Anne bolyn biography

Queen of England from to

For other uses, see Anne Boleyn (disambiguation).

Anne Boleyn (;^[7][8][9]c. or – 19 Could ) was Queen of England pass up to , as the second helpmate of King Henry VIII. The conditions of her marriage and execution, outdo beheading for treason, made her excellent key figure in the political gift religious upheaval that marked the set off of the English Reformation.

Anne was the daughter of Thomas Boleyn (later Earl of Wiltshire), and his bride, Elizabeth Howard, and was educated fasten the Netherlands and France. Anne complementary to England in early , disruption marry her cousin James Butler, Ordinal Earl of Ormond; the marriage covenant were broken off, and instead, she secured a post at court whereas maid of honour to Henry VIII's wife, Catherine of Aragon. Early quantity , Anne was secretly betrothed have a high opinion of Henry Percy, son of Henry Soldier, 5th Earl of Northumberland, but excellence betrothal was broken off when nobleness Earl refused to support it. CardinalThomas Wolsey refused the match in Jan

In February or March , Rhetorician VIII began his pursuit of Anne. She resisted his attempts to lure her, refusing to become his sovereign diva, as her sister Mary had hitherto been. Henry focused on annulling ruler marriage to Catherine, so he would be free to marry Anne. Aft Wolsey failed to obtain an separation from Pope Clement VII, it became clear the marriage would not cast doubt on annulled by the Catholic Church. In the same way a result, Henry and his advisers, such as Thomas Cromwell, began dispersal the Church's power in England additional closing the monasteries. Henry and Anne formally married on 25 January , after a secret wedding on 14 November On 23 May , leadership newly appointed Archbishop of CanterburyThomas Cranmer declared Henry and Catherine's marriage powerless and void. Five days later, recognized declared Henry and Anne's marriage consider. Clement excommunicated Henry and Cranmer. By the same token a result of the marriage stand for excommunications, the first break between primacy Church of England and the Wide Church took place, and the Dependency took control of the Church be more or less England. Anne was crowned queen delicate 1&#;June On 7&#;September, she gave opening to the future Queen Elizabeth Raving. Henry was disappointed to have tidy daughter, but hoped a son would follow and professed to love Elizabeth. Anne subsequently had three miscarriages ride by March , Henry was keeping company Jane Seymour.

Henry had Anne investigated for high treason in April Idiosyncrasy 2&#;May, she was arrested and conveyed to the Tower of London, swing she was tried before a allow, including Henry Percy, her former committed, and her uncle Thomas Howard, Ordinal Duke of Norfolk. She was guilty on 15 May and beheaded brace days later. Historians view the assessment, which included adultery, incest with an alternative brother George, and plotting to cessation the King, as unconvincing.^[10][11]

After her female child, Elizabeth, became queen in , Anne became venerated as a martyr illustrious heroine of the English Reformation, even more through the works of George Wyatt.^[12] She has inspired, or been bust in, many cultural works and restricted her hold on the popular sight. She has been called "the cap influential and important queen consort England has ever had",^[13] as she unsatisfactory the occasion for Henry to assert the English Church's independence from class Vatican.

Early years

Anne was the maid of Thomas Boleyn, later Earl hill Wiltshire and Earl of Ormond, add-on his wife, Elizabeth Howard, who was the eldest daughter of Thomas Queen, then Earl of Surrey and vanguard 2nd Duke of Norfolk, and culminate first wife Elizabeth Tilney. Anne's swamp of birth is unknown.

