P
QUEEN ANNE BOLYN
ANNE BOLEYN WAS BORN INTO HIGH BRITISH NOBILITY. HER FATHER THOMAS BOLEYN WAS THE FIRST EARL OF WILTSHIRE AND HER MOTHER LADY ELIZABETH HOWARD WAS LADY-IN-WAITING OF QUEEN ELIZABETH OF YORK, WIFE OF KING HENRY VII AND QUEEN CATHERINE OF ARAGON, FIRST WIFE OF KING HENRY VIII.
THOMAS BOLEYN
LADY ELIZABETH HOWARD
QUEEN ELIZABETH OF YORK
QUEEN CATHERINE OF ARAGON
ANNE BOLEYN AND HER OLDER SISTER MARY BOLEYN BOTH FOLLOWED THEIR MOTHER'S FOOTSTEPS AND WERE LADIES-IN -WAITING TO QUEEN CLAUDE, WIFE OF KING FRANCIS I OF FRANCE.
QUEEN CLAUDE DE FRANCE
BEING LADY-IN-WAITING TO THE QUEEN OFTEN MEANS BEING MISTRESS OF THE KING AND MARY BOLEYN WAS CONSIDERED BY KING FRANCIS I OF FRANCE TO BE " MY BRITISH MARE"
"A GREAT WHORE, THE MOST INFAMOUS OF ALL"
MARY BOLEYN
ANNE BOLEYN HERSELF WAS KNOWN TO POSSESS GREATER MORAL RECTITUDE THAN HER OLDER SISTER.
WHEN THEY BOTH RETURNED TO THE ENGLISH COURT OF KING HENRY VIII AND MARY BOLEYN BECAME THE ROYAL MISTRESS, KING HENRY VIII ALSO FELL IN LOVE WITH ANNE AND PURSUED HER RELENTLESSLY.
KING HENRY VIII
ANNE'S REJECTION OF THE KING'S ADVANCES SERVED ONLY TO INCREASE THE ROMANTIC ARDOR OF HENRY VIII WHO BECAME DETERMINED THAT HE WOULD DIVORCE QUEEN CATHERINE OF ARAGON AND ELEVATE ANNE BOLEYN TO QUEEN OF ENGLAND.
WHEN THE POPE CLEMENTE VII IN ROME REFUSED TO ALLOW THE REQUESTED DIVORCE, KING HENRY VIII RENOUNCED THE ROMAN CATHOLICI CHURCH AND ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ANGLICANISM AS THE OFFICIAL RELIGION OF THE ENGLAND.
HE THEN MARRIED ANNE BOLEYN AND ELEVATED HER TO QUEEN OF ENGLAND.
POPE CLEMENTE VII
THE SPANISH CATHERINE OF ARAGON WAS BANISHED FRON THE ROYAL PALACE AND FORCED TO LIVE THE REMAINDER OF HER LIFE IN KIMBOLTON CASTLE WHERE SHE EVENTUALLY DIED IN 1536 AT THE AGE OF 50 YEARS.
QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN
ANNE BOLEYN BECAME QUEEN OF ENGLAND IN THE YEAR 1533 AT THE AGE OF 32 YEARS.
HER REIGN AS QUEEN OF ENGLAND WOULD LAST ONLY 3 YEARS UNTIL THE TIME OF HER EXECUTION BY BEHEADING IN THE YEAR 1536.
ANNE BOLEYN AND KING HENRY VIII WERE MARRIED ON JANUARY 25, 1533 AND ON SEPTEMBER 7 OF THE SAME YEAR, A DAUGHTER WAS BORN, WHO WOULD LATER BECOME THE GREAT QUEEN ELIZABETH I.
ANNE BOLEYN STAG HUNTING WITH KING HENRY VIII DURING HER DAYS OF GLORY.
ANNE BOLEYN NURSING HER DAUGHTER WHO WOULD LATER BECOME THE GREAT QUEEN ELIZABETH I OF ENGLAND
HER INABILITY TO PRODUCE A MALE HEIR, COUPLED WITH HER ARGUMENTATIVE NATURE SOON LEAD TO FREQUENT QUARRELS WITH HER ROYAL HUSBAND.
KING HENRY VIII GRADUALLY LOST INTEREST IN HIS NEW QUEEN AND FOCUSED HIS ATTENTION ON A MORE GENTLE AND DELICATE NOBLEWOMAN JANE SEYMORE.
