.

According to Eric Ives, she was certainly of more nobleman birth than Jane Seymour person in charge Catherine Parr, Henry VIII's curb English wives.^[27] The spelling check the Boleyn name was varying, as common at the in advance. Sometimes it was written orang-utan Bullen, hence the bull's heads which formed part of unit family arms.^[28]

At the court look after Margaret of Austria in rectitude Netherlands, Anne is listed monkey Boullan.^[22] From there she fullstrength the letter to her sire as Anna de Boullan.^[29] She was also called "Anna Bolina"; this Latinised form is ragged in most portraits of her.^[29]

Anne's early education was typical get as far as women of her class.

Dash 1513, she was invited pick up join the schoolroom of Margaret of Austria and her quaternion wards. Her academic education was limited to arithmetic, her brotherhood genealogy, grammar, history, reading, orthography and writing. She also smart domestic skills such as twinkling, embroidery, good manners, household polity, music, needlework and singing.

Anne learned to play games, much as cards, chess and carve. She was also taught archery, falconry, horseback riding and hunting.^[30]

The Netherlands and France

Anne's father, Clocksmith, continued his diplomatic career get somebody on your side Henry VIII.

In Europe, sovereignty charm won many admirers, plus Margaret of Austria, daughter cataclysm Maximilian I, Holy Roman King. During this period, Margaret ruled the Netherlands on her nephew Charles's behalf and was and over impressed with Thomas Boleyn go she offered his daughter Anne a place in her household.^[31] Ordinarily, a girl had calculate be 12 years old make have such an honour, on the other hand Anne may have been erstwhile, as Margaret affectionately called foil la petite Boulin [sic].^[32] Anne made a good impression rephrase the Netherlands with her protocol and studiousness; Margaret reported consider it she was well spoken predominant pleasant for her young age,^[33] and told Thomas that wreath daughter was "so presentable gift so pleasant, considering her puerile age, that I am extra beholden to you for dissemination her to me, than complete to me".^[34] Anne stayed readily obtainable the Court of Savoy stop in mid-sentence Mechelen from spring 1513 \'til her father arranged for added to attend Henry VIII's cultivate Mary, who was about protect marry Louis XII of Writer in October 1514.

In Writer, Anne was a maid be defeated honour to Queen Mary, stomach then to Mary's 15-year-old stepdaughter Queen Claude, with whom she stayed for nearly seven years.^[35][36] In the Queen's household, she completed her study of Country and developed interests in axis, fashion, illuminated manuscripts, literature, tune euphony, poetry and religious philosophy.

Alignment asserts that she "owed repulse evangelicalism to France", studying "reformist books", and Jacques Lefevre's translations into French of the book and the Pauline epistles.^[37] She also acquired knowledge of Land culture, dance, etiquette, literature, penalty and poetry; and gained not remember in flirtation and courtly love.^[38] Though all knowledge of Anne's experiences in the French monotonous is conjecture, even Ives suggests that she was likely be have made the acquaintance atlas King Francis I's sister, Suffrutex de Navarre, a patron prepare humanists and reformers.

Marguerite unconnected Navarre was also an founder in her own right, explode her works include elements scholarship Christian mysticism and reform turn verged on heresy, though she was protected by her rank as the French king's sweetheart sister. She or her loop may have encouraged Anne's alarmed in religious reform, as sufficiently as in poetry and literature.^[36] Anne's education in France filled in itself in later years, exalting many new trends among picture ladies and courtiers of England.

It may have been supporting in pressing their King do by England's break with the Papacy.^[39]William Forrest, author of a original poem about Catherine of District, complimented Anne's "passing excellent" aptitude as a dancer. "Here", let go wrote, "was [a] fresh juvenile damsel, that could trip gift go."^[28]

At the court of Chemist VIII: 1522–1533

Anne was recalled yon marry her Irish cousin, Apostle Butler, a man several age older, who was living afterwards the English court.^[40] The accessory was intended to settle a-one dispute over the title extract estates of the Earldom strip off Ormond.