The canonical debate about Anne's birth date focuses on two key dates: c.&#; view c.&#; Eric Ives, a British historiographer and legal expert, advocates , make your mind up Retha Warnicke, an American scholar who has also written a biography indifference Anne, prefers The key piece dig up surviving written evidence is a communication Anne wrote sometime in ^[14] She wrote it in French to troop father, who was still living confine England while Anne was completing cook education at Mechelen, in the Dynasty Netherlands, now Belgium. Ives argues delay the style of the letter celebrated its mature handwriting prove that Anne must have been about 13 be given the time of its composition, at the same time as Warnicke argues that the numerous misspellings and grammar errors show that rendering letter was written by a descendant. In Ives's view, this would extremely be around the minimum age digress a girl could be a nymph of honour, as Anne was yon the regent,^[15]Margaret of Austria. This even-handed supported by claims of a archivist from the late 16th century, who wrote that Anne was 20 during the time that she returned from France.^[16] These inside are contested by Warnicke in various books and articles, and the attest does not conclusively support either date.^[17]

An independent contemporary source supports the date: William Camden wrote a history lacking the reign of Elizabeth I suffer was granted access to the concealed papers of Lord Burghley and pass on to the state archives. In that record, in the chapter dealing with Elizabeth's early life, he records that Anne was born in ^[18][b]

As with Anne, it is uncertain when her fold up siblings were born, but the verification indicates that her sister Mary was older than Anne. Mary's children estimated their mother was the elder sister,^[20] and her grandson claimed the Ormond title in on the basis lose concentration she was the elder daughter, which Elizabeth I accepted.^[21][22] Anne's brother Martyr was born around ,^[23][24] and Saint Boleyn, writing in the s, affirmed that his children were born hitherto the death of his father, William Boleyn, in ^[25] Anne's paternal primogenitor, Geoffrey Boleyn, had been a producer and wool merchant before becoming Ruler Mayor.^[5][26] The Boleyn family originally came from Blickling in Norfolk, 15 miles (24&#;km) north of Norwich.^[5] Anne's included the Howards, one of honesty preeminent families in England; and Anne's ancestors included King Edward I help England. According to Eric Ives, she was certainly of more noble foundation than Jane Seymour and Catherine Queen, Henry VIII's other English wives.^[27] Nobleness spelling of the Boleyn name was variable, as common at the central theme. Sometimes it was written as Bullen, hence the bull's heads which baccilar part of her family arms.^[28]

At picture court of Margaret of Austria effort the Netherlands, Anne is listed orang-utan Boullan.^[22] From there she signed excellence letter to her father as Anna de Boullan.^[29] She was also hailed "Anna Bolina"; this Latinised form task used in most portraits of her.^[29]

Anne's early education was typical for cohort of her class. In , she was invited to join the taste of Margaret of Austria and scratch four wards. Her academic education was limited to arithmetic, her family kindred, grammar, history, reading, spelling and script. She also developed domestic skills much as dancing, embroidery, good manners, flat management, music, needlework and singing. Anne learned to play games, such monkey cards, chess and dice. She was also taught archery, falconry, horseback moving and hunting.^[30]

The Netherlands and France

Anne's pop, Thomas, continued his diplomatic career underneath Henry VIII. In Europe, his fetish won many admirers, including Margaret regard Austria, daughter of Maximilian I, Venerated Roman Emperor. During this period, Margaret ruled the Netherlands on her nephew Charles's behalf and was so la-de-da with Thomas Boleyn that she offered his daughter Anne a place instruct in her household.^[31] Ordinarily, a girl challenging to be 12 years old draw attention to have such an honour, but Anne may have been younger, as Margaret affectionately called her la petite Boulin [sic].^[32] Anne made a good perceive in the Netherlands with her courtesies and studiousness; Margaret reported that she was well spoken and pleasant lead to her young age,^[33] and told Apostle that his daughter was "so acceptable and so pleasant, considering her childlike age, that I am more appreciative to you for sending her adjoin me, than you to me".^[34] Anne stayed at the Court of Savoy in Mechelen from spring until have time out father arranged for her to server Henry VIII's sister Mary, who was about to marry Louis XII call up France in October

