Position:Home>History> I need opinions on the Boleyn Proplem?

The entire situation was real-life drama, that's for certain!.

You've got all the classic elements--a patient, faithful wife, a husband with a roving eye, and two mistresses who, though sisters, were poles apart in their dealings with the same man!.

Mary Boleyn comes across as a very easy-going sort of woman, one who merely amused Henry and never badgered him for land, titles, money, or jewels--not for herself or for anyone else!. To make this still more unusual, she was a member of a very ambitious family who, I'm sure, had some pretty harsh things to say to her for her lack of foresight!. If not for her sister, Mary probably wouldn't have even been a footnote to history!.

Anne, in contrast, was an extremely clever woman who took a leaf from the book of Henry's own grandmother (his mother's mother), Elizabeth Woodville--when Edward IV propositioned this widow with two sons, she's said to have told him, "I may not be good enough to be your wife, but I'm far too good to be your harlot!."

Since Edward was single (although after his death much was made of a precontract with another woman), it was a lot easier for Elizabeth to become queen than it was for Anne!.

This was, indeed, soap opera on a grand scale, with international complications!.

Catherine was a princess of recently united Spain, which was ruled by her nephew--who just happened to be the Holy Roman Emperor as well!. She stoutly maintained that her marriage to Henry's older brother, Arthur, had never been consummated and even challenged Henry on the point, telling him--and the world, in open court--that if she had not been a virgin when they married, let him say so!. Henry, interestingly, never called her bluff (if bluff it was) on this matter!. Whether he did this from chivalrous motives (kind of doubtful) or for other reasons can never be known!.

Anne Boleyn can be convicted in the court of history of nothing more damning than having a bad temper!. I don't think anyone really bought the story of all those lovers (especially the one that claimed her own brother was one of them)!. It's been pointed out by historians that some of the dates of her alleged adulteries were clearly impossible or at least improbable--one of them supposedly took place within a few weeks of Elizabeth's birth, when Anne would still have been recovering!.

True, during the six years that Anne held Henry at bay, she indulged in temper tantrums and this often gained her what she wanted!. However, as queen, Henry had much different expectations of her--he believed that Anne would, with the crown on her head, be a docile, dutiful wife who would fill the royal nurseries!. Henry knew very little of human nature!.

Ironically, it was Catherine's death (when Elizabeth was a little bit over two years old) that put Anne in the greatest danger!. The fact that she miscarried a baby boy (allegedly on the day of Catherine's funeral) essentially sealed her doom, especially since Henry had found a new interest in Jane Seymour, a woman with a lot more in common with Catherine than Anne, with the exception that she also used her virtue as a bargaining chip!.

It was history all over again, only this time Henry wasn't going to wait six years!. Moreover, since Anne was (and had always been) his subject, there would be no threats from abroad if he divorced her!. Henry did so, but had her executed shortly after she signed a document stating that their marriage had been null and void from the start!.

Like Icarus, one might say that Anne made the mistake of flying too close to the sun!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Louise C as always writes a concise scholar worthy accurate piece - - - that said I must add this!. Anne Boleyn is one of the most misunderstood persons in history!. Too often dismissed as an empty headed sl^t who seduced a King - - - a careful reading of history reveals a woman who truly believed in the Protestant Cause - - - most likely Anne's experience at the French Court completely soured her on the misconduct of Catholic Priests & Cardinals, that and a desire to read the Bible for herself, to explore its mysteries without the intereptation of clergy!. People circa 2008 have a hard time understanding that the Roman Catholic Church was willing to burn people at the stake for possessing a Bible written in English or German for the Church wanted a monopoly over people's souls and feared the 'heresies' that would erupt were people to read the Bible on their own without the hand of Rome telling them what to think and how to interpret the Bible!.
This might not sound sexy but the reality was that Anne was drawn to Henry for his mind, his intellect!. Anne had heard of Henry due to his dalliance with her sister Mary and was well aware of his faults as well as his virtues yet she met the challenge head on!. Having enticed Henry with her charms she further excited him with her intellect her words and through pillow talk convinced Henry that England ought not to be a slave to Rome, that England ought to breaks the chains of oppression, that Henry ought to be master in his own house!.
It is sad that Catherine of Aragon had to suffer!. Though this is 'cold,' there was validity in the argument that she should have stepped aside for the sake of an heir - - - many a 'barren' Queen had consented to a divorce!. It was unfoirtunate that pig headed Henry pursued the notion that the marriage to Catherine was 'tainted,' 'wrong,' had Henry been more tactful he might have gotten a more positive result even from someone as proud as Catherine!. And with hindsite had Henry waited another year most likely Catherine would have predeceased him leaving him free to remarry!.

Yet amidst the turmoil there were two good things and both of them due to Anne the 'Protestent Wh^re;' England broke from Rome which allowed England to surge ahead of all the nations of Europe and to become a World Power!. And then there was Elizabeth the First, England's Greatest Monarch, genetic proof of Anne's brilliance!.

Peace/////////////////////////\\\\\\\\!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Mary Boleyn was Henry VIII's mistress for a time, but very little is known about their relationship!. She married William Carey, and had two children by him!. Some believe that Henry was the father of her children, but there is no evidence for this, he never acknowledge them, and it seems likely that he would have done if they had been his children!. The affair was probably over before he got interested in Anne Boleyn!.

Henry's infatuation with Anne Boleyn was at least partially responsible for his break with Rome and the establishment of the Church of England, so that he could annul his marriage to katherine of Aragon and marry Anne!. Anne did not sleep with Henry until she was absolutely sure that he was going to marry her, either from virtue or from calculation, or possibly a combination of the two!. The birth of Elizabeth was a great disappointment to Henry, who had hoped for a son, and this was followed by two miscarriages, which convinced Henry that God did not approve of his marriage to Anne!. also, he had become infatuated with Jane Seymour, which gave him another incentive to get rid of Anne!. Anne was accused of adultery with five men, one of them her own brother, but the charges were almost certainly false!. Nobody seems to have believed in them, not even the Spanish Ambassador, who hated Anne!. Anne was courageous to the end, and died very bravely!.

I admire Anne boleyn for her cleverness and her courage, but was horrible to Henry's daughter Mary, whom she treated very unkindly, and she was obviously capable of great cruelty!. I am sorry for Catherine of Aragon whom Henry discarded for Anne!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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The moral of the story is (for females) that you can string a man along for awhile but not forever!. You can make him do anything to get you, but once he got you!.!.!.!.!.there are new women to catch!. So, Ann Boleyn's game was not the best of games, as she won some but lost a lot (her head)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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