INTERNATIONAL ANGLES
Remember Her: Anne Boleyn, mother of the Golden Age
sawsanwahedi

‘ Remember me when you do pray, that hope doth lead from day to day ’. — Anne Boleyn

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Every girl and woman lives in a short time-line of being a princess, someone with high importance and admiration. Someone who charms people and astonishes others with her presence. Some girls are lucky enough to see that dream come true, but not in the way they might expect. This kind of status is brought to them in the form of duty that has to be fulfilled, whether she likes or not. It’s true that her title will change and her dream of walking in ball gowns and tiaras will come true, but the expense and outcome of it are painful that even the enemy might envy them. This is the reality of every girl and woman in Tudor England, where they might meet their Prince Charming or King if they are lucky enough to be chosen, but with the reality of living the hardships of being a Queen or a princess. 

Queen Anne Boleyn was one of the lucky ladies who was brought up in a highly educated and wealthy household, where all girls are treated fairly and educated equally. However, every household no matter how wealthy and noble they were, dreamt of having one of their girls serve in the Royal court, as she might catch a king’s eye or a prince which would eventually lead to a higher royal status. And Anne Boleyn was no exception – her family was a wealthy and well-known noble family who served the royal courts for generations. Their men served the King and their women served the Queen in the Royal court. Anne aspired to follow the footsteps of those in the Royal courts before her, which included her grandmother and even her elder sister.

King Henry Vlll was known to be a womanizer who attended endless parties and sought pleasures whenever and wherever they could be found. But Royal duties go further than this, and that includes producing an heir who will continue the heirloom of the royalties and the duties that will be upon them. Apart from being a King, Henry Vlll’s personality was not that of a person who could hold heavy duties, especially of a King. His elder brother who passed away at a young age was the perfect suit for an heir, he was strong, intelligent and had all the aspects of future King. But death takes no permission, as he passed away due to a plague, leaving behind his young foreign princess of a bride Katherine De Aregon who is also known as Henry’s first wife.

Divorced

Beheaded

Died

Divorced 

Behdead

Survived .

That’s how Henry Vlll’s wives are known, through their survival methods and mortality for some. 

Before diving into the life and brutal death of Queen Anne Boleyn, it’s important to note down the sequence of the mortality and survival of the queens, as their lives and survival method was based on wether they are able to produce a male heir to the Royal throne, or not. 

  • Queen Catherine of Aragon was a foreign princess who was betrothed to Arthur, Henry’s brother who lost his life. Henry married her despite the gossip of the marriage being consumed which was supposed to be stop the marriage, but eventually it didn’t and it resulted in a royal princess (Mary), also known as Bloody Mary due to her actions in her short time of rule.
  • Queen Anne Boleyn: the first English queen to be executed and who was innocent that she went to her death with her head help up high, knowing that she’s pure from all the talks about her infidelity. Her crime? She didn’t produce a male heir and a replacement was needed as soon as possible.
  • Queen Jane Seymour: one of Queen Ann Boleyn’s ladies in waiting whom King Henry cheated on Anne Boleyn with. Luckily, she was able to produce a male heir, which led to her death shortly after giving birth.
  • Queen Anne of Cleves  : the second wife and queen to be divorced due to her looks not meeting the King’s likings. As he stated that he has a more platonic relationship with her, which is why a mutual divorce is the best solution. Their relationship continued for a time, as she was welcome in the court and luckily had a peaceful and healthy connection, unlike his other wives.
  • Queen Catherine Howard :   the youngest of Henry’s wives and the second to be executed due to her infidelity from her side this time.
  • Queen Catherine Parr: Catherine Parr was the last wife of Henry the Vlll ,who survived her fate of not being taken to the scaffold like the prior Queen Catherine and Ann Boleyn. Catherine Parr was an educated and out-spoken women who had her own points in regards to faith, royal roles and even politics. Just like Anne Boleyn. It has been conspired, that during Henry’s reign, Catherine Parr was only timelines away from being taken to the scaffold due to her opinions against the King which he suspected to be going against his dutiful words. However, death was faster to take Henry, which left Catherine to be a free woman of duties, opinions and no axe on her neck. 

Who is Anne Boleyn?

The (Daughter)

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Born In 1500/1501  in Blickling, Norfolk and spent the majority of her childhood in Hever Castle located in Kent, her parents were of noble decent.  They were well known among the royal courts and nobilities, as they were part of the community themselves. Sir Thomas Boleyn, Anne’s father and Lady Elizabeth Howard, her mother, gave Ann the privilege of being educated in the finest courts and by the most sophisticated educators of her time. Not only she had the privilege of such a fine early education continuing through to adulthood, but even her elder sister Mary Boleyn and youngest brother George Boleyn who is also known as Viscount Rochford. Anne’s early adulthood and coming of age was spent abroad in France, serving King Henry’s sister, Mary. She spent 6-7 years in the French Royal courts, which influenced her looks and behaviour. Anne’s departure was an educational duty for her to know and learn all at once, as it was also a privilege for noble girls to serve in the Royal courts. 

