Women in History: Anne Boleyn. Love is like death

It all ends in divorces with breaking dishes, sharing slippers and terrible scandals, mutual accusations of spouses in all mortal sins. At the same time, at the conclusion of marriage, they adored each other and were ready to swear that their love was eternal.

So where does she go, this "eternal" love? Why is it not as eternal as we would like? And why does it happen that love does not just leave, but is replaced not only by mutual hostility, but even by hatred?

Sit back and I'll tell you the story of Cinderella. But not about the one where "they lived happily ever after", but a completely, completely different one.

So, there was a Cinderella, and her name was Anna. Anna's mother was the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk, but her father was not particularly noble, so blue blood turned out to be pretty damaged. But not too noble Thomas Boleyn had the stubbornness of a ram, the grip of a bull terrier and the cunning of a fox. He was sufficiently intelligent and was able to make a court career. Children - two daughters, Maria and Anna, and son George - received an excellent education, corresponding to the ambitions of their father.

Twice Anna was going to marry, but both marriages were upset. The first time - because of the unwillingness of the girl, the second marriage did not take place due to the intervention of the king. Yes, yes, the “poor” Cinderella, the daughter of a not too noble father, was noticed by the King of England, Henry VIII Tudor.

A normal Cinderella would be in seventh heaven. But Anna turned out to be an atypical Cinderella and was in no hurry to rejoice. She impudently returned the king's gifts, sometimes she did not answer letters - which was completely unheard of. Actually, it can be understood, because the king was married.

But, as it turned out, not only all ages are submissive to love, but anything in general, especially if the king loves. Unable to get a divorce with the help of the Pope, the king broke off relations with the Roman Church, declared himself the head of the Church of England and the Defender of the Faith, the marriage to Catherine of Aragon, the aunt, by the way, of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, was declared invalid, and the daughter Maria, born in this marriage, is a bastard. And, ignoring the discontent of Charles V, the Pope and all of Europe, Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn in 1533. Cinderella became queen.

True, happiness was short-lived. Already on May 19, 1536, Queen Anne was executed on charges of treason, as well as adultery king. The marriage was declared invalid (the king already knew how to do this), and the daughter of Elizabeth from the heir to the throne turned into a bastard, as before - Mary.

And the question is: why did this happen? Where has the king's love gone? After all, he courted the stubborn beauty for a long time, gave gifts, even wrote poetry. It is said that the famous song "Green Sleeves" was written by Henry VIII for Anne Boleyn precisely during the period of the most ardent courtship. For the sake of marriage with Anna, the king quarreled with all of Europe, broke off relations with the papacy, changed the faith of the entire state, exiled his wife, abandoned his daughter - unheard of acts that led to the execution of the young queen. Why?

But if you figure it out - what exactly did the king love? Anna's inaccessibility? Undoubtedly. Henry VIII was known for his intimate adventures, and this was accepted in those days at many European courts. And the women whom the king endowed with his attention were happy to reciprocate. After all, this is the king! Anna behaved atypically, which attracted the attention of the king. And a momentary flash of desire became a passion, almost an obsession. In the end, who is the king here - Henry or mice ?! The king must always get what he wants!

An important role was played by the absence of a male heir and the inability to give birth to the aging Catherine of Aragon. Henry VIII longed for a son, because he was only the second king of the Tudor dynasty, and in the absence of a son, the dynasty was to wither. Such a thought was unbearable. Henry VIII's father, Henry VII, received the crown on the battlefield, in fact, reclaimed the kingdom. And what about the son? Will he really lose his hard-earned legacy? And just because of the inability of the wife to give birth to a male child! Hugely embarrassing! So the divorce of the king quietly matured even without Anne Boleyn, like an abscess that eventually had to break through.

And here is Anna. The beautiful, educated, inaccessible Anna, who was admired at the court of the French king during her stay there as a lady-in-waiting to Princess Mary Tudor, who also charmed the English court. Anna is a promise of youth, beauty, various pleasures and a desired son. Anna is the embodiment of all the hopes of the king.

