Lecture Notes: Anne Boleyn

Introduction

• Anne Boleyn was the Queen of England from 1533 until 1536.
• She was the second wife of King Henry VIII.
• Her marriage and execution were key events in the political and religious upheaval that marked the beginning of the English Reformation.

Early Life and Education

• Born around 1501/1507 at Blickling Hall, Norfolk.
• Daughter of Thomas Boleyn, a respected diplomat and later Earl of Wiltshire, and Lady Elizabeth Howard.
• Educated in the Netherlands and France, served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Claude of France.
• Returned to England in 1522, initially intended to marry her Irish cousin, James Butler.

Rise to Power

• Became lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first wife.
• Henry VIII fell in love with Anne, but she resisted becoming his mistress.
• Anne's ambition was to marry Henry, leading to the annulment of his marriage to Catherine.
• The Pope’s refusal to annul Henry’s marriage led to the English church breaking away from Rome.

Marriage to Henry VIII

• Anne and Henry VIII married on January 25, 1533.
• Archbishop Thomas Cranmer declared Henry’s previous marriage void and the marriage to Anne valid.
• The marriage led to Henry’s excommunication and the Church of England’s independence from Rome.

Queenship

• Crowned Queen of England on June 1, 1533, at Westminster Abbey.
• Anne had a daughter, Elizabeth I, born September 7, 1533.
• Played a significant role in England’s international relations and religious reforms.

Downfall and Execution

• Accused of treason and arrested on May 2, 1536.
• Alleged crimes included adultery with five men, including her brother.
• Executed by decapitation on May 19, 1536.
• Public opinion shifted in her favor after her execution.

Legacy

• Anne’s daughter, Elizabeth I, became one of England’s most beloved monarchs.
• Her religious beliefs and support for the Protestant Reformation played a role in England’s religious transformation.

Additional Family Information

• With Henry VIII, had one surviving child - Elizabeth I.
• Suffered several miscarriages.

Key Points

• Anne Boleyn’s life and death were pivotal in the English Reformation.
• Her marriage to Henry VIII changed the religious landscape of England.
• Anne is remembered both for her tragic end and as the mother of Elizabeth I.