JANE SEYMORE
ONE DAY WHEN JANE SEYMORE OPENED AND CLOSED A LOCKET THAT KING HENRY VIII HAD GIVEN TO HER, ANNE BOLEYN WAS OVERCOME BY JEALOUSY AND RIPPED THE LOCKET OFF THE NECK OF JANE SEYMORE SO FORCEFULLY THAT HER FINGERS BLED.
THE LOCKET CONTAINED A MINIATURE PORTRAIT OF KING HENRY VIII.
ON ANOTHER OCCASION, ANNE BOLEYN CHANCED UPON JANE SEYMORE STIITING ON THE LAP OF KING HENRY VIII AND FLEW INTO A RAGE. KING HENRY VIII HAD TO MOLLIFY HER TEMPER BY SAYING
" PEACE BE SWEETHEART AND ALL WILL BE WELL"
KING HENRY VIII AND ANNE BOLEYN RECONCILING AFTER AN ARGUMENT
EVENTUALLY KING HENRY VIII BECAME COMPLETELY EXASPERATED AND DECIDED TO END HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ANNE BOLEYNE.
HE HAD BECOME INFATAUTED WITH JANE SEYMORE AND DESIRED TO MAKE HER HIS THIRD WIFE AND QUEEN.
IN A CRUEL COURT INTRIQUE, KING HENRY VIII CONSPIRED WITH HIS CHIEF MINISTER THOMAS CROMWELL TO LEVEL FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF ADULTERY, INCEST AND TREASON UPON QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN.
THOMAS CROMWELL
QUEEN ANN BOLEYN WAS FALSELY ACCUSED OF COMMITTING ADULTERY WITH A MUSICIAN NAMED MARK SMEATON
MARK SMEATON
WITH SIR HENRY NORRIS WHO WAS GROOM OF THE STOOL IN THE PRIVY CHAMBER OF KING HENRY VIII
OTHER NOBLEMEN FALSELY ACCUSED AND CONDEMNED TO DEATH WERE
SIR FRANCIS WESTON GENTLEMAN OF THE KING'S PRIVY CHAMBER
SIR FRANCIS WESTON
SIR WILLIAM BRERETON GROOM OF THE KING'S PRIVY CHAMBER
SIR WILLIAM BRERETON
AND GEORGE BOLEYN, VISCOUNT ROCHFORD WHO WAS THE BROTHER OF QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN.
GEORGE BOLEYN, THE VISCOUNT OF ROCHFORD WAS ACCUSED OF CONDUCTING SEXUAL ACTIVITY WITH HIS SISTER QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN. THE CHARGE OF INCEST ALSO CARRIED A DEATH PENALTY.
GEORGE BOLEYN VISCOUNT ROCHFORD
THE FALSE CHARGE OF INCEST INVOLVING BROTHER AND SISTER WAS LEVELED BECAUSE THE VISCOUNT ROCHFORD HAD BEEN BOASTFUL ABOUT HIS CONQUEST OF WOMEN.
IN A POEM, HE WROTE
I forced widows, maidens I did deflower.All was one to me, I spared none at all,My appetite was all women to devourMy study was both day and hour.
HIS BOASTFUL WORDS EVENTUALLY LEAD TO HIS OWN EXECUTION AS WELL AS THE EXECUTION OF HIS SISTER QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN.
TAKEN BY BARGE TO THE LONDON TOWER, QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN COLLAPSED AND DEMANDED TO KNOW THE CHARGES AGAINST HER. SHE ALSO INQUIRED ABOUT HER FATHER AND " SWETE BRODER ", KNOWING THAT THEY TOO WOULD BE IN DANGER.
ANNE BOLEYN IMPRISONED IN THE TOWER OF LONDON
AWARE OF HER UNFORTUNATE FATE, SHE WROTE THIS LETTER TO HER ROYAL HUSBAND, KING HENRY VIII
"Sir,
Your Grace's displeasure, and my imprisonment are things so strange unto me, as what to write, or what to excuse, I am altogether ignorant. Whereas you send unto me (willing me to confess a truth, and so obtain your favour) by such an one, whom you know to be my ancient professed enemy. I no sooner received this message by him, than I rightly conceived your meaning; and if, as you say, confessing a truth indeed may procure my safety, I shall with all willingness and duty perform your demand.
