Although throughout her reign Queen Elizabeth I never spoke publicly of her mother, the “treasonous” and beheaded second wife of Henry VIII,  upon Elizabeth’s death in 1603, this ring was removed from her finger. Within its secret compartment are two miniature enamel portraits, one of Elizabeth, the other, of a woman many believe to be Anne.

unhistorical:

May 19, 1536: Anne Boleyn is executed.

Between late April and early May, several men - a musician, a courtier, and several other noblemen - were arrested and subsequently accused of committing adultery with Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII. Perhaps the worst accusation of all was of Anne’s brother, George Boleyn, who was accused of incest with his sister. 

On May 6, she wrote a letter to the King in which she pleaded for the accused men’s lives:

My last and only request shall be, that myself may only bear the burden of your Grace’s displeasure, and that it may not touch the innocent souls of those poor gentlemen, who (as I understand) are likewise in strait imprisonment for my sake. If ever I found favour in your sight, if ever the name of Anne Boleyn hath been pleasing in your ears, then let me obtain this request…

Her letter was written to no avail; after a short trial, George Boleyn and at least three other men were executed, two days before Anne herself. Shortly before her execution, Anne made a speech that (supposedly) extolled Henry as  ”a good, a gentle and sovereign lord” and ended with the words “O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul”.

video-et-taceo:

Anne and her brother….were tried on Monday, 15 May, in the King’s Hall in the Tower… Anne was brought in by the constable and lieutenant of the Tower to be tried first, accompanied by Lady Kingston and her aunt, Lady Boleyn.  After formal courtesies on both sides, Anne sat in the chair provided, raised her right hand when called, and pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the indictment.  

The queen was once more in command of herself and clearly aware of the situation.  Her sparing and effective answers quietly dominated the court…

Then the second trial began, as Rochford was brought to the bar of the court.  Again the plea was not guilty, and again a Boleyn used intellect and wit to crumble the royal case to dust.  The performance of Anne and George that day is a clear indication of their calibre and why they had to die; they were certainly not upstarts or pasteboard figures, enjoying favour only because and for as long as Henry lusted after Anne’s body.

Eric Ives, The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn (340-342)

On 19th May 1536, Anne Boleyn, wife of King Henry VIII and Marquess of Pembroke, was executed. She had been accused of adultery, incest and treason. 

“Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul.”

marchionessofpembroke:

“My lords, I will not say your sentence is unjust, nor presume that my reasons can prevail against your convictions. I am willing to believe that you have sufficient reasons for what you have done; but then they must be other than those which have been produced in court, for I am clear of all the offences which you then laid to my charge. I have ever been a faithful wife to the King, though I do not say I have always shown him that humility which his goodness to me, and the honours to which he raised me, merited. I confess I have had jealous fancies and suspicions of him, which I had not discretion enough, and wisdom, to conceal at all times. But God knows, and is my witness, that I have not sinned against him in any other way. Think not I say this in the hope to prolong my life, for He who saveth from death hath taught me how to die, and He will strengthen my faith. Think not, however, that I am so bewildered in my mind as not to lay the honour of my chastity to heart now in mine extremity, when I have maintained it all my life long, much as ever queen did. I know these, my last words, will avail me nothing but for the justification of my chastity and honour. As for my brother and those others who are unjustly condemned, I would willingly suffer many deaths to deliver them, but since I see it so pleases the King, I shall willingly accompany them in death, with this assurance, that I shall lead an endless life with them in peace and joy, where I will pray to God for the King and for you, my lords.”

(Alison Weir quotes Crispin de Milherves’ version of the speech of Anne Boleyn)

fyeah-history:

Anne Boleyn at the Tower of London by Edouard Cibot (1799 - 1877)
Although the evidence against them was unconvincing, the accused were found guilty and condemned to death. George Boleyn and the other accused men were executed on 17 May 1536. Anthony Kingston, the Constable of the Tower, reported Anne seemed very happy and ready to be done with life. Henry commuted Anne’s sentence from burning to beheading, and rather than have a queen beheaded with the common axe, he brought Jean Rombaud, an expert swordsman from Saint-Omer in France, to perform the execution.

thusitakemyleaveoftheworld:

Henry’s reconciliation with Anne Boleyn, by George Cruikshank (1792-1878)

tinywaitress:

The six wives of Henry VIII.

thelifeofanneboleyn:

Here are some verses from it:

Of body small,
Of power regal
She is, and sharp of sight;
Of courage hault,
No manner fault
Is in this falcon white.

And where by wrong
She hath flown long
Uncertain where to [a]light;
Herself repose
Upon the Rose
Now may this falcon white.
Whereon to rest
And build her nest,
God grant her most of might!
That England may
Rejoice alway,
In this same falcon white.

fyeah-history:

Anne Boleyn’s signature

sitinsilenthope:

(maybe written by Anne Boleyn)

Death, rock me asleep,
Bring me to quiet rest,
Let pass my weary guiltless ghost
Out of my careful breast.
Toll on, thou passing bell;
Ring out my doleful knell;
Let thy sound my death tell.
Death doth draw nigh;
There is no remedy.

My pains who can express?
Alas, they are so strong;
My dolour will not suffer strength
My life for to prolong.
Toll on, thou passing bell;
Ring out my doleful knell;
Let thy sound my death tell.
Death doth draw nigh;
There is no remedy.

Alone in prison strong
I wait my destiny.
Woe worth this cruel hap that I
Should taste this misery!
Toll on, thou passing bell;
Ring out my doleful knell;
Let thy sound my death tell.
Death doth draw nigh;
There is no remedy.

Farewell, my pleasures past,
Welcome, my present pain!
I feel my torments so increase
That life cannot remain.
Cease now, thou passing bell;
Rung is my doleful knell;
For the sound my death doth tell.
Death doth draw nigh;
There is no remedy.

April 12,1533: Anne Boleyn is recognized as Queen. - 

historyofeurope:

This is Hever Castle in Kent, England.

It was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, 2nd wife of Henry VIII, but eventually was given to Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII’s 4th wife.

In 1903 it was bought by William Waldorf Astor, an American millionaire, who restored it to use as a family residence.

It is now open to the public.

-boleyns:

Ring owned by Elizabeth I, containing her portrait and her mother’s.