It was these promises that the king fell in love with with all the passion of his nature. And what is the result? Instead of a son, a daughter was born, and the queen's subsequent pregnancies ended unsuccessfully. Discontent was growing in the country - people liked Catherine of Aragon, who was “quietly” suffering in exile, well, and marriage to Anne Boleyn was perceived as an insult. Relations with Rome were completely spoiled, a confrontation arose between Catholics and Protestants in a country that was previously of the same faith, and the Pope of Rome strongly set Europe against England and the English king. Charles V threatened war. Solid trouble.

And Anna herself turned out to be by no means perfect wife in the eyes of the king. She dared to arrange scenes of jealousy, actively protested against the new mistresses. But how do you order the king to manage during the pregnancy of his wife, when she is not able to fulfill her conjugal duty? The former queen was silent, but Anna was not going to be silent. In addition, Anna dared to arrange holidays and receptions in the absence of the king. All this was far from the ideal image of a submissive wife, an obedient queen.

And then the charming Jane Seymour loomed on the horizon. Blond and submissive. The ideal of purity and virtue. Promising peace, comfort, the birth of a son.

And passionate love king to Anne Boleyn turned into hatred. Simply because the promises that caused this love were not kept. The king paid so dearly for the opportunity to be with Anna, and received so little in return! No wonder he hated her with the same passion with which he had previously loved.

Henry VIII is not alone in his feelings, in the transitions from love to desperate hatred. This happens everywhere with an enviable, unfortunately, regularity. When entering into marriage, a man and a woman make certain promises to each other, even if they are not voiced. Everyone expects from marriage the fulfillment of some of their hopes. The birth of a child, home comfort, a reliable shoulder, protection and support, washed socks, after all! Promises are not always kept.

The reasons may be different, but if the marriage was concluded precisely for the sake of fulfilling promises, then failure to provide the “goods” according to the list leads to the transformation of love into hatred. After all, love was originally not for a specific person, but for these promises that were not destined to come true. And the one who did not fulfill the promise appears to the second as a kind of monster who deceived in the best feelings and hopes. Deceived hope - what could be worse. And the section of slippers begins, mutual insults and humiliation, non-payment of alimony and other "charms" scandalous divorce. It’s good that it’s impossible, like Henry VIII, to resort to beheading - many would like to.

When entering into marriage, it would be nice to figure out who or what the union is with. With promises to be kept, or with a person? If first of all we are talking about promises, then such a marriage can break up in the most unpleasant way if the promise is not fulfilled. If with a person, then love will not become hatred because of unwashed socks, although in some cases these unfortunate socks can cause a divorce. But disappointment in a person is always less painful than disappointment in hopes.

So it's better to think: who or what do you love? His/her - the one, only, most wonderful person in your life, or your own cosiness, comfort, the promise of even more cosiness and comfort? It's always better to choose a person. Promises are very unreliable. And there is always the danger of repeating the fate of Anne Boleyn.

She died 477 years ago, after all the English nobility watched with interest her ascension to the throne. For her sake, he decided to hint at a divorce from the current Queen of England. Their union was not accepted by the public, but living together was bright, allowing you to experience the whole range of feelings from love to hate ...

She is…

Thanks to the benevolence of Henry VIII to Anna's father, a successful politician and ambitious person, the girl was placed among the ladies-in-waiting of Margaret of Austria, Regent of the Netherlands. She spent her childhood in Belgium, where she was warmly spoken of. Later, Anna and her sister will go to France to become ladies-in-waiting in the retinue of the pious Queen Clodia of Valois. Unlike her sister Mary, Anna did not succumb to the temptations of the French court - she was not attracted to becoming just one of François I's mistresses. The girl had far-reaching plans. When relations between France and England became, to put it mildly, cool, among the ladies-in-waiting English queen Catherine of Aragon appeared and the Boleyn sisters. Anna was of a slight build, with long black hair and dark eyes, plus education, knowledge of languages ​​and talent as a poetess. She also supported the translation of the Bible into English language and patronized the people of art. In addition, it was she who introduced the fashion for the French hood headdress. She was witty, charming and lively. At the French court, she was called the "mirror of fashion." But in England in those days, the generally accepted canons of beauty were completely different parameters.

However, as soon as her engagement to the Earl of Northumberland, Henry Percy, was decided, the King of England intervened...

