Anne Boleyn: The Life and Death of the Second Wife of King Henry VIII of England
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Ambitious, strong, proud, sometimes scandalous, Ann Bolein he was a character who forever left a mark on the history of England. Famous for loving Henry VIIIking of England, but also because he was one of the main characters of the Anglican schism, which gave way to the spread of Protestantism.
Anna Bolena, the origins of the myth
Anne Boleyn was born around 1501 in Kent and is the daughter of Thomas Boleyn and Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Tommaso Howard, coming from one of the most powerful families in England. Dear diplomat, Thomas Boleyn is one of the favorites of King Henry VIII of England, it is thanks to the influence of his father that Anna will become the maid of honor of Margaret of Habsburg, daughter of Maxim, Emperor of the Netherlands. At court, Anna, smart and intelligent, received a high-level education available to few women at that time.
When Mary, sister of King Henry VIII, moves in France for a weddingAnna follows her, becoming her bridesmaid. Later, he will also join Queen Claudia, wife of King Francis I. At the French court, young Anna improves her knowledge by studying the French language, art, music, poetry, literature and theology. Become a dance master and learn the secrets of courtly love and etiquette. When she was only twenty, Anna returned to England and met the king during a masquerade ball. Shortly thereafter, she would become the maid of Catherine of Aragon, the queen’s consort.
The love of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII
Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII were in love at first sight. The king immediately fell in love with her, immediately proving that he was ready for anything, even for her to be next to him. Driven by ambition and strong in her cunning, Anna never agreed to become the mistress of the king, who ended up secretly marrying her. Her pregnancy changed the history of England forever, leading to the Anglican schism and the exile of Queen Catherine of Aragon. with daughter Mary. After the wedding, Anna was crowned queen, and on September 7, 1533, she gave birth to her first child, Elizabeth. A happy moment for Bolena, who, however, from that moment begins to oppose subjects An Englishwoman convinced that she only wants power and that it was she who usurped the throne of the real queen.
Anne Boleyn’s pregnancy
Elizabeth’s birth is challenging shadow due to Enricoeager to have a male heir. Anna Bolena tries to overcome her disappointment by devoting herself to her court, which during this period becomes as majestic and luxurious as ever. The new queen spends large sums on jewellery, decor, furniture, expensive clothes and hats. However, this is not enough to allay his worries. After the birth of Elizabeth, relations with the king become unstable and stormy. Between them there are happy and passionate moments, alternating with strong tension and quarrels. A situation that little by little forces Enrico to distance himself from Anna, irritated by her difficult nature.
At the end of 1535, Anne Boleyn discovers that she is pregnant again. This is his last attempt to bind Enrico to himself, believing that if he gives him a male heir, he will be protected from any danger. However, things do not go as she planned, and a few months after the announcement of the pregnancy, Anna miscarriage. This news infuriates the king, who from that point on begins to distance himself from her, planning to get rid of her.
The tragic death of Anne Boleyn
Shortly thereafter, Anne Boleyn is accused of treason, adultery and witchcraft. The woman is arrested and sent to the Tower of London, where she awaits execution. Before Anna, Henry had executed all of the Queen’s alleged lovers, including his brother, who was accused of having an incestuous relationship with her. How was Anne Boleyn’s trial and death sentence organized? If in the past historians were convinced that the responsibility lay with Thomas Cromwell, adviser to the king, the new documents seem to speak of a different reality. In fact, it was the king who orchestrated the end of the woman he was madly in love with in the past.
Indeed, Henry VIII’s instructions as to what weapon would be used to execute Anne Boleyn were found in numerous letters, and the Queen’s executioner, a French swordsman, was called before the end of the trial. A sign that the end of Anna has already been written. On the day of her execution, Anne Boleyn is escorted to the gallows by her lady. She wears a crimson petticoat, a fur-trimmed damask robe, and a soft ermine cloak. He will die from decapitation, but his figure will leave an indelible mark on history. Through the ages, her figure would inspire cultural and artistic works, and her daughter Elizabeth would become a legendary queen, making England major world power.
No wonder his story has been told in films, books, TV series, documentaries, plays and musicals. The events of the Tudors and the tragic fate of Anne Boleyn inspired novels and iconic films such as 2008’s The King’s Other Woman, starring Natalie Portman as Anne and Scarlett Johansson as her sister Mary.
End of Mary Boleyn
The figure of Anne Boleyn is often associated with the figure of Anne Boleyn. sister Mary. Sent to France at the age of 15 as a lady of Mary Tudor, she became the mistress of Francis I. Returning to England, she was chosen as a lady by Catherine of Aragon and immediately attracted the attention of the king, who made her his mistress. A relationship that will not last long, because soon Enrico will leave Maria to fall in love with her sister Anna.
She got pregnant with two children removed from court. An exile that would last eight years until she was widowed in 1534. Back in London, she creates a row by secretly marrying a soldier, but is again removed from Anne for fear that her behavior might jeopardize her relationship with Henry VIII.
His fate after the death of the other brothers has not been clarified. According to some reports, he would have lived the last years of his life.
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