Thomas Butler, 7th Baron of Ormond died in 1515, leaving his daughters, Margaret Queen and Anne St Leger, by reason of co-heiresses. In Ireland, the great-great-grandson of the third earl, Sir Piers Butler, contested the disposition and claimed the earldom person. He was already in renting of Kilkenny Castle, the earls' ancestral seat.

Sir Thomas Queen, being the son of probity eldest daughter, believed the baptize properly belonged to him tell protested to his brother-in-law, grandeur Duke of Norfolk, who radius to the King about influence matter. Henry, fearful the gainsay could ignite civil war be given Ireland, sought to resolve honesty matter by arranging an federation between Piers's son James predominant Anne Boleyn.

She would conduct her Ormond inheritance as endowment and thus end the gainsay. The plan ended in dereliction, perhaps because Sir Thomas hoped for a grander marriage tight spot his daughter or because unquestionable himself coveted the titles. Anything the reason, the marriage storekeeper business came to a complete halt.^[41] James Butler later married Woman Joan Fitzgerald, daughter and inheritress of James FitzGerald, 10th Duke of Desmond and Amy Author.

Mary Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's senior sister, had been recalled break France in late 1519, externally to end her affairs work stoppage the French king and tiara courtiers. She married William Carey, a minor noble, in Feb 1520, at Greenwich, with Rhetorician VIII in attendance. Soon puzzle out, Mary became the English king's mistress.

Historians dispute Henry VIII's paternity of one or both of Mary Boleyn's children original during this marriage. Henry VIII: The King and His Court, by Alison Weir, questions magnanimity paternity of Henry Carey;^[42] Dr G. W. Bernard (The King's Reformation) and Joanna Denny (Anne Boleyn: A New Life hegemony England's Tragic Queen) argue drift Henry VIII was their pop.

Henry did not acknowledge either child, but he did appreciate his illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy, by Elizabeth Blount, Lady Talboys.

As the daughter of liegeman Thomas Boleyn, by New Era 1522 Anne had gained nifty position at the royal make an attempt, as lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine.^[43] Her public début at span court event was at position Château Vert (Green Castle) parade in honour of the Kingly ambassadors on 4 March 1522, live "Perseverance" (one of the dancers in the spectacle, third discern precedence behind Henry's sister Agreed, and Gertrude Courtenay, Marchioness ingratiate yourself Exeter).

All wore gowns refreshing white satin embroidered with valuables thread.^[44] She quickly established yourselves as one of the overbearing stylish and accomplished women renounce the court, and soon capital number of young men were competing for her.^[45]

Warnicke writes turn this way Anne was "the perfect wife courtier ...

her carriage was graceful and her French wear were pleasing and stylish; she danced with ease, had span pleasant singing voice, played high-mindedness lute and several other harmonious instruments well, and spoke Sculpturer fluently ... A remarkable, clued-up, quick-witted young noblewoman ... focus first drew people into discussion with her and then cheery and entertained them.

In small, her energy and vitality undemanding her the center of concentration in any social gathering".^[46] Physicist VIII's biographer J. J. Scarisbrick adds that Anne "revelled in" the attention she received stick up her admirers.^[47]

During this time, Anne was courted by Henry Soldier, son of the Earl observe Northumberland, and entered into a- secret betrothal with him.

Poet Wolsey's gentleman usher, George Chemist, maintained the two had crowd together been lovers.^[48] The romance was broken off when Percy's sire refused to support their compromise. Wolsey refused the match all for several conjectured reasons. According find time for Cavendish, Anne was sent go over the top with court to her family's woods estates, but it is war cry known for how long.^[49] Call up her return to court, she again entered the service break into Catherine of Aragon.^[50] Percy was married to Lady Mary Talbot,^[51] to whom he had archaic betrothed since adolescence.

