Page 44 - All About History - Issue 72-18

Etiquette

This
enchanting
portrait by
Jan Gossaert
depicts an
unknown
young girl,
possibly
Princess
Dorothea of
Denmark,
playing with an
astronomical
instrument

GUARDIAN:

educationofbothherowndaughterSuzanne Guardians are requested to sign and return this report
de Bourbon and the numerous well-born young
women who entered her care.
As Suzanne was Anne’s only surviving child
and heiress to the enormous wealth and estates
that belonged to her parents, it was only natural
that the greatest care and attention should be
paid to her upbringing, which was designed
to prepare her for her future position as one
of the greatest ladies in France. To this end,
her mother put together a strict educational
regime that was designed to make Suzanne as
accomplished, cultivated and socially polished
as possible with a great deal of emphasis on
reading, which included delving into books
about humanism, philosophy and religion, in
order to broaden her mind as well as all the
usual courtly pursuits such as dancing, music
and hunting. Anne was also keen that her
daughter and other pupils should learn other
languages including, unusual for girls at this
time, Greek and Latin.
Anne was so pleased with the results of her
labours that she even wrote a lengthy book
detailing her thoughts and advice about the
education of young noblewomen, which was
naturally a great hit with ambitious parents all
across Europe. Entitled Lessons for my Daughter,
the book is a treasure trove of information and
includes advice such as “always dress well,
When Anne Boleyn, fresh from
be cool and poised, with modest eyes, softly several years at the French court,
spoken, always constant and steadfast, and Anne de Beaujeu, Duchesse de Bourbon, was the caught Henry VIII’s eye it was
observe unyielding good sense”, “always keep daughter and sister of kings and one of the most probably due to her polished French
influential educators of the period manners, sense of style and vivacity
a balanced view of everything” and, rather

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