Anne Boleyn. Her name echoes through history, captivating and dividing opinions for over 500 years. Nearly everyone recognises her name and knows her tale – or at least the version history has handed down. But how many can truly answer the question: Who was Anne Boleyn?

Most people might respond by saying she was the second wife of the infamous Tudor King, Henry VIII. While that is true, it barely scratches the surface of her character. Anne Boleyn was arguably one of the most influential figures – male or female – of the 16th century. Reducing her to “Henry’s second wife” overlooks the depth of her impact and her role in shaping English history.

Her story, however, remains inextricably tied to Henry’s. Without their marriage, would Anne have left such an indelible mark on history? Perhaps she would have been remembered as the Countess of Northumberland, married to Henry Percy (had that been a viable option). She would certainly have a less controversial legacy had that been the course of her life. But controversy is, inevitably, what defines much of her legacy. Anne’s tragic end – executed as an anointed queen – was simply unprecedented and cemented her place in history as a symbol of both ambition and injustice.

In many ways, Anne’s memory has been shaped, perhaps even overshadowed, by Henry’s story. He was the one who raised her to power and the one who took it away. We, however, have the power to rewrite the narrative. To look beyond Henry. To look beyond his story. To give Anne a voice of her own. To tell her story.

The beginning of Anne Boleyn’s story, much like the rest of her life, remains a mystery. Most historians agree that she was born in 1501, though some argue for 1507. Personally, I lean towards the 1501 date, which would make Anne 34 or 35 at the time of her execution, depending on the month of her birth. I plan to explore the debate over Anne’s birth year in next week’s blog post – there is simply too much contention to cover here. After all, this post is just an introduction to Anne.

For the sake of argument, I am placing Anne’s birth in 1501 at Blickling Hall, the home of the Boleyns. Her parents, Thomas Boleyn and Elizabeth Howard, were prominent courtiers. Thomas, a skilled diplomat and a favourite of King Henry VIII, held numerous prestigious positions, while Elizabeth served as a lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon. Though the birth order is still widely debated, Anne was likely the middle child of the surviving Boleyn siblings, with her elder sister Mary and younger brother George. It is also accepted that Anne had two older brothers who died in infancy. The Boleyns relocated to Hever Castle in 1505 upon the death of Thomas’s father, William.

Anne was fortunate to receive an exceptional education, starting at the court of Margaret of Austria in Mechelen. Historians agree that Anne travelled to the Archduchess’s court in 1513. However, her time in the Netherlands was brief, as her father arranged for her to join the household of Mary Tudor, King Henry VIII’s sister, in 1514. Anne was reunited with her elder sister, Mary Boleyn, in France, where Mary Tudor had married King Louis XII.

Anne remained in France for the next six or seven years, a period that was instrumental in shaping her character and intellect. She received a formal education, becoming fluent in French and learning the complexities of courtly manners, conversation, and the art of flirtation. Beyond these social skills, Anne was also exposed to reformist ideas during her impressionable teenage years, ideas that would later influence her views and actions as queen.

France, in many ways, moulded Anne into the sophisticated, ambitious, and charismatic woman she would become. While she seemingly adored her time there, her story truly began upon her return to England in the early 1520s. It was there, in Henry VIII’s court, that Anne Boleyn began to carve her mark on history.

It is tempting to leap ahead to Anne’s role as the so-called “homewrecker” who stole Henry VIII from Katherine of Aragon. Tempting, but far from true. Anne’s story at the English court began quietly, as a lady-in-waiting to Katherine herself. Her first recorded appearance was in March 1522, as part of the Shrovetide pageant, the Chateau Vert.

Around this time, Anne may have first encountered Henry Percy, heir to the Earldom of Northumberland. The nature of their relationship remains unclear, but it was significant enough to cause a stir. When word of their potential union reached Cardinal Wolsey, Percy was rebuked for pursuing such a match without the King’s permission, and Anne was dismissed from court. She was likely sent back to Hever Castle, where she stayed until the scandal had subsided.

Though the exact timing of her return to court is uncertain, what is clear is that when she did return, she caught the attention of another Henry – the King.

On the 7th of February, 1526, Henry VIII publicly signalled his interest in Anne Boleyn for the first time. During the Shrovetide jousting tournament, he rode under the motto “Declare I dare not,” hinting at a new object of his courtly affections. At this stage, it is unlikely that Henry saw Anne as a potential wife and queen; rather, he intended to make her his mistress. Anne, however, declined his advances.

Unaccustomed to rejection, Henry persisted, pursuing Anne so relentlessly that she eventually retreated to her family home, Hever Castle. Even there, he could not be dissuaded. Henry sent her numerous letters, often referred to as his “love letters,” one of which explicitly invited her to become his maîtresse-en-titre (his official mistress). While the letters are undated, they are generally believed to have been written between 1527 and 1528.