The (Wife)

________________

Upon Anne’s arrival to the English land after years of being in the French Royal courts, it was evident that she had caught everyone’s eye. Whether it was her beauty, behaviour, looks, knowledge, or all together, no one knows, but she was always one to speak of. Her arrival was met not only with warm gestures from her family and siblings, but even suitors started to pile up on her door. With all the suitors asking for her hand in marriage and courtship, only one request was met with an acceptance, but with conditions of her own. As one educated woman of faith and nobility, Anne remained true to her opinion in regard to marriage. However, this kind of suitor was a sensitive case, as he was the King himself. King Henry VIII, was bewildered with Anne’s personality and beauty that he did everything he could to get a divorce from his wife Catherine of Aragon. But Anne’s beauty was not his only aim – he also wanted a male heir to his throne, as for over 20 years of marriage, Catherine only gave a daughter, while her other pregnancies were terminated shortly after being announced. The Kingdom used to be ruled by the Catholic Faith and practices, and in Catholicism, divorce was completely forbidden, which complicated the marriage of Anne Boleyn and Henry, as his faith forbade him from filing for a divorce. The wait for reformation and change of leadership in the English church was long. As the King was dealing with the church, he made sure to send her love letters to prove his devotion and loyalty to Anne. And Anne promised to give him a male heir that he desired, which complicated the process and made Henry change the rule of Faith within the Church. In the end, and after periods of turmoil of bishops not approving and people condemning, Henry did get a divorce and married Anne in a lavish wedding. He also declared that his first marriage was not valid and that made his daughter, Princess Mary not a legitimate child of his. Only children born through this marriage and from Anne’s womb were declared legitimate.  

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The (Mother)

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Anne Boleyn’s fertility journey was not successful. Throughout her short years of marriage to Henry Vlll, she gave birth to a daughter (Elizabeth), later known as Queen Elizabeth I. Miscarriages haunted her like a shadow, and each pregnancy that started with a hopeful desire, ended in loud cries in the night. Princess Elizabeth, the eldest and the only child of Anne, was loved and cherished by her father, as he aspired and hoped for other male children after her. However, all was met with sadness and grief, and the wait was long enough for Henry to be on the look and hunt for another bride. Anne tried to to apply everything she learned and had in her own childhood on to Elizabeth, despite the restrictions of having the baby taken away and allowing the mother to have a play time of few hours only. Anne was not fond of the treatment, she wanted her daughter to always be with her. She wanted to play with her, teach her and create a bond in that early stage, just like her mother did to her and just like the time she spent with her siblings back then. Even though Royal restrictions were firm, Anne always made time to sneak in and meet her daughter. Her one and only heir, who would carry her resemblance through her reign. 

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The ( Martyr)

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As a result of her many miscarriages, Anne’s final miscarriage led to her downfall, giving Henry the green light to plan a clean exit for Anne by condemning her to witchcraft and infidelity. Anne’s last miscarriage ended in the first few months of the pregnancy, and when the midwives looked at the dead fetus, it was a dead male fetus who looked like a monster. With that, speculation arose that Anne had used witchcraft to secure a male baby and heir to the throne and God was not happy with it, which is why the baby was born as a dead monster. It has also been speculated that Anne used witchcraft to get pregnant with Elizabeth, which caused more anger in the court that Elizabeth’s legitimacy was put on spike. As said, Anne spent her early teens and coming of age in the French Royal court, a court that was always filled with dancing and singing and endless musical entertainment. This brought in her a love for dancing and music, and through her time in the English court as Henry’s wife, she always made sure that music would accompany her and her ladies, and she also invited others for enjoyment. But although it was done with pure intentions, Henry’s plot was coming together as he also accused her of infidelity with 5 men. As expected, they were all tried and seen as guilty which led to their execution, including Anne, who was set to be executed privately and on a separate day. For the five innocent men, they were hanged, quartered , and their organs were taken out while they were still alive and eventually beheaded. As for Anne, she was executed on the 19th of May early in the morning. Her execution was private inside the yard of the tower she was imprisoned in. And due to her status as a noble woman and a Boleyn, King Henry has called for a special professional French executioner to seal the deal with the swift of his sword, not to cause her pain. 

Anne’s last few minutes of being alive were held in strength and dignity. She was accompanied by her faithful ladies in waiting who were with her throughout her grieving. She stepped onto the scaffold and the executioner knelt, asking for forgiveness which Anne gave, knowing that it was his job and it was not him to blame. Anne’s walk, the way she held herself and the colour of her dress all sent a direct message. A message that she was an innocent woman who would lose her life due to false accusations. She wore a black dress with a red petticoat, indicating her innocence and symbolizing her martyrdom. It was tradition to have a speech delivered on the scaffold and to hear the final words of the person to be executed. For Anne Boleyn, everyone was listening, and all were ears for her final words that shocked and brought them to tears, including her sister who witnessed the brutal death of Anne. Her speech was something methodical and filled with dignity, the dignity of a noble daughter, a mother to a future queen, and martyrs who will have their last say on this planet. 

And it went like that 

‘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.’

Once blindfolded and kneeling, she repeated several times:

‘To Jesus Christ I commend my soul; Lord Jesu receive my soul.’

As recorded by Edward Hall.

Short, but sweet and painful that it left infinite marks on people throughout the ages. And that leaves us with the question. Will you remember her? the Daughter, Wife, Mother, and Martyr.  Although King Henry had erased and eliminated all of Anne’s traces after her execution and moved on with his third wife Jane Seymour, history didn’t forget and she came in back in a form of a female heir that Henry never wanted. Resembling her mother’s looks and self-worth, Elizabeth ruled for her mother and through her, as she never took of the ring that had her mother’s picture in it from her finger until the day she died.

She was never forgotten, and never will be. So remember her always as the Mother of the Golden Age.

Written By Sawsan Adel, an Author and Postgraduate Student of International Humanitarian Affairs at the University of York. 

References 

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