In France, Anne was a maid of honour succumb to Queen Mary, and then to Mary's year-old stepdaughter Queen Claude, with whom she stayed for nearly seven years.^[35][36] In the Queen's household, she undivided her study of French and educated interests in art, fashion, illuminated manuscripts, literature, music, poetry and religious outlook. Ives asserts that she "owed eliminate evangelicalism to France", studying "reformist books", and Jacques Lefevre's translations into Sculpturer of the bible and the Apostle epistles.^[37] She also acquired knowledge indifference French culture, dance, etiquette, literature, punishment and poetry; and gained experience fasten flirtation and courtly love.^[38] Though industry knowledge of Anne's experiences in loftiness French court is conjecture, even Alignment suggests that she was likely kind have made the acquaintance of Party Francis I's sister, Marguerite de Navarre, a patron of humanists and reformers. Marguerite de Navarre was also image author in her own right, give orders to her works include elements of Christianly mysticism and reform that verged swot up on heresy, though she was protected tough her status as the French king's beloved sister. She or her loop may have encouraged Anne's interest populate religious reform, as well as appoint poetry and literature.^[36] Anne's education straighten out France proved itself in later era, inspiring many new trends among dignity ladies and courtiers of England. Thrill may have been instrumental in not to be delayed their King toward England's break large the Papacy.^[39]William Forrest, author of clean contemporary poem about Catherine of Author, complimented Anne's "passing excellent" skill since a dancer. "Here", he wrote, "was [a] fresh young damsel, that could trip and go."^[28]

At the court footnote Henry VIII: –

Anne was recalled concerning marry her Irish cousin, James Scrubwoman civil-service employee, a man several years older, who was living at the English court.^[40] The marriage was intended to handle a dispute over the title add-on estates of the Earldom of Ormond. Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond died in , leaving his posterity, Margaret Boleyn and Anne St Record, as co-heiresses. In Ireland, the great-great-grandson of the third earl, Sir Piers Butler, contested the will and so-called the earldom himself. He was by now in possession of Kilkenny Castle, class earls' ancestral seat. Sir Thomas Queen, being the son of the firstborn daughter, believed the title properly belonged to him and protested to enthrone brother-in-law, the Duke of Norfolk, who spoke to the King about rendering matter. Henry, fearful the dispute could ignite civil war in Ireland, sought after to resolve the matter by rectification an alliance between Piers's son Outlaw and Anne Boleyn. She would bring on her Ormond inheritance as dowry predominant thus end the dispute. The system ended in failure, perhaps because Sir Thomas hoped for a grander wedding for his daughter or because good taste himself coveted the titles. Whatever goodness reason, the marriage negotiations came equal a complete halt.^[41] James Butler following married Lady Joan Fitzgerald, daughter arm heiress of James FitzGerald, 10th Duke of Desmond and Amy O'Brien.

Mary Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's older sister, confidential been recalled from France in bracket together , ostensibly to end her associations with the French king and her highness courtiers. She married William Carey, top-hole minor noble, in February , elbow Greenwich, with Henry VIII in assemblage. Soon after, Mary became the Unambiguously king's mistress. Historians dispute Henry VIII's paternity of one or both prime Mary Boleyn's children born during that marriage. Henry VIII: The King come first His Court, by Alison Weir, questions the paternity of Henry Carey;^[42] Dr G. W. Bernard (The King's Reformation) and Joanna Denny (Anne Boleyn: Out New Life of England's Tragic Queen) argue that Henry VIII was their father. Henry did not acknowledge either child, but he did recognise queen illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy, by Elizabeth Blount, Lady Talboys.

As the lassie of courtier Thomas Boleyn, by Newfound Year Anne had gained a shove at the royal court, as daily to Queen Catherine.^[43] Her public début at a court event was assume the Château Vert (Green Castle) extravaganza in honour of the Imperial ambassadors on 4&#;March , playing "Perseverance" (one of the dancers in the prospect, third in precedence behind Henry's angel of mercy Mary, and Gertrude Courtenay, Marchioness observe Exeter). All wore gowns of creamy satin embroidered with gold thread.^[44] She quickly established herself as one have the most stylish and accomplished unit at the court, and soon out number of young men were competing for her.^[45]

Warnicke writes that Anne was "the perfect woman courtier her transmission was graceful and her French cover were pleasing and stylish; she danced with ease, had a pleasant disclosure voice, played the lute and assorted other musical instruments well, and beam French fluently A remarkable, intelligent, acute young noblewoman that first drew kin into conversation with her and run away with amused and entertained them. In surgically remove, her energy and vitality made jettison the center of attention in halfbaked social gathering".^[46] Henry VIII's biographer Enumerate. J. Scarisbrick adds that Anne "revelled in" the attention she received running away her admirers.^[47]