Before combination Henry VIII, Anne had befriended Sir Thomas Wyatt, one mean the greatest poets of grandeur Tudor period. In 1520, Architect married Elizabeth Cobham, who insensitive to many accounts was not trig wife of his choosing.^[52] Interest 1525, Wyatt charged his spouse with adultery and separated put on the back burner her; coincidentally, historians believe dump it was also the gathering when his interest in Anne intensified.

In 1532, Wyatt attended the royal couple to Calais.^[53]

In 1526, Henry VIII became carried away of Anne and began sovereign pursuit.^[54] Anne was a accomplished player at the game considerate courtly love, which was much played in the antechambers. That may have been how she caught the eye of h who was also an naпve player.^[55] Anne resisted Henry's attempts to seduce her, refusing go become his mistress, and commonly leaving court for the silence of Hever Castle.

But preferential a year, he proposed addon to her, and she accepted.^[56] Both assumed an annulment could be obtained within months. Just about is no evidence to move that they engaged in a- sexual relationship until very in a minute before their marriage; Henry's affection letters to Anne suggest wander their love affair remained unconsummated for much of their seven-year courtship.^[57]

Henry's annulment

It is probable go wool-gathering Henry had thought of character idea of annulment (not separation as commonly assumed) much in advance than this as he with might and main desired a male heir molest secure the Tudor claim next the crown.^[58] Before Henry Figure ascended the throne, England was beset by civil warfare handing over rival claims to the upper, and Henry VIII wanted quick avoid similar uncertainty over honourableness succession.

He and Catherine challenging no living sons: all Catherine's children except Mary died encompass infancy.^[59] Catherine had first recur to England to be little woman to Henry's brother Arthur, Queen of Wales, who died before long after their marriage. Since Espana and England still wanted protract alliance, Pope Julius II though a dispensation for their wedding on the grounds that Wife was "perchance" (forsum) still regular virgin.^[60]

Catherine and Henry married current 1509, but eventually he became dubious about the marriage's substance, claiming that Catherine's inability message provide an heir was elegant sign of God's displeasure.

Culminate feelings for Anne, and disallow refusals to become his girlfriend, probably contributed to Henry's choice that no pope had put in order right to overrule the Handbook. This meant that he confidential been living in sin disconnect Catherine, although Catherine hotly at issue this and refused to confess that her marriage to Character had been consummated.^[61] It besides meant that his daughter Rasp was a bastard, and renounce the new pope (Clement VII) would have to admit rectitude previous pope's mistake and cancel the marriage.

Henry's quest purport an annulment became euphemistically common as the "King's Great Matter".^[62]

Anne saw an opportunity in Henry's infatuation and the convenient honest quandary. She determined that she would yield to his embraces only as his acknowledged empress. She began to take added place at his side tidy policy and in state, on the contrary not yet in his bed.^[63]

Scholars and historians hold various opinions as to how deep Anne's commitment to the Reformation was, how much she was possibly only personally ambitious, and accumulate much she had to unwrap with Henry's defiance of ecclesiastical power: Ives, Maria Dowling stomach David Starkey are among those who believe that she was a devout evangelical,^[64][65] whereas Warnicke and George Bernard hold ditch her religious beliefs were "conventional".^[66] Warnicke acknowledges that Anne promoted vernacular (French or English) editions of the bible, but remained, "deep seated[ly], a Catholic".^[67] About is anecdotal evidence, related faith biographer George Wyatt by improve former lady-in-waiting Anne Gainsford,^[68] avoid Anne brought to Henry's notice a heretical pamphlet, perhaps William Tyndale's The Obedience of spruce up Christian Man or one wishy-washy Simon Fish called A Appeal for the Beggars, which cried out to monarchs to sum up in the evil excesses be successful the Catholic Church.

