It was 1526 . England ’s KingHenry VIIIwas the midst of his first marriage toCatherine of Aragon , when he first take in sight of Anne Boleyn . At the time , Anne was maid - of - honor to Catherine and survive in Henry ’s court . Love — or something like it — immediately ensue .
Henry already had had several mistresses ( including Anne ’s sister Mary ) in his quest to have the son and heir that Catherine had been unable to give him . He was infatuated with Anne and wished to kip down her too . But Anne did n’t want to be a mere mistress — she wanted to become queen . So , she turn down Henry ’s repeated requests , which made Henry all the more obsessed with her . But how was he to de jure divorce Catherine ?
In the sixteenth 100 , England was part of the Roman Catholic Church , which forbadedivorce . So Henry postulate Pope Clement VII to countermand his marriage . The reason ? Catherinepreviously had been wedto Henry ’s brother , Arthur , who died shortly after the nuptials . According to a biblical passage in Leviticus , Henry say , he was disallow from marrying his chum ’s married woman . Thus , his marriage ceremony to Catherine was invalid . But the pope dissent and reject to deed over an abrogation .
With no effectual way out of his union , Henry conspired with his principal minister , Thomas Cromwell , who advise him to exclaim himself head of his own Christian church and grant himself an invalidation .
Although Anne refused Henry ’s advances for years while he ferment to disassociate Catherine , she began to worry that he was losing involvement in her . So late in 1532 , Anne sleep with him — and became significant . The distich hastily wed in a confidential ceremony in January 1533 after which the unexampled archbishop of Canterbury annulled Henry ’s marriage to Catherine . The pope excommunicate Henry and British Parliamentpassed a lawdeclaring that the power of the Catholic church service was in effect channelise to the king of England . Annewas crowned queenin June 1533 , a simple nine twenty-four hour period after he divorced Catherine of Aragon .
After the Wedding
Yet , despite all this maneuvering , and the duad ’s six - year - retentive courting , things quickly ravel out once the two we d. Anne gave nativity to one daughter , Elizabeth , then hadat least two miscarriages . Henry find fault his wife for not giving him the all - important son .
Anne was an experient courtier who had served in the French lawcourt in her teens , where she watch French and contemplate artistic production , manner , lit and religious philosophy . Yet despite this background , she was not well - liked when she subsequently do in the English court of Henry VIII . People deemed her difficult and haughty . This dislike intensify when she marry Henry , as Catherine of Aragon was a democratic fag . Thus , onceHenry ’s mania for her eventually waned , she had little support .
Also , while Catherine was able to discount Henry ’s adulterous relationships , Anne was not . In fact , she was furious with Henry ’s philandering and often interrogate where he ’d been , and with whom . To make matters worse , two of Anne ’s housemaid - of - honor , Jane Seymour and Madge Shelton , were mistresses of Henry VIII , as he began to look elsewhere for a son and heir .
Just three years after they were splice , Anne was arrested , and criminate of adultery , incest and conspiracy by Thomas Cromwell , charge most historians conceive are false . But the charges were carry on and Anne was found shamefaced and sentenced to death on May 19 , 1536 . That same sidereal day , Anne was decollate by a Gallic swordsman at the Tower Green in London , then buried in an unmarked tomb . Her accused " lover " were also decapitate . A few days later , Henry wed Jane Seymour , the third of his eventual six wives .
The Legacy of Anne Boleyn
Anne may have been snuffed out after just three class as queen , but her daughter , Elizabeth I , claim sweet revenge with a prolonged sovereignty . After Henry ’s decease in 1547 , his Word with Jane Seymour , Prince Edward , took the can . When Edward VI break down in 1553 at age 16 , the pennant extend to Lady Jane Grey , a first cousin .
Nine days later on , she was depone and Queen Mary snap up the crown . Mary was Henry ’s daughter with Catherine of Aragon and half - sister to Edward VI . Mary ruled for five troubled class until her last from possibly ovarian Crab in 1558 . Boleyn ’s girl became Queen Elizabeth I ; she predominate for 44 mostly peaceful years and was the last House of Tudor monarch butterfly .
For centuries , Anne was mainly run across as a plotter and jade . But newer historian want to revise that image . Just two month before her execution , Anne was call for in helping to go the Poor Law , which advocated for local governments to find jobs for the unemployed . The law was originally attributed to Thomas Cromwell , but Boleyn ’s contribution was recognized by the British Parliament in 2019,reported Time .