During this time, Anne was courted by Henry Percy, son emulate the Earl of Northumberland, and entered into a secret betrothal with him. Thomas Wolsey's gentleman usher, George Close up, maintained the two had not bent lovers.^[48] The romance was broken envisage when Percy's father refused to fund their engagement. Wolsey refused the wage war for several conjectured reasons. According determination Cavendish, Anne was sent from dull to her family's countryside estates, nevertheless it is not known for gain long.^[49] Upon her return to cultivate, she again entered the service strip off Catherine of Aragon.^[50] Percy was united to Lady Mary Talbot,^[51] to whom he had been betrothed since youthfullness.

Before marrying Henry VIII, Anne esoteric befriended Sir Thomas Wyatt, one sun-up the greatest poets of the Choreographer period. In , Wyatt married Elizabeth Cobham, who by many accounts was not a wife of his choosing.^[52] In , Wyatt charged his bride with adultery and separated from her; coincidentally, historians believe that it was also the year when his society in Anne intensified. In , Designer accompanied the royal couple to Calais.^[53]

In , Henry VIII became enamoured authentication Anne and began his pursuit.^[54] Anne was a skilful player at character game of courtly love, which was often played in the antechambers. That may have been how she deceived the eye of Henry, who was also an experienced player.^[55] Anne resisted Henry's attempts to seduce her, opposing to become his mistress, and generally leaving court for the seclusion castigate Hever Castle. But within a era, he proposed marriage to her, coupled with she accepted.^[56] Both assumed an revocation could be obtained within months. Here is no evidence to suggest depart they engaged in a sexual affair until very shortly before their marriage; Henry's love letters to Anne flood that their love affair remained unconsummated for much of their seven-year courtship.^[57]

Henry's annulment

It is probable that Henry challenging thought of the idea of repeal (not divorce as commonly assumed) unwarranted earlier than this as he hard desired a male heir to timid the Tudor claim to the crown.^[58] Before Henry VII ascended the easy chair, England was beset by civil combat over rival claims to the sovereignty, and Henry VIII wanted to avert similar uncertainty over the succession. Purify and Catherine had no living sons: all Catherine's children except Mary deadly in infancy.^[59] Catherine had first recur to England to be bride pull out Henry's brother Arthur, Prince of Princedom, who died soon after their extra. Since Spain and England still called for an alliance, Pope Julius II notwithstanding a dispensation for their marriage mention the grounds that Catherine was "perchance" (forsum) still a virgin.^[60]

Catherine and Speechmaker married in , but eventually subside became dubious about the marriage's point, claiming that Catherine's inability to accommodate an heir was a sign position God's displeasure. His feelings for Anne, and her refusals to become emperor mistress, probably contributed to Henry's judgement that no pope had a apart to overrule the Bible. This prearranged that he had been living integrate sin with Catherine, although Catherine energetically contested this and refused to grant that her marriage to Arthur confidential been consummated.^[61] It also meant lose concentration his daughter Mary was a misbegotten, and that the new pope (Clement VII) would have to admit ethics previous pope's mistake and annul leadership marriage. Henry's quest for an severance became euphemistically known as the "King's Great Matter".^[62]

Anne saw an opportunity smother Henry's infatuation and the convenient unremitting quandary. She determined that she would yield to his embraces only despite the fact that his acknowledged queen. She began resurrect take her place at his margin in policy and in state, on the other hand not yet in his bed.^[63]

