Almost 500 years after her death, Anne Boleyn is a figure who continues to polarize and captivate with equal effect. 

Though known to history as the doomed second queen of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn was the catalyst that changed the course of English history forever. If you're curious to know more about Anne's life, deeds and legacy, get absorbed in these ten riveting facts.

1. Anne served queens from a young age.

Anne Boleyn was likely born at Blickling Hall in Norfolk, England, and spent her early years at Hever Castle. 

As a young girl of perhaps 10 to 12 years old, she was sent to serve as a maid of honour to Margaret of Austria in the Netherlands. Her father, Thomas Boleyn, secured the position because he was a respected diplomat.

Anne went on to serve Queen Mary of France and later, Queen Claude. By the time she left France at around 20 years of age to return to England, she was fluent in French and knowledgeable about matters of religion and politics. 

Anne's time in France also left a deep impression on her in terms of her tastes in art, music, literature and fashion, and this would go on to set her apart from others at the English court. Here, she would serve her future rival, Queen Catherine of Aragon.

2. She was closely related to another of Henry's queens.

Catherine is known to history as a very different character from her highly educated, politically savvy and more powerful cousin but, eerily, the two shared the same sad end.

Like Anne, Catherine Howard - who was only around 19 years old at the time - was beheaded for treason after being convicted of adultery. However, Catherine wasn't afforded the same 'privileges' as Anne in her death. 

Unlike Anne, Catherine died to the standard block and axe - a procedure that was often botched - whereas Anne was afforded the 'mercy' of being executed in the French fashion by an expert swordsman from Calais. Fortunately, Catherine nevertheless died quickly with one stroke.

3. Her true age is unknown.

Given that Anne Boleyn is such a remarkable historical figure, it may surprise some to learn that there is no record of her exact date of birth. Some historians argue that it was 1501 whereas others think it was more likely 1507. This would make Anne between 29 and 35 years old at the time of her death on May 19, 1536.

4. Many historians agree that Anne was framed.

Most people are aware of Anne's execution for treason, but whether or not she was truly guilty of the charges is a subject of debate among historians. 

However, judging by several of the documentaries I've seen and literature I've read on the topic, it seems that many historians - including Suzannah Lipscomb - believe Anne was innocent of the charges of adultery, incest and plotting the king's death due to a lack of credible evidence.

Thomas Cromwell, Henry's chief minister at the time who had recently fallen out of favour with Anne, is often believed to have been the one who arranged her downfall.

Nevertheless, as mentioned in an article by The History Press, according to a letter written by Ambassador Chapuys, Cromwell was indeed responsible but merely did as Henry instructed him.

5. Elizabeth I may have kept Anne's image in a ring.

Anne Boleyn's daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, possessed a special piece of jewelry: the Chequers Ring. This ring contains a picture of Elizabeth I and another woman who could be Anne Boleyn. 

That said, in Queens Matter in Early Modern Stories by Anna Riehl Bertolet, it is mentioned that the portrait could be of Elizabeth's stepmother, Katherine Parr, and not Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth was very close to Katherine Parr as a teenager and even lived with her for a time.

6. Henry pursued Anne for seven years.

It was common for medieval kings to have mistresses, and Henry's extramarital affairs didn't usually last long. This was not the case when it came to Anne Boleyn. Henry courted Anne for around seven years before they were finally married. 

Anne was different in that she refused to be a throwaway mistress like all the others; she would only give herself up to him fully if he made her his queen. This meant that Henry would have to divorce Catherine, which proved more difficult than he ever imagined.

Over the years, Henry made numerous attempts - both on his own and via his trusted advisor Cardinal Wolsey - to petition the Holy See to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. All these petitions were rejected, infuriating Henry. 

This led to Henry eventually breaking with Rome in 1534, by which time Henry was already married to Anne. He was ultimately a bigamist as he was still married to Catherine at the time.

7. Anne was buried in an arrow chest.

Though Henry allowed Anne to be executed by a professional swordsman from Calais instead of the regular London axeman - which was considered an act of mercy - the receptacle reserved for her burial was less than dignified. 

Instead of being placed in a coffin, she was buried in an arrow chest in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, which is within the Tower of London. Buried next to Anne at the chapel is her equally ill-fated cousin, Catherine Howard.

8. Archbishop Thomas Cranmer cried at the news of Anne's death.

When he learned that Anne had been executed, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, is said to have sat down and remarked "She who has been the queen of England on Earth will today become a queen in heaven." He then proceeded to cry.

The Archbishop had initially shown support for Anne and disbelief at the charges brought against her, but out of fear of what would happen if he was too staunch in his defense of the queen, he made sure to annul Henry's marriage to Anne as ordered.

Cranmer later pitied young Catherine Howard when it was her turn to face charges of treason and ultimately, death. 

In a letter to Henry after visiting Catherine in prison, Cranmer wrote "I found herein such lamentation and heaviness, as I never saw no creature; so that it would have pitied any man's heart in the world to have looked upon her."

9. She was fond of music.

Anne was known for her love of music and talent for singing, dancing and playing the lute. It's possible that she also had a talent for poetry, and the poem O Death Rock Me Asleep may have been written by Anne while she was imprisoned in the Tower of London. This hasn't been conclusively proven, though.

10. Anne's emblem was a falcon.

In a time when women were expected to be meek, obedient and humble, Anne was a woman who truly broke the mold and defied expectation. She was self-confident, ambitious, intelligent and outspoken, in a sense flying above and beyond the rest of the pack. It seems only fitting, therefore, that Anne's emblem was a falcon.

In 2019, a white wooden falcon was auctioned off for $101. It was soon discovered, however, that the carved item belonged to Anne herself, having an estimated value of around $270,000. It was later put on display at Hampton Court.

Final Thoughts

Anne Boleyn was beheaded on May 19, 1536, at the Tower of London. She faced her death with dignity and courage and died with one stroke of the sword. Henry never spoke of her again.

Though her reign was short, and though each of Henry's six wives had her distinctive personality, principles and approach to life, Anne Boleyn undoubtedly is the most unforgettable. 

A complex figure who has been both vilified and championed throughout history, even hundreds of years later, Anne's impact and legacy remain untouched.

Sources

- https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/why-did-anne-boleyn-have-to-die/

- https://thehistorypress.co.uk/article/thomas-cromwell-and-the-fall-of-anne-boleyn/

- https://books.google.fr/books?id=mO09DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA159&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

- https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jul/26/humanities.monarchy

- https://www.historicmysteries.com/history/anne-boleyn/20816/

- https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/catherine-howard/#gs.88hsmp

- https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/november-7-queen-catherine-howard-makes-a-confession-to-archbishop-cranmer/

- https://www.luminarium.org/renlit/cranmerking1541.htm

- https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/sixwives/meet/ab_handbook_bg3.html

- https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/03/04/anne-boleyns-falconremoved-after-her-executionreturns-to-hampton-court