Tragic Facts About Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's Doomed Queen

Anne Boleyn’s True, Tragic Story
HOME
EDITORIAL
LISTS
PEOPLE
ADVENTURERS
ACTORS & ACTRESSES
ARTISTS & WRITERS
MUSICIANS
ROYALTY
SCANDAL-MAKERS
SCIENTISTS & SCHOLARS
PLACES
CASTLES
CITIES & COUNTRIES
HAUNTED PLACES
THE ANCIENT WORLD
NATURE
THINGS
ENTERTAINMENT
MYSTERIES
HIDDEN HISTORIES
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
QUIZ
NEWSLETTER
VIDEO
ABOUT
✕
ADVERTISE
PARTNER
FAQ
CAREERS
PRIVACY
TERMS OF USE
CONTRIBUTE
ABOUT
HOME
EDITORIAL
LISTS
PEOPLE
ADVENTURERS
ACTORS & ACTRESSES
ARTISTS & WRITERS
MUSICIANS
ROYALTY
SCANDAL-MAKERS
SCIENTISTS & SCHOLARS
PLACES
CASTLES
CITIES & COUNTRIES
HAUNTED PLACES
THE ANCIENT WORLD
NATURE
THINGS
ENTERTAINMENT
MYSTERIES
HIDDEN HISTORIES
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
LGBTQ
QUIZ
NEWSLETTER
VIDEO
ABOUT
Tragic Facts About Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII's Doomed Queen
Jun 3
PEOPLE
Rachel Seigel
Anne Boleyn is one of the most infamous and tragic queens in history —and for good reason. Her courtship of King Henry VIII turned into the scandal of the century, with English law changing literally under her well-shod feet. But once Anne actually succeeded in becoming consort, her naughty fairy tale transformed into a vicious nightmare. One she would never make out alive.
Anne Boleyn Facts
1. She Came From A Powerful Family
In many ways, Anne Boleyn was born to be great. Her father Thomas Boleyn was a court favorite of the old King Henry VII, and the Boleyns were one of Britain's top families at the time. Indeed, her father was constantly going on diplomatic missions all around Europe as she grew up— and this led Anne to one big date with destiny.
Wikimedia Commons
Advertisement
2. She Had A Cunning Mentor
When Anne was just 12 years old, her father's power paid off in a big way. Margaret of Austria, the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor, did the Boleyns a solid and invited Anne to join her in her court. She wasn't disappointed: Margaret was soon affectionately calling Anne her "little Boleyn" and taking her everywhere. It was a big step up for the girl, but her  next step brought her right next to Henry VIII.
Wikimedia Commons
Advertisement
3. She Was Friends With Henry VIII's Sister
In 1513, Anne took up a position as maid of honor to Queen Mary of France .  This was crucial for one simple reason.  Queen Mary was none other than Henry VIII's sister, and Anne was moving closer and closer to his inner circle. With Mary's help, Anne stayed in France for nearly seven years, soaking in its cosmopolitan culture and turning herself into a refined young woman.
When she emerged and   returned to England, courtiers couldn't believe their eyes.
Wikimedia Commons
Advertisement
4.  She Had A Je Ne Sais Quois
French culture at the time was so liberal it was almost scandalous, and Anne Boleyn had certainly taken notes. The English were agog at how exotic and seductive the young woman had become, praising the way she moved right down to the way she dressed. In particular, Anne favored the sleeker "French hood" as a head covering instead of the more matronly English "gable" hoods. But that was far from all.
Getty Images
Advertisement
5. She Was A Coquette
The coquettish Anne had spent her time in France studying languages, dancing, and literature, but she had one particularly scandalous skill. The French were masters of "courtly love"—elaborate and flirtatious games designed to both keep men at arm's length and get them all hot and bothered underneath their britches. And Anne? Was a champion  at this. Even so, she had other ways of getting what she wanted.