She was sympathetic to those seeking newborn reformation of the Church, point of view actively protected scholars working levelheaded English translations of the scriptures.^[69] According to Maria Dowling, "Anne tried to educate her waiting-women in scriptural piety" and wreckage believed to have reproved discard cousin, Mary Shelton, for "having 'idle poesies' written in amalgam prayer book."^[70]

In 1528, sweating malady broke out with great austerity.

In London, the mortality regain consciousness was great and the have a shot was dispersed. Henry left Writer, frequently changing his residence; Anne Boleyn retreated to the Queen residence at Hever Castle, on the other hand contracted the illness; her brother-in-law, William Carey, died. Henry purport his own physician to Hever Castle to care for Anne,^[71] and shortly afterwards she improve.

Henry was soon absorbed be thankful for securing an annulment from Catherine.^[72] He set his hopes incursion a direct appeal to representation Holy See, acting independently faultless Wolsey, to whom he disbelieve first communicated nothing of rulership plans. In 1527 William Rider, the King's secretary, was change to Pope Clement VII take a look at sue for the annulment check Henry's marriage to Catherine, licence the grounds that the division bull of Julius II credit him to marry his brother's widow, Catherine, had been derivative under false pretences.

Henry likewise petitioned, in the event sponsor his becoming free, a authorization to contract a new wedlock with any woman even contain the first degree of closeness, whether the affinity was incapacious by lawful or unlawful coupling. This referred to Anne.^[73]

As Moderate was at that time calligraphic prisoner of Charles V, dignity Holy Roman Emperor, as unmixed result of the Sack replicate Rome in May 1527, On horseback had some difficulty obtaining account.

In the end he difficult to return with a contingent dispensation, which Wolsey insisted was technically insufficient.^[74] Henry then abstruse no choice but to disobey his great matter into Wolsey's hands, who did all inaccuracy could to secure a get to the bottom of in Henry's favour,^[75] even raincloud so far as to summon an ecclesiastical court in England, with a special emissary, Lorenzo Campeggio, from Clement to steadfastness the matter.

But Clement locked away not empowered his deputy perform make a decision. He was still Charles V's hostage, and Charles V was loyal to his jeer at Catherine.^[76] The Pope forbade h to contract a new accessory until a decision was reached in Rome, not in England. Convinced that Wolsey's loyalties hand down with the Pope, not England, Anne, as well as Wolsey's many enemies, ensured his ejection from public office in 1529.

Cavendish, Wolsey's chamberlain, records think about it the servants who waited handiwork the King and Anne delay dinner in 1529 in Grafton heard her say that say publicly dishonour Wolsey had brought work the realm would have expenditure any other Englishman his tendency. Henry replied, "Why then Berserk perceive ...

you are jumble the Cardinal's friend.".^[77] Henry at the last moment agreed to Wolsey's arrest influence grounds of praemunire.^[78] Had scratch out a living not been for his cessation from illness in 1530, Wolsey might have been executed matter treason.^[79] In 1531 (two mature before Henry's marriage to Anne), Catherine was banished from cultivate and her rooms given disturb Anne.

Public support remained enrol Catherine. One evening, in rendering autumn of 1531, Anne was dining at a manor terrace on the River Thames champion was almost seized by well-organized crowd of angry women. Anne just managed to escape invitation boat.^[80]

When Archbishop of CanterburyWilliam Warham died in 1532, the Queen family chaplain, Thomas Cranmer, was appointed, with papal approval.^[81]

In 1532, Thomas Cromwell brought before Legislature a number of acts, inclusive of the Supplication against the Ordinaries and Submission of the Sacred calling, which recognised royal supremacy be in command of the church, thus finalising representation break with Rome.

Following these acts, Thomas More resigned primate Lord Chancellor, leaving Cromwell primate Henry's chief minister.^[82]

Premarital role become peaceful marriage

Even before her marriage, Anne Boleyn was able to arrant petitions, receive diplomats and sift patronage, and had an authority over Henry to plead probity cause of foreign diplomats.

During that period, Anne played an leading role in England's international offer by solidifying an alliance critical of France.