He…

Together with the crown, after his sickly brother Arthur, Henry received his wife, Catherine of Aragon - in 1505, an agreement was reached between the English and Spanish courts that Catherine would marry younger brother when he is 15 years old. Pope Julius II issued a dispensation - a special permit for the second marriage of Catherine, despite the commandment of the Bible: "If anyone takes his brother's wife, it's vile; he discovered his brother's nakedness, they will be childless ..."

England rejoiced - a sporty, fit, charming, first-class archer inspired hope for a brighter future for his loyal subjects. He was adored by scientists and reformers for his enlightened mind. He was a polyglot (Latin, Spanish, French, Italian!) and played the lute well.

Catherine of Aragon

However, evidence from contemporaries has survived that the education of the king "miraculously" coexisted with despotism and numerous vices. Alas, despite the "family castling", the marriage of Heinrich and Katerina did not bring long-awaited results - Katerina could not conceive, and, consequently, the throne was left without an heir. Until she appeared on the horizon ...

For the first time, Henry VIII saw Anna on March 1, 1522 at the court masquerade "Virtue": the King had a costume of "Sincerity", Anna - "Perseverance". Anna went on the "offensive" immediately after Henry, in conversations with her, began to regret his childless marriage with Katerina. But long time the king did not dare to offer Anna anything higher than the status of "the only mistress." This, of course, did not suit her. For Heinrich, such relationships were new - for the first time in his life, he independently sought an approach to a woman. Anna for some time disappeared from the field of view of the king. And he decided to divorce Katerina - she had long lost her ability to give birth. In addition, Henry found an excellent reason for his unsuccessful marriage: Pope Julius II should not have given the green light to their wedding.

Anna is back. And agreed to belong to Henry body and soul. In addition, Anna's pregnancy became an additional reason for the decisive actions of the English King. The divorce from Katerina dragged on for seven years. January 25, 1533 - before receiving official papers from the Pope - took place secret wedding Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. Anna's coronation took place on May 29 of the same year. It is noteworthy that the bow of the ship on which Boleyn went to the coronation was a dragon spewing flames. Alas, the birth of his wife brought Henry disappointment - a girl, the future Elizabeth I, was born. In addition, he was extremely surprised and annoyed that Anna decided to breastfeed the baby on her own. Perhaps this was the beginning of a split within the family - Anna was capricious and jealous, and she flatly refused to obey her husband (unlike the complaisant Katerina). The old wound, which opened after a fall from a horse during a tournament in 1536, added fuel to the fire. The character of Heinrich was rapidly deteriorating - he was bothered by the claims and jealousy of his wife. In addition, young Jane Seymour appeared on the horizon - she fully met the canons of beauty in England (besides, the people did not like their new queen). Thoughts of divorce began to stir in Henry's head again. And thanks to Prime Minister Thomas Cromwell, Anne was accused of treason. The process has begun.

Anne Boleyn's trial took place in the main hall of the Tower. The king was not present. Anna calmly listened to both the accusation of treason, and witchcraft, and the sentence. As a "privilege", instead of a fire for the execution of the Queen of England, an executioner from France was specially sent out, who executed her on May 19, 1536 by cutting off her head with a sword ... The scaffold was covered with black cloth, and the sword was hidden between the boards. Spectators - about a thousand, only Londoners (no foreigners) - led by the mayor of the city, came to witness the first execution of a queen in the history of England. She, in a gray damask dress trimmed with fur, climbed the first step of the scaffold and addressed the crowd with a speech: “I will die according to the law. I'm not here to blame anyone or talk about what I'm being accused of. But I pray to God that he save the king and his reign, for there has never been a kinder prince, and to me he has always been the most gentle and worthy lord and sovereign. I say goodbye to the world and from the bottom of my heart I ask you to pray for me. Boleyn fell to her knees and repeated: “Jesus, take my soul. O almighty God, grieve for my soul." Her lips were still moving when it was all over. The ladies covered the queen's body with a simple, coarse sheet and carried it to the chapel of St. Peter, bypassing the fresh graves of her "lovers" who had been executed a few days earlier. Then they undressed her and put her in a small, carelessly knocked together coffin, barely placing a severed head there.

