Page 37 - All About History - Issue 52-17

Bo e yn Sisters
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down by the terrifying sweating sickness – a highly infectious The visit was a huge success, with Francis – who was noted
disease that could infect and kill within hours. Both Anne to speak privately with Anne for some time – assuring the
and her father also caught the Sweat in the outbreak that couple of his support. It was around this time that Anne and
summer, with Henry (who kept himself safe from the Henry consummated their marriage for the first time and,
sickness) sending his second best physician to her aid. She by mid-January, Anne was aware that she was pregnant. The
was fortunate, her sister less so. Finding herself financially couple married on 25 January 1533, with only a few guests,
exposed, Mary asked Anne for help, with the younger sister including Anne’s parents, present at the ceremony. Henry had
approaching the king about her “sister’s matter.” still to free himself from his first wife, however.
Anne also attempted to secure the position of abbess of Unsurprisingly, both Anne and her father were anti-papal
Wilton nunnery for Carey’s sister, Eleanor, in opposition to in outlook and interested in religious reform. It was Anne
Margaret of Wolsey’s candidate, although she was forced to concede who brought radical works to the king’s attention and helped
Austria found
Anne to be “so defeat when the cardinal uncovered evidence that the nun to persuade him to adopt a more radical solution. In 1531,
pleasing in her had borne two children by two different priests. It was,
youthful age”
however, a mark of Henry’s deep affection for Anne that, Despite pursuing Anne for
while he could not so “destain mine honour or conscience” years, as soon as they were
by appointing Eleanor, he would also not promote Wolsey’s married, Henry had affairs
own candidate. When the cardinal failed to secure the king’s
divorce in a trial held at Blackfriars in 1529, it was clear
his days were numbered. After being stripped of his lord
chancellorship and surrendering his goods, he was finally
arrested in 1530 by Anne’s ‘ancient suitor’, Henry Percy, dying
before he could reach the Tower of London.
By the early 1530s, Anne Boleyn was queen in all but
name, with Henry finally separating from Katherine in
Henry obsessed the summer of 1531 when he abruptly left her at Windsor
over Anne Castle. In September 1532 the king created Anne Marquess
of Pembroke in her own right. The couple also visited France
that autumn with Anne glittering in Katherine of Aragon’s
jewels, which she had demanded for the occasion. Although
none of the French royal ladies had been prepared to meet
with the English king’s fiancé, the visit was a success, with 37
Anne dancing before Francis in a masquing costume of cloth
of gold and crimson tinsel satin. She took her sister, Mary,
with her too, marking the first time the Boleyn sisters had
been together again in France for around 15 years.
W h e n the c a r d inalfa ile d tose c u r e the kings ’

div o r c e… itw a s cle a r his day s w e r e numbere d

1529 1532 1533 1536
TheBlackfriarstrial VisittoFrance HenryVIIImarriesAnneBoleyn Miscarriageandexecution
Cardinals Wolsey and Campeggio convene Henry VIII and the Boleyn sisters return Henry VIII secretly marries a pregnant The sisters are reconciled before Anne
a legatine trial at Blackfriars to investigate to France. Their meeting with Francis Anne Boleyn in January. He then breaks miscarries a son in January. Determined
Henry’s marriage. When Campeggio is a success and he assures them of his with Rome before annulling his marriage to to end his marriage, Henry has Anne
revokes the case to Rome, Anne and Henry support. Soon afterwards, Anne and Henry Katherine. Anne is crowned and gives birth arrested on trumped-up charges of
turn on Wolsey, bringing about his ruin. consummate their relationship. to Princess Elizabeth. adultery. She is executed on 19 May.

1536 1536 1543 1547
HenrymarriesJaneSeymour ThesecondActofSuccession ThethirdActofSuccession HenryVIIIdies
Henry becomes betrothed to Jane Henry passes the second Act of Succession, Anne’s daughter, Elizabeth, is restored Henry VIII dies on
Seymour the day after Anne’s execution declaring both his daughters illegitimate. to the succession along with her 28 January 1547 and
and marries her shortly afterwards. He Henry is given the power to name his elder half-sister, Mary. She eventually is succeeded by his
marries a further three times after Jane’s own successor, with Henry Fitzroy a likely succeeds to the throne in 1558 and nine-year-old son,
death in childbirth in 1537. candidate. Fitzroy dies soon afterwards. reigns for more than 44 years. Edward VI.

1525 1528 1534 1543
Onerelationshipends, WilliamCareydies Secretmarriage DeathofMaryBoleyn
anotherbegins Mary’s husband, William Carey, dies Mary secretly marries her servant, William Mary dies in obscurity seven years after her
Mary’s relationship with Henry ends around this time, suddenly of the sweating sickness, Stafford. She appears at court visibly sister. She was wealthy, having inherited much
with the king instead looking to Anne Boleyn to become leaving her a widow in her late pregnant and is banished by her furious sister, of the Boleyn fortune from her parents. She
his new mistress. She refuses him and returned to Hever. twenties with two children to raise. who lost her own baby soon afterwards. leaves behind a husband and two children.