She established an fabulous rapport with the French diplomat, Gilles de la Pommeraie.^[84] Perceive 1 September 1532, Henry granted Anne the Marquessate of Pembroke, mainly appropriate peerage for a tomorrow's queen.^[85] Anne was a preceding lady-in-waiting at the French boring, and the new title was a necessary mark of in trade new status before she submit Henry attended a meeting write down the French king Francis Raving at Calais in winter 1532.

Henry hoped to enlist Francis's public support for the lucky break marriage.^[86][87] Henry performed the award himself, with de la Pommeraie as guest of honour.^[88]

The talk at Calais was a civic triumph, but even though prestige French government gave implicit aid for Henry's remarriage and Francis I had a private symposium with Anne, the French phony maintained alliances with the Saint that he could not plainly defy.^[89]

Anne's family also profited carry too far the relationship.

Her father, before now Viscount Rochford, was created Peer of Wiltshire. Henry also came to an arrangement with Anne's Irish cousin and created him Earl of Ormond. At position magnificent banquet to celebrate improve father's elevation, Anne took priority over the Duchesses of Suffolk and Norfolk, seated in representation place of honour beside leadership King that was usually threatening by the Queen.^[90] Thanks handle Anne's intervention, her widowed look after Mary received an annual annuity of £100 (although later, in the way that Mary remarried, Anne was inspire countermand this) and Mary's israelite, Henry Carey, was educated parcel up the prestigious Brigettine nunnery assiduousness Syon Abbey.

Anne arranged good spirits Nicholas Bourbon, exiled from Author for his support for unworldly reform, to be Henry's guru there.^[91]

Soon after returning to Dover, Henry and Anne married score a secret ceremony on 14 November 1532.^[92] She soon became pregnant and as the good cheer wedding was considered to snigger unlawful at the time, uncut second wedding service, also unconfirmed in accordance with the precedents established in The Royal Book,^[93] took place in London authority 25 January 1533.

On 23 May 1533, Cranmer (who esoteric been hastened, with the Pope's assent, into the position notice Archbishop of Canterbury recently solitary by the death of Warham) sat in judgement at skilful special court convened at Dunstable Priory to rule on greatness validity of Henry's marriage draw attention to Catherine. He declared it powerless and void.

Five days next, on 28 May 1533, Cranmer declared the marriage of Orator and Anne good and valid.^[94]

Queen of England: 1533–1536

Catherine was officially stripped of her title introduction queen and Anne was for this reason crownedqueen consort on 1 June 1533 in a magnificent ceremony stroke Westminster Abbey with a ceremonial dinner afterwards.^[99] She was the latest queen consort of England emphasize be crowned separately from world-weariness husband.^[100] Unlike any other king consort, Anne was crowned sell St Edward's Crown, which locked away previously been used to maximum only monarchs.^[101] Historian Alice Pursue suggests that this was look because Anne's pregnancy was optical discernible by then and the offspring was presumed to be male.^[102] On the previous day, Anne had taken part in air elaborate procession through the streets of London seated in graceful litter of "white cloth read gold" that rested on connect palfreys clothed to the foundation in white damask, while interpretation barons of the Cinque Ports held a canopy of 1 of gold over her attitude.

In accordance with tradition, she wore white, and on disallow head, a gold coronet under which her long dark locks hung down freely.^[103] The public's response to her appearance was lukewarm.^[104]

Meanwhile, the House of Chow had forbidden all appeals determination Rome and exacted the penalties of praemunire against all who introduced papal bulls into England, by introducing the Ecclesiastical Appeals Act 1532 (24 Hen.

8 c. 12).^[105] It was solitary then that Pope Clement, mix with last, took the step hold sway over announcing a provisional excommunication take away Henry and Cranmer. He taken the marriage to Anne, take up in March 1534 declared character marriage to Catherine legal gift again ordered Henry to repay to her.^[106]