I’m glad you put this up. I have been reading about Boleyn for years, and although feel sorry for her also think she was a conniver who had no feelings for the poor queen, Kathryn, who was the true queen of England then and a good and pious wife. Unfortunately she did fulfill the mission, provide England with a male heir for the throne.
Henry viii was unbelievably cruel to Ann and somewhere on the net I read the night of her execution he spent it in some royal owned house full of likely related to the court beautiful women doting on him, in order to put her execution out of his mind.
What a story it all is/was. But what a horror in history.
England claimed they were civilized.
Not by a long shot.
Anne did get the last word, however. Her daughter survived many plots and tribulations and became Queen Elizabeth I.
Anne Boleyn didn’t provide England with a male heir. Her daughter, Elizabeth I, was probably the greatest English monarch to live, though.
I don’t know that Anne Boleyn was a conniver. I believe she truly thought that Catherine of Aragon was not legally married to Henry VIII (pre-dating psychology, people could very easily believe the things that were convenient to them) because the Pope was not authorized to provide dispensation for the marriage. She was instrumental in bringing about the Reformation by introducing Henry to banned books, like Tyndale’s Obedience of the Christian Man. She was educated, multi-lingual, and deeply religious.
I think the night Henry spent with the ladies of the court happened while Katherine Howard was awaiting execution. Henry was already set on Jane Seymour the night before Anne’s execution.
Really, the whole mess can be laid at the feet of Henry VII.
He wanted an international marriage as that would bring in the biggest dowry.
When Kathryn of Aragon married Arthur, she was all ready long in the tooth and about beyond the age of child bearing. Also, only half the dowry was paid by Spain, with the other half to be delivered after a child was issued that would be acknowledged as the rightful English heir.
When Arthur died, without a child, Henry the VII was not only in danger of losing the 2nd half of the dowry, but according to the agreement, the first half would have to be returned to Spain.
He connived to have ‘Lil Henry’ step up to the plate for him. Henry VIII was not brought up to be king but was trained to be a cleric.
As he grew older, he began to shy away from the marriage bargain with Spain but in the end, decided after intense advisement, to go with his father’s plan. All the trouble ensued after that.
If you get the Smithsonian Channel, they have been showing the first season of "Inside the Tower of London," which originally aired in Britain. There are 8 episodes in the first season. 7 of the 8 episodes are available On Demand. The last episode is set to air on Monday, May 24thth. There is also a second and third season, which may, or may not be picked up by the Smithsonian Channel in the future. I believe some of the episodes are on YouTube.
Tracy Borman is the Joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, and she is featured in all three seasons. She also did an excellent three-part series on the last days of Anne Boleyn earlier this year. It's titled: "The Fall of Anne Boleyn," and can be located on YouTube as well.
I was lucky enough to get to The Tower of London twice, once in 2006, and again in 2007. Always wish I'd made arrangements ahead of time to observe the Ceremony of the Keys at night.
History as defined as the doings of the elite is much like Chicago gangsters. Roll the dice take your chance. Ann was c**t just like the predetor types in corporate and politics, waving their assets I’m front of the executive letchers.