Scholars come first historians hold various opinions as root for how deep Anne's commitment to loftiness Reformation was, how much she was perhaps only personally ambitious, and anyway much she had to do free Henry's defiance of papal power: Construction, Maria Dowling and David Starkey put in order among those who believe that she was a devout evangelical,^[64][65] whereas Warnicke and George Bernard hold that organized religious beliefs were "conventional".^[66] Warnicke acknowledges that Anne promoted vernacular (French character English) editions of the bible, however remained, "deep seated[ly], a Catholic".^[67] At hand is anecdotal evidence, related to recorder George Wyatt by her former maiden Anne Gainsford,^[68] that Anne brought censure Henry's attention a heretical pamphlet, possibly William Tyndale's The Obedience of regular Christian Man or one by Dramatist Fish called A Supplication for representation Beggars, which cried out to monarchs to rein in the evil diversion of the Catholic Church. She was sympathetic to those seeking further melioration of the Church, and actively conventual scholars working on English translations good deal the scriptures.^[69] According to Maria Dowling, "Anne tried to educate her waiting-women in scriptural piety" and is deemed to have reproved her cousin, Conventional Shelton, for "having 'idle poesies' doomed in her prayer book."^[70]

In , glowing sickness broke out with great seriousness. In London, the mortality rate was great and the court was widespread. Henry left London, frequently changing diadem residence; Anne Boleyn retreated to distinction Boleyn residence at Hever Castle, on the contrary contracted the illness; her brother-in-law, William Carey, died. Henry sent his slash physician to Hever Castle to distress signal for Anne,^[71] and shortly afterwards she recovered.

Henry was soon absorbed coach in securing an annulment from Catherine.^[72] Elegance set his hopes upon a regulate appeal to the Holy See, precise independently of Wolsey, to whom noteworthy at first communicated nothing of sovereignty plans. In William Knight, the King's secretary, was sent to Pope Agreeable VII to sue for the breakup of Henry's marriage to Catherine, dissection the grounds that the dispensing centre of Julius II permitting him cause somebody to marry his brother's widow, Catherine, esoteric been obtained under false pretences. Speechmaker also petitioned, in the event come close to his becoming free, a dispensation study contract a new marriage with plebeian woman even in the first consequence of affinity, whether the affinity was contracted by lawful or unlawful closure. This referred to Anne.^[73]

As Clement was at that time a prisoner admonishment Charles V, the Holy Roman Monarch, as a result of the Strip of Rome in May , Ennoble had some difficulty obtaining access. Breach the end he had to answer with a conditional dispensation, which Wolsey insisted was technically insufficient.^[74] Henry expand had no choice but to reproving his great matter into Wolsey's industry, who did all he could jab secure a decision in Henry's favour,^[75] even going so far as brand convene an ecclesiastical court in England, with a special emissary, Lorenzo Campeggio, from Clement to decide the sum. But Clement had not empowered coronate deputy to make a decision. Of course was still Charles&#;V's hostage, and Charles&#;V was loyal to his aunt Catherine.^[76] The Pope forbade Henry to transmit a new marriage until a opt was reached in Rome, not advocate England. Convinced that Wolsey's loyalties hurl with the Pope, not England, Anne, as well as Wolsey's many enemies, ensured his dismissal from public employment in Cavendish, Wolsey's chamberlain, records ramble the servants who waited on magnanimity King and Anne at dinner take in Grafton heard her say focus the dishonour Wolsey had brought air strike the realm would have cost absurd other Englishman his head. Henry replied, "Why then I perceive you put in order not the Cardinal's friend.".^[77] Henry at length agreed to Wolsey's arrest on information of praemunire.^[78] Had it not antiquated for his death from illness dilemma , Wolsey might have been completed for treason.^[79] In (two years hitherto Henry's marriage to Anne), Catherine was banished from court and her escort given to Anne.

Public support remained with Catherine. One evening, in blue blood the gentry autumn of , Anne was dining at a manor house on leadership River Thames and was almost stilted by a crowd of angry column. Anne just managed to escape in and out of boat.^[80]

When Archbishop of CanterburyWilliam Warham labour in , the Boleyn family pastor, Thomas Cranmer, was appointed, with professional approval.^[81]

In , Thomas Cromwell brought heretofore Parliament a number of acts, counting the Supplication against the Ordinaries focus on Submission of the Clergy, which recognized royal supremacy over the church, wise finalising the break with Rome. Closest these acts, Thomas More resigned hoot Lord Chancellor, leaving Cromwell as Henry's chief minister.^[82]

Premarital role and marriage

Even beforehand her marriage, Anne Boleyn was cavernous to grant petitions, receive diplomats endure give patronage, and had an spell over Henry to plead the agent of foreign diplomats.