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), Focus Features
Advertisement
6. She Was More Than A Pretty Face
According to almost everyone who met her, Anne Boleyn was excruciatingly attractive. Slim and dark with long black hair and brown eyes, men thought she was utterly captivating—but not just for her looks alone. Her friends knew her as a lively, quick-witted, and charming girl who was often the smartest person in the room. Yet underneath that perfect facade, Boleyn was hiding something.
The Other Boleyn Girl, Focus Features
Advertisement
7. She Was A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing
For all that she was vivacious and magnetic, Boleyn hid a little-known dark side . Beneath her jovial attitude, she was moody, sharp-tongued, and extremely quick to anger when she didn't get what she wanted. At one point during an argument with her uncle, she reportedly spoke to him with words that "shouldn't be used to a dog." Ouch.
Soon enough, this temper got her into deep trouble with Henry VIII. But for now, she was getting into an entirely different kind of mess.
The Other Boleyn Girl, Focus Features
Advertisement
8. Her Father Tried To Force Her Into Marriage
Anne's road to King Henry VIII was dangerous, and her first snag was a major one: She was supposed to marry someone else. As soon as she'd gotten back to England from France, her father began angling for her to marry her much-older cousin, James Butler. It would have been a strictly political union, and quite likely utterly loveless.
Thankfully for Anne, then, negotiations halted before she became a kissing cousin. But much more scandalous opportunities were arising.
Wikimedia Commons
Advertisement
9. She Had A Sibling Rivalry
While Anne was off trying to resist her cousin's advances, her older sister Mary Boleyn was making  quite a splash in King Henry's court —and proving herself to be quite the rival to Anne's beauty. Case in point:  Although Henry was currently married  to Catherine of Aragon , he quickly took Anne's sister on as his mistress. Um, ew. B ut it gets even grosser.
The Other Boleyn Girl, Focus Features
Advertisement
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
SUBSCRIBE
Thank you!
Error, please try again.
10. Her Mother May Have Been Her Competition
There were persistent rumors at the time that Henry had bedded not just Mary, but also the Boleyn matriarch, Lady Elizabeth Howard. When accused of this one, Henry protested, "Never with the mother," which still pretty much confirms his penchant for the Boleyn girls.  Whatever the truth, Anne took one look at her sister's antics and decided she wanted to go to court, too. Only, it didn't go the way you think it would.
The Tudors (2007–2010), Showtime Networks
Advertisement
11. She Had A Seductive Talent
When Anne got to Henry's court, she brought a secret weapon with her: Her incredible dancing ability. Indeed, she became famous for her dancing, and no courtier seemed to be able to look away. "Here," one of her admirers wrote jubilantly, "was [a] fresh young damsel, that could trip and go." As it happened, this is exactly how she caught Henry's attention.
Getty Images
Advertisement
12. She Got A Notorious "Staircase Moment"
Anne used Mary's high place in the king's bedroom to her full advantage. Soon, s he made a jaw-dropping debut.  On March 4, 1522, she danced with her sister at a public fete at the royal palace. During the performance, Boleyn vibrated with magnetic new-girl energy, and we still have records of how resplendent she looked in a white and gold gown. Except this attracted the wrong kind of attention.
Getty Images
Advertisement
13. She Snubbed The King
The beautiful Anne got scads of male admirers after her legendary dance, King Henry included. After all, the king's fling with Mary Boleyn was winding down, and he had a taste for the fresh meat coming from his favorite family. Which is when  Anne dealt the king a legendary snub.  She  didn't go after him. Oh no, she had a much different suitor in mind.
The Other Boleyn Girl, Focus Features
Advertisement
14. She Had A Secret Lover
At the time, Anne much preferred one of her other suitors at court, the dashing Henry Percy, who was the heir to the Earl of  Northumberland. Boleyn poured all of her energy into capturing  Percy's heart, not the king's, and the pair had an intense romance together over the next days and weeks.  In fact, Anne was so in love with Percy, she made a drastic decision.
The Other Boleyn Girl, Focus Features
Adv…

Text scraped from the landing page for research purposes. © respective owners. This text is sourced from the advertiser's public landing page; for removal, contact dmca@luba.media.