Henry, who received the news of the execution, immediately ordered Jane Seymour to be brought to him. Eleven days later, on May 30, 1536, they got married. Jane Seymour died, giving birth to the king's son, for whom he had so many times entered into a deal with the devil.

And in 1558, the unforeseen happened, as often happens in history - fate smiled at Elizabeth, Boleyn's daughter, who looked like her father and who fully inherited from her mother her character and ability to influence people, manipulating their thoughts and feelings. The people called the princess to the throne, and to the cheers of the Londoners and the roar of the artillery of the Tower, Elizabeth occupied the fortress as the Queen of England and remained so for many years.

Ann Bolein. Queen for 1000 days.

10 Interesting facts about Anne Boleyn.

A queen who changed the course of English history, a woman who charmed a king who had been married for nearly 20 years... and dared to set her own rules on religion.

1) Even the century of Anna's birth is not exactly known. Some historians indicate the date 1499, which refers to the 15th century, while others .... tend to believe that it was the period from 1502-1507. (16th century). Anna was born in England (Hiver)
It remains only to guess about the real date of birth of the queen.

2) Anne Boleyn - the woman who changed history whole country. Anna was a staunch Protestant. While, the main part of Europe was ruled by the Roman Catholic Church.

3) Anna was the second and most famous of the wives of Henry VIII
The first meeting between Anna and the English king was a reception in honor of the Spanish ambassadors in 1522. At that time, Anna was about 14 years old.

By this time, the marriage of the king with Catherine of Aragon had already lasted 13 years (since 1509). Mutual claims and fatigue accumulated. Henry VIII constantly accused his wife of being unable to bear him an heir.
The next return of Anna to the court is attributed only to 1525-1526. The king resumed his courtship. But the girl was in no hurry to respond to his attempts at rapprochement. She did not want the fate of her mistress.
And Henry, more and more tormented by the desire to get an heir (by this time he had a daughter, Maria, who later received the nickname bloody), decided to offer Anna not the status of a favorite, but the status of wife and queen.

4) Many women gossiped about an amazing girl who managed to melt the heart of the king, a girl who, without possessing dazzling beauty, knew how to seduce and lead men.
She was even credited with having 6 fingers on her hand and a third breast.

5) The seven-year battle for marriage.
After an official proposal to Anna, Henry needed to get a divorce from Catherine of Aragon. The Catholic Church, led by the Pope, was categorically against this.
Then the king created the Church of England independent of Catholicism.

6) In 1533, Anna delighted the king with the long-awaited news of her pregnancy. And on January 25, 1533... in the strictest secrecy... King Henry VIII of England and Anne Boleyn got married.
But new wife the king was not as accommodating as Catherine. Wayward Anna began to establish her own rules, promoting and introducing Protestantism everywhere.

7) Dreams about the birth of an heir were soon dispelled when Anna gave birth to a girl. The girl was named Elizabeth.
(The age of Elizabeth's reign is called the "golden age of England").
The attitude of the king and Anne Boleyn cooled. Henry VIII began to actively look after one of the ladies-in-waiting, Jane Seymour. Despite this, Anna becomes pregnant a second time. But the situation is aggravated by the fact that the child is born dead.

8) Then the king finally decides to get rid of Anna, accuses her of high treason .. and takes her into custody in the Tower.

9) The show trial of Anna took place on May 19, 1536. Anna was beheaded with a sword. The King considered it a more humane execution...because...an ax would have caused more pain. Yes, and the executioner was discharged specifically from France.
Anna spoke about it like this: "I heard that the executioner is a master, and my neck is thin." Until her last breath, Anna behaved with dignity.

10) Last words Anna before the execution began: “I will die according to the law. I'm not here to blame anyone or talk about what I'm being accused of. But I pray to God that he save the king and his reign, for there has never been a kinder prince, and to me he has always been the most gentle and worthy lord and sovereign. I say goodbye to the world and from the bottom of my heart I ask you to pray for me.
After that, the former queen fell to her knees .. and said: “Jesus, take my soul. Oh, almighty God, mourn for my soul, ”and was beheaded for the amusement of the crowd.