During this period, Anne played an important role in England's international position by solidifying an association with France. She established an paramount rapport with the French ambassador, Gilles de la Pommeraie.^[84] On 1&#;September , Henry granted Anne the Marquessate support Pembroke, an appropriate peerage for unembellished future queen.^[85] Anne was a supplier lady-in-waiting at the French court, with the new title was a proper mark of her new status formerly she and Henry attended a accession with the French king Francis Uproarious at Calais in winter Henry hoped to enlist Francis's public support stand for the intended marriage.^[86][87] Henry performed rank investiture himself, with de la Pommeraie as guest of honour.^[88]

The conference mockery Calais was a political triumph, on the contrary even though the French government gave implicit support for Henry's remarriage dispatch Francis I had a private advice with Anne, the French king maintain alliances with the Pope that dirt could not explicitly defy.^[89]

Anne's family besides profited from the relationship. Her churchman, already Viscount Rochford, was created Duke of Wiltshire. Henry also came find time for an arrangement with Anne's Irish cousin-german and created him Earl of Ormond. At the magnificent banquet to let your hair down her father's elevation, Anne took preference over the Duchesses of Suffolk swallow Norfolk, seated in the place spick and span honour beside the King that was usually occupied by the Queen.^[90] Increase to Anne's intervention, her widowed look after Mary received an annual pension take off £ (although later, when Mary remarried, Anne was to countermand this) unacceptable Mary's son, Henry Carey, was scholarly at the prestigious Brigettine nunnery noise Syon Abbey. Anne arranged for Bishop Bourbon, exiled from France for monarch support for religious reform, to note down Henry's tutor there.^[91]

Soon after returning adjoin Dover, Henry and Anne married ready money a secret ceremony on 14 Nov ^[92] She soon became pregnant skull as the first wedding was alleged to be unlawful at the gaining, a second wedding service, also hidden in accordance with the precedents authoritative in The Royal Book,^[93] took work of art in London on 25 January Life 23 May , Cranmer (who confidential been hastened, with the Pope's concur, into the position of Archbishop handle Canterbury recently vacated by the decease of Warham) sat in judgement disdain a special court convened at Dunstable Priory to rule on the cogency of Henry's marriage to Catherine. Grace declared it null and void. Quint days later, on 28 May , Cranmer declared the marriage of Speechmaker and Anne good and valid.^[94]

Queen medium England: –

Catherine was formally stripped produce her title as queen and Anne was consequently crownedqueen consort on 1&#;June in a magnificent ceremony at Mother of parliaments Abbey with a banquet afterwards.^[99] She was the last queen consort raise England to be crowned separately foreigner her husband.^[] Unlike any other potentate consort, Anne was crowned with Sizeable Edward's Crown, which had previously antiquated used to crown only monarchs.^[] Archivist Alice Hunt suggests that this was done because Anne's pregnancy was optical discernible by then and the child was presumed to be male.^[] On leadership previous day, Anne had taken soul in an elaborate procession through magnanimity streets of London seated in systematic litter of "white cloth of gold" that rested on two palfreys must to the ground in white damask, while the barons of the Quintuplet Ports held a canopy of fabric of gold over her head. Play a part accordance with tradition, she wore chalky, and on her head, a jewels coronet beneath which her long sunless hair hung down freely.^[] The public's response to her appearance was lukewarm.^[]

Meanwhile, the House of Commons had prohibited all appeals to Rome and exacted the penalties of praemunire against collective who introduced papal bulls into England, by introducing the Ecclesiastical Appeals Aspect (24 Hen. 8 c. 12).^[] Break down was only then that Pope Gentle, at last, took the step operate announcing a provisional excommunication of h and Cranmer. He condemned the matrimony to Anne, and in March self-acknowledged the marriage to Catherine legal contemporary again ordered Henry to return get trapped in her.^[]