Like all other offers, Anne refused Henry’s wish to become his official mistress, declaring that her virtue would be reserved for her husband and her husband alone. At the time, she could not have foreseen Henry’s next move: a proposal of marriage.

Anne did not respond immediately, but when she eventually did, she conveyed her answer through a symbolic gift – a jewel depicting a woman aboard a ship, its bow adorned with a diamond. Henry reportedly expressed his gratitude not for the jewel itself, but for the message it carried: Anne had agreed to become his wife.

At this point, you might be thinking, “Wait, wasn’t Henry already married? And wasn’t his wife technically Anne’s boss?” You would be absolutely right. Henry had been married to Katherine of Aragon for 23 years. However, he had grown increasingly frustrated, believing their union could no longer produce a male heir. Katherine had endured multiple pregnancies, resulting in six children, but only one – a daughter, Mary, who would later earn the controversial moniker “Bloody Mary” – survived.

Henry became determined to end his marriage, arguing it was invalid because Katherine had previously been married to his late brother, Arthur – a marriage Henry believed had been consummated, despite Katherine denying it. Claiming this made their union incestuous, Henry sought an annulment. The Pope, however, refused to grant his request.

In a nutshell – because this was supposed to be a brief introduction to Anne’s story and I fear I have rambled on – Henry decided to take matters into his own hands. He broke from Rome, established the Church of England, and named himself Supreme Head of the Church. With the assistance of Thomas Cranmer, the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry declared his marriage to Katherine null and void. He married Anne Boleyn in 1533 and had her coronated that same year.

Of course, this monumental shift did not happen overnight. Nearly seven years passed before Anne Boleyn was finally crowned queen, her journey to the throne marking one of the most tumultuous periods in English history.

Anne Boleyn was famously queen for only 1000 days. While this may sound like a long period of time, when it is compared to the seven years she waited to ascend the throne, three years of power seems rather insignificant. However, Anne achieved remarkable things during her limited time as queen consort.

Her inability to bear a male heir has often overshadowed her legacy, reducing her, as history so often does to women, to her reproductive capabilities. She gave birth to one surviving child, Elizabeth – a daughter who would later become one of England’s most celebrated monarchs. Anne was so much more, however, than a vessel for Henry’s dynastic ambitions.

She was a patron of the arts, with her most notable protégé being Hans Holbein the Younger, who famously sketched her and designed an arch for her coronation. She also demonstrated a deep compassion for the poor, giving alms, sewing smocks and shirts, and providing for widows – acts of charity that rarely receive the recognition they deserve.

Despite her good deeds, Anne was not well-loved by the majority of England. Many viewed her as an adulteress and a homewrecker, an unfair reputation that, sadly, endures even today. Others despised her for her religious reformist views.

As I mentioned, Anne gave birth to only one surviving child; a daughter. The exact number of pregnancies she experienced remains unclear, but she almost certainly had at least one more, which tragically resulted in a stillborn son. Like Katherine of Aragon before her, Anne struggled to give Henry the male heir he so desperately sought, and her time to fulfil this expectation was running out.

Katherine of Aragon passed away at Kimbolton Castle on the 7th of January, 1536, and was laid to rest on the 29th of the same month – the date Anne lost her son. Whether this devasting loss marked the beginning of the end for Anne is uncertain, but it seems likely that Henry’s affections had already begun to drift elsewhere – to Jane Seymour. Was he already considering a permanent place for Jane in his life?

Anne’s true downfall began on the 2nd of May, 1536, when she was arrested and taken to the Tower of London. She was charged with adultery, incest, and plotting to kill the king – a collection of accusations as shocking as they were unfounded. Alongside her, five men were implicated: her brother, George Boleyn, as well as Henry Norris, Francis Weston, William Brereton, and Mark Smeaton. All six were found guilty in trials that were little more than formalities, their fates sealed by the king’s will.

The five men were executed by beheading on Tower Hill on the 17th of May, 1536. Anne followed two days later, on the 19th of May, meeting her end within the walls of the Tower of London by the sword of a French executioner, summoned from Calais to ensure a swift death. She was laid to rest alongside her brother, George, in the Tower’s Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, where their remains still lie.

Anne’s life was rich and multifaceted, but she is often remembered more for the tragic way it ended, with the years in between largely overshadowed. This post has barely scratched the surface of her story, and I look forward to diving deeper into her life in future posts. Next week, I will be exploring the debated years of Anne Boleyn’s birth, so please stay tuned!

All images in this post were taken by me.