P.S Just 10 days after the execution of Anne Boleyn, Henry marries Jane Seymour.

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Name: Anne Boleyn

Date of Birth: 1501

Age: 35 years

Activity: consort of the King of England

Family status: was married

Anna Boleyn: biography

Queen consort Anne Boleyn was born in 1501 (some sources give 1507). During the marriage with the reigning king of England, the future queen was born -. Through this alliance, Boleyn became a key figure in the beginning of the reform movements in England.

Childhood and youth

Anne Boleyn comes from a noble family. The father of the future queen consort was Sir Thomas Boleyn, who was later given the title of Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond. Anna's mother, Lady Elizabeth Howard, belongs to an old aristocratic family. All his life the Boleyn family was at the English court. So, Thomas regularly traveled abroad with diplomatic missions from King Henry VIII. The ruler appreciated his skills and knowledge of several foreign languages. Mother worked as a maid of honor under Elizabeth of York and Catherine of Aragon.

The Boleyn family had their own estate, which was located in Blickling, Norfolk. In England, the family was among the most respected among the aristocracy. Noble origin in the future was not left unnoticed. Anna grew up with her brothers and sister Maria. The children spent their childhood in Hever Castle, Kent. Interestingly, the future queen consort did not receive primary education in the way that is customary in her estate. My father went to Brussels on a diplomatic mission. A year later, the sisters are invited to the school, which was attended by Margaret of Austria.

Anne Boleyn studied reading, grammar, arithmetic, spelling, family genealogy, household management, foreign languages, needlework, singing, dancing, good manners and music. It was normal for a girl from a noble family to learn the basics of riding, playing chess or cards, archery. Young Anna enchanted Margaret of Austria. The ruler soon invites the girl to the court, 12-year-old Boleyn calls "la petite Boulin" (little Boleyn).

Anne's parents plan to move to Paris, so Anne and Mary end up in the retinue of Princess Mary Tudor. It was planned that the sister of King Henry VIII would marry the French King Louis XII, but due to his advanced age, the ruler dies. The widow Mary Tudor returned to England, and Anne Boleyn continues to live at the court of King Francis I. For 7 years, the girl acted as a maid of honor to the Queen of France, Claude of France. This helped Boleyn complete her education.

Life at court

In 1522, Anna had to return to England because of the growing tension in relations with France. The first appearance at the court of Henry VIII happened in the same year. Spanish ambassadors were received in York. For the sake of this, they organized a unique performance "Chateau Vert" (in the lane "Green Castle"). Anna played the role of Perseverance in this performance. In company with other ladies, including Mary Boleyn, as well as younger sister King Mary, Anna performed an air dance.

Day by day, the popularity of the girl increased. People who met Anna were impressed by her sophistication, pleasant voice, lightness, energy and cheerfulness. The girl liked the attention of the fans, but did not show it. Anna did not want rumors of extramarital affairs around her name, as was the case with Mary. The girl was credited with an affair with King Francis I, some courtiers of the French court. Already in England, Sister Boleyn was the concubine of Henry Tudor.

queen consort

The history of the relationship between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn is like a fascinating love story. For the first time, the king and the future queen consort met at one of the solemn events in 1522. The ruler did not show feelings and emotions until 1526. Henry Tudor was married to Catherine of Aragon for 17 years, but his wife never gave an heir.

From the moment she appeared at the English court, Anna managed to get engaged to Count Henry Percy. The wedding did not take place due to the reluctance of the parents of the lovers. There is an opinion that the king of England had a hand in the cancellation of the marriage: he really liked Anna Boleyn. For several years, the girl lived in the family estate. Only in 1526 did she become maid of honor to Catherine of Aragon and returned to the royal court.

Since that time, Anna Boleyn became the object of Henry's passion, who sent her expensive gifts, Love letters with proposals to become a mistress. The girl was categorical and gave a negative answer. Anna did not want to be a mistress, she wanted to become a wife. Marriage with Catherine of Aragon was bursting at the seams. The king was dissatisfied with the absence of an heir, often cheated on her with favorites. The wife knew about this, but closed her eyes.