But let not your Grace ever imagine, that your poor wife will ever be brought to acknowledge a fault, where not so much as a thought thereof preceded. And to speak a truth, never prince had wife more loyal in all duty, and in all true affection, than you have ever found in Anne Boleyn: with which name and place I could willingly have contented myself, if God and your Grace's pleasure had been so pleased. Neither did I at any time so far forget myself in my exaltation or received Queenship, but that I always looked for such an alteration as I now find; for the ground of my preferment being on no surer foundation than your Grace's fancy, the least alteration I knew was fit and sufficient to draw that fancy to some other object. You have chosen me, from a low estate, to be your Queen and companion, far beyond my desert or desire. If then you found me worthy of such honour, good your Grace let not any light fancy, or bad council of mine enemies, withdraw your princely favour from me; neither let that stain, that unworthy stain, of a disloyal heart toward your good grace, ever cast so foul a blot on your most dutiful wife, and the infant-princess your daughter. Try me, good king, but let me have a lawful trial, and let not my sworn enemies sit as my accusers and judges; yea let me receive an open trial, for my truth shall fear no open flame; then shall you see either my innocence cleared, your suspicion and conscience satisfied, the ignominy and slander of the world stopped, or my guilt openly declared. So that whatsoever God or you may determine of me, your grace may be freed of an open censure, and mine offense being so lawfully proved, your grace is at liberty, both before God and man, not only to execute worthy punishment on me as an unlawful wife, but to follow your affection, already settled on that party, for whose sake I am now as I am, whose name I could some good while since have pointed unto, your Grace being not ignorant of my suspicion therein. But if you have already determined of me, and that not only my death, but an infamous slander must bring you the enjoying of your desired happiness; then I desire of God, that he will pardon your great sin therein, and likewise mine enemies, the instruments thereof, and that he will not call you to a strict account of your unprincely and cruel usage of me, at his general judgment-seat, where both you and myself must shortly appear, and in whose judgment I doubt not (whatsoever the world may think of me) mine innocence shall be openly known, and sufficiently cleared. My last and only request shall be, that myself may only bear the burden of your Grace's displeasure, and that it may not touch the innocent souls of those poor gentlemen, who (as I understand) are likewise in strait imprisonment for my sake. If ever I found favour in your sight, if ever the name of Anne Boleyn hath been pleasing in your ears, then let me obtain this request, and I will so leave to trouble your Grace any further, with mine earnest prayers to the Trinity to have your Grace in his good keeping, and to direct you in all your actions. From my doleful prison in the Tower, this sixth of May;
Your most loyal and ever faithful wife, Anne Boleyn"
FOUND GUILTY BY A JURY OF 27 PEERS, ANNE BOLEYN WAS CONDEMNED TO DEATH BY BURNING. KING HENRY VIII EXTENDED HIS KINDNESS BY COMMUTING THR SENTENCE TO DEATH BY BEHEADING AND ORDERED A SWORDSMAN FROM ST.OMER, FRANCE TO CONDUCT THE EXECUTION.
IT WAS REPORTED THAT QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN WAS MOST COURAGEOUS, APPEARING HAPPY TO FACE THE END OF HER LIFE.
SHE BRAVELY FACED THE ASSEMBLED PUBLIC AND ADDRESSED THE CROWD WITH WORDS OF STRENGTH BEFITTING A QUEEN
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.
QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN BLINDFOLDED
WHEN IT WAS TIME TO DIE, THE DISGRACED QUEEN OF ENGLAND REMOVED HER ERMINE MANTLE AND HER DEADDRESS. SHE TUCKED HER LONG HAIR UNDER A COIF TO EXPOSE HER NECK TO THE SWORDSMAN. A BLINDFOLD WAS PLACED OVER HER EYES BY A WEEPING LADY-IN-WAITING. THE QUEEN DID NOT PLACE HER HEAD ON A WOODEN BLOC ACCORDING TO THE BRITISH WAY OF EXECUTION BUT KNELT STRAIGHT AND UPRIGHT ACCORDING TO THE FRENCH STYLE OF DEATH. A SINGLE STRIKE BY THE EXPERT FRENCH SWORDSMAN ENDED HER GLORIOUS AND TURBULENT LIFE.
No comments:
Post a Comment