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Anne Boleyn’s birthdate is widely debated within the study of Tudor
history, but most historians would assert the year of her birth as
1501. Born into what could be considered privilege, Anne was the
daughter of Thomas Boleyn and Lady Elizabeth Howard. Although her
mother was born into the wealthy Howard family, her father was not
so lucky, but did become a favourite of King Henry VIII. Anne grew
up in Kent at the idyllic castle of Hever with her two siblings,
Mary and George.
During her early years, Anne’s father found her a place within the
household of Margret, Archduchess of Austria, which was a great
honour. By October 1514, Anne was sent to join the entourage that
would wait on Henry VIII’s sister Mary Tudor, who was to wed Louis
XII of France. Due to the short marriage, Louis XII was left
without a male heir to inherit the throne, which meant Francis of
the House of Valois would become King. Instead of returning to
England, Anne found a place in household of Claude, the wife of
Francis I. The seven years Anne spent at the French court turned
her into a cultured woman, learning languages, fashion and
etiquette, which all helped her upon her return to England.
In January 1522 Anne Boleyn set sail for England, and brought with
her a wealth of courtly knowledge. On 4th March 1522, Anne made her
debut at the English court, where she played the part of
“perseverance” in a play at the Chateau Vert. It was
during this time that Anne found herself secretly betrothed to
Henry Percy, the son of The Earl of Northumberland. Historians
still debate whether their affair was consummated, however
regardless of this, the two lovers were forced to part ways.
Henry VIII fell in love with Anne some time after 1526, leading to
Henry’s proposal despite already being married. Both hoped that the
King could annul his marriage from Katherine of Aragon within a
matter of months. They hoped that an annulment would be granted on
the grounds that Katherine had been married to Arthur, Henry’s
elder brother who died in 1502, and they had consummated the
marriage, therefore going against the Bible’s words stating a
man should not take his brother’s wife or would die without a
male heir. This, of course, did not run so smoothly as the couple
hoped, and Henry’s quest for a divorce became known as ‘The King’s
Great Matter’. Anne soon demanded that she become his Queen or
nothing at all.
During this time, it is unclear as to how far Anne’s commitment to
the Protestant Reformation went, but she was said to have
introduced Henry VIII to Tyndale’s heretical writings.
Up until 1532, Henry VIII fought Papal authority for a divorce, but
Thomas Cromwell brought a bill before parliament that asked for the
Submission of the Clergy. By asking the Clergy to submit to The
King’s will, it meant that Henry would soon have royal supremacy
over his realm, without the interference of foreign authority. Soon
after, England broke with Rome, leaving Henry as the Supreme Head
of the Church of England.
On 25th January 1533, Henry married Anne Boleyn in a secret
ceremony; Anne was already pregnant at this point. In June, the
couple were crowned and by September Anne was in her
final week of pregnancy. However, the child was not the hoped for
boy Henry had wanted, but a girl who they named Elizabeth. Anne
would bare no more children, which most certainly contributed to
her fall from grace.
The portrait of Anne in Elizabeth’s ring
Although it was custom for a Queen to be less hands-on with their children, Anne fought to be just the opposite. Elizabeth I was not yet three years old when Anne was executed on 19th May 1536, and most likely didn’t have any memories of her mother. While growing up in her father’s court, Elizabeth probably heard terrible rumours about her mother, but there were supporters of Anne that fought for her legacy. The fact that Elizabeth wore a ring with a portrait of her mother on one side, and herself on another, is very telling. This demonstrates how much she must have cared for the memory of her mother, and through this piece of jewellery Elizabeth was able to display her connection with Anne to those around her.
In many ways, Elizabeth’s siding with the Protestant Reformation would suggest that she supported her mother’s religious views. It could be suggested that Henry VIII’s treatment of Anne, along with her father’s somewhat distant interest in Elizabeth, could have been ingrained upon the young Elizabeth and deterred her from marrying later on in life. In 1544, Henry VIII had a family painting commissioned, which Elizabeth is seen wearing an initial pendant with the letter ‘A’ on it. Elizabeth would have been approximately twelve years old during this painting, and validates the bond she had already forged with her late mother. Throughout Elizabeth’s life she was close with Mary Boleyn’s children, which she most probably would have not have done if she thought her mother was guilty of the crimes for which she was beheaded (which does not include witchcraft – a later rumour to further discredit Anne).
All of these signs point to how much of an impact Anne Boleyn had on her daughter, even after death. With some clear evidence, Elizabeth could be seen as being her mother’s daughter. So yes, a mother, regardless of dying early in a child’s life, can have a significant influence on their life.
photo credit: lisby1 and lisby1 via photopin cc]]>