The love that flared up for Anna forced Henry VIII to turn to the Vatican with a demand to annul the alliance with Catherine. A special examination was required, since the king insisted on the illegality of marriage due to family ties with his wife. Catherine was categorically against the dissolution of the marriage. She did not like the future in the monastery. This meant that the woman would lose her title and other bonuses, and the daughter of Mary Tudor would become a bastard. Catherine of Aragon persuaded her nephew to take the Pope hostage. Henry VIII had to postpone the issue of divorce.

Perhaps this situation prompted the King of England to break off relations with catholic church. Now the country has ceased to depend on the decisions of the pope. Researchers believe that the literature may have exaggerated the influence of Anne Boleyn on Henry VIII. By 1531, the king resettled Catherine. Instead, Anna appears in the palace. Secretly from everyone, the lovers get married a year later. Soon the couple has a child - daughter Elizabeth. Heinrich was disappointed in what had happened. Only Boleyn's charms helped save the union and protect the child.

The king deprives the titles and privileges of the first daughter. The act of succession states that Mary is an illegitimate child, therefore she has no right to claim the throne. The newly minted Queen Anne Boleyn plunges into the world of luxury. The king refuses nothing to his beloved. For her sake, the staff of servants was increased to 250 people. From the budget of England allocate money for expensive jewelry, new furniture, hats, dresses, even horses. Anna does not delight the English people with extravagance.

Boleyn's life is invaded by politics. The girl helps her husband with state affairs, meets with ambassadors, diplomats. Happiness does not last long: a year after the birth of her daughter, Anna has a miscarriage. This undermined the relationship between the spouses. Heinrich again begins to think about divorce, new favorites.

Boleyn does not intend to hide her emotions. The queen consort actively expresses her indignation. This led to a temporary separation of the spouses. New pregnancy failed - there was a miscarriage. The desire to give birth to an heir does not leave Anna. But the king had already made up his mind. The ruler has a favorite - Jane Seymour. Previously, the girl was the maid of honor of Anne Boleyn.

Personal life

Anna Boleyn attracted the attention of men with her eccentricity, energy. The first admirer of the girl was Henry Percy. The man was the Earl of Northumberland. He was in the service of Cardinal Wolsey. Passion captured the lovers. At some point, young people decide to get married.

He opposed the Wolsey alliance. The cardinal treated the Boleyn family with disdain, and the king spoke out categorically. Percy fought to the last for the happiness of being Anna's husband, but all attempts were in vain. Now Boleyn was already expressing dissatisfaction, whose independence they tried to challenge.

In the biography of Anna, another suitor is indicated - the poet Thomas Wyatt. For a long time, young people enjoyed talking about creativity and other exciting things. Thomas was struck by the sensuality and passion of Boleyn. Wyatt was married at that moment, so Anna did not have any special feelings towards a man in love. The role of mistress was disgusting to the girl.

Death

The inability to give birth to an heir put Anna's life in jeopardy. Accusations of treason, including state ones, rained down on the girl. Crimes were punished severely - the guilty were executed. Among Boleyn's lovers were friends - Henry Norris, William Brerton, Francis Weston, Mark Smeaton, even sibling George. All the interrogated men unanimously repeated that they were trying to slander Anna. But those who wanted to get Boleyn out of the way had a different opinion on this matter.

In 1536, Anna was arrested and taken to the Tower, where the girl spent last days life. On May 12, 1536, four of Boleyn's "lovers" were convicted. Only one of them pleaded guilty. And on May 15, Anna and George appeared before the court. Despite the fact that Boleyn denied all the novels attributed to her, the peers found the girl guilty of incest, infidelity and treason. In accordance with official documents Anna was supposed to burn at the stake, but the ex-queen is sentenced to death by chopping off her head.

An executioner is called from France. May 19, 1536 the girl rises to the scaffold. Anna's mantle with ermine is taken away, the moment of farewell comes. One of the ladies-in-waiting blindfolded Boleyn. The executioner takes the life of Anne Boleyn with a single swing of the sword. An unmarked grave was used for the burial of the ex-wife of the king. Only in 1876 a memorial plaque appeared on the chapel of St. Peter.

ghost story

There are legends that in England you can meet the ghost of Queen Anne Boleyn. Some consider this a unique opportunity to get to know the primeval country. Anna is seen first in one building, then in another - the girl does not have a specific habitat.

During her lifetime, Boleyn was energetic and cheerful. This is called the main reason that even after 5 centuries the queen retains a presence in the lives of the British and tourists. Some managed to capture the ghost of Boleyn in the photo.

Memory

• 1948 - play "A Thousand Days of Anne Boleyn"
• 1995 - opera "Royal Games"
• 2003 - the film "Henry VIII". The role of Anna Boleyn went to.
• 2007 - The Tudors series dedicated to Henry VIII. Anna played.
• 2008 - a new adaptation of the film "The Other Boleyn Girl". Two actresses were invited to the roles of the Boleyn sisters - and.
• 2010 - play "Anna Boleyn".

When I was preparing material on Queen Bess, I came across a picture of her mother taken by the talented photo artist Hiroshi Sujimoto. Of all the portraits of Anne Boleyn, this one seemed to me the most beautiful, in the queen's black eyes I saw her fate.
Here she is sitting, thoughtfully fingering the strings of the mandolin, but her thoughts are not here, not with us - they are turned into Anna's inner world. A dreamy smile, a slight turn of the head - what is the beautiful queen thinking about, what dreams does she see in reality?

Anne Boleyn was not beautiful. In 1532, a year before she became queen, the ambassador of Venice in England wrote: “.. Not the most beautiful woman in the world. Medium build, dark skin, long neck, large mouth, low chest; in general, nothing special - except that she aroused the interest of the king. And eyes - black beautiful eyes ... ".
Strange, but ceremonial portraits, as it were supposed to, do not exist. There are a couple of sketches by Hans Holbein Jr., and for a long time there were disputes - who served as a model for the famous artist.
And now about Anna herself.
Thomas Boleyn, Anne's father, was a noble courtier, while her mother Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, belonged to one of the oldest English families. Anna's childhood passed in the wonderful castle of Hever, Kent.

In 1513, Anna was sent abroad - and she lived in Europe for nine years. First at the Habsburg court in Brabant as a lady-in-waiting to Margaret of Austria. This courtyard was considered the center for the education of future princes and princesses. It was hard to come up with best start to start a court career. Anna easily mastered French, the secrets of the court secular and political life and the art of intrigue. At the same time, her mentor Margarita was known not only as an adept at court games of love, but also strictly guarded the morality of her young ladies-in-waiting. Chastity and inaccessibility are excellent ways for a woman to achieve her goal, much more effective than promiscuity. Anna also learned other lessons from her mentor - kings do not marry for love, and women should not put love for men into their hearts too deeply. It was then that Anna decided that her motto would be "all or nothing" ...
Arriving from "gallant" France, Anna immediately became the most popular young lady at the English court. Not possessing outstanding beauty, she was elegantly and expensively dressed, danced inimitably and was smart, unlike many of her peers.
The marriage to Lord Butler did not take place. Her romance with Lord Henry Percy, the son of the Duke of Northumberland, dates back to the same period, but the hopes of the young couple were not destined to come true, for Anna was noticed by the king himself.

The first meeting between Anna and the king was a reception in honor of the Spanish ambassadors in March 1522. By this time, Henry had accumulated many claims, both to the queen - Catherine of Aragon, and to the favorites - Betsy Blount and Mary Carrie (by the way, Anne Boleyn's sister).

Michiel Sittow. Infanta Catharina of Aragon. 1503.

Courtship of Anne Boleyn, art. Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze

Without waiting for proposals more serious than the status of “the only mistress to whom he will completely give himself into the service,” she disappears for a while, forcing him to experience hitherto unfamiliar feelings of guilt and loss. At this time, the king was already trying to find a way to divorce Katerina, who, having lost her charm and gentle disposition by the age of 40, did not manage to give birth to an heir, and Henry had long ceased to visit her bedroom. Then he came up with an undeniable, from his point of view, argument in favor of divorce - the Pope made an unacceptable mistake by allowing him to marry the widow of his brother Arthur (he died almost immediately after the wedding with Katerina). It is said in the Bible: a man who marries his brother's wife will have no heirs. Katerina bore him a daughter, and she had 6 miscarriages. So now he must marry like the first time, for real.

Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, art. Arthur Hopkins

Henry VIII presents Anne Boleyn to court. (W. Hogwarts).

At the end of 1532, Anna announced that she was pregnant, and on January 25, 1533, the king and Anna were secretly married. And only in May, the archbishop officially announced that the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon was considered invalid.

In vain Cromwell tried to control the situation, stopping all conspiracies and attempts to denigrate the queen. A special decree was even issued commanding all men - regardless of their origin, to take an oath of allegiance to Anna. And those who did not want to obey were poisoned on the chopping block. The situation became especially aggravated after the execution of Thomas More - it was she who allowed innocent blood to be shed only because More refused to appear at her coronation.

Princess Mary at the age of 28, thin. Master John

... The queen's new pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. Anna blamed this on her husband, who dared to sleep with one of her court ladies. Well, Henry continued to wait for the heir, disappointed and amorous, he already turned his attention to Jane Seymour, the former maid of honor of Catherine of Aragon, who only recently, thanks to her influential brothers, had the opportunity to return to court. Boleyn saw with her own eyes how one day this unremarkable person sat on her husband's lap and he played with a necklace around her neck. Then the queen plucked Jane's necklace. Then Heinrich reconciled with his wife and she became pregnant again, inspiring him with one more hope for the appearance of an heir.

Shortly before the queen was allowed to die, the king declared her marriage null and void. Elizabeth became illegitimate. Formally, the announcement was made by Archbishop Cranmer on June 17, the eve of the Queen's execution. It was based on old story with the Earl of Northumberland, as well as the connection of the king with Anna's sister Mary (by law, this also contradicted the marriage of both parties) and, finally, the argument gleaned from the most recent "evidence" - the king's doubt that Elizabeth is his daughter, and not already executed Norris. The royal lawyers have tried to ensure that the king gets what he wanted - now on the way to new marriage and neither Anna, nor her daughter, nor Mary, nor the first wife stood for the appearance of heirs. Heinrich, in case new wife will not give birth to the desired prince, he himself had the right to name his successor in a special decree before his death.

The scaffold was covered with black cloth, and the sword was hidden between the boards. Spectators - about a thousand, only Londoners (no foreigners) - led by the mayor of the city, came to witness the first execution of a queen in the history of England. She, in a gray damask dress trimmed with fur, climbed the first step of the scaffold and addressed the crowd with a speech: “I will die according to the law. I'm not here to blame anyone or talk about what I'm being accused of. But I pray to God that he save the king and his reign, for there has never been a kinder prince, and to me he has always been the most gentle and worthy lord and sovereign. I say goodbye to the world and from the bottom of my heart I ask you to pray for me "...

Anne Boleyn before her execution (J.S. Stewart. Historical Figures).

Having received the news of the execution, the king, impatiently waiting for it, shouted cheerfully: "It's done! Let the dogs out, we'll have fun!" and immediately ordered Jane Seymour to be brought to him. Eleven days later, on May 30, 1536, they got married. Jane Seymour died, giving birth to the king's son, for whom he had so many times entered into a deal with the devil.

Anne Boleyn rests in the Chapel St. Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London.

Well, what else is left to say? In subsequent centuries, artists have repeatedly turned to the image of the ill-fated queen:
Portrait painted already in the 17th century by Franz Pourbus

Unknown artist of the 16th century. Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII of England. french school

Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, fig. O'Neil, 19th century

Music historians believe that the famous "Greensleeves" ("Greensleevs") is a dedication of the king in love to his future wife Anna, set to an old melody. It is not known whether Henry VIII really composed these lines, but they cherish the beautiful legend - and it is generally accepted that the beautiful stranger in a green dress is Lady Anne Boleyn

Alas, my love, you do me wrong...
Greensleeves, now farewell! adieu! - Farewell, Greensleeves!

"My Lady Greensleeves" as depicted in an 1864 painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.

chorus:
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Your vows you "ve broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.

I have been ready at your hand
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good will for to have.

If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.

My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on them;
All this was gallant to be seen,

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
but still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

Well, I will pray to God on high,
that thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still your lover true,
Come once again and love me.