Execution of Anne Boleyn. Women in history: Anne Boleyn Illegitimate but beloved wife

King Henry had favorites. As a rule, he took on new lovers during his wife’s pregnancy. For Catherine of Aragon this was not news, and she turned a blind eye to such pranks of her husband. One of these favorites was the sister of the future queen, Mary Boleyn. Anna and Maria came from an old family, their family occupied a high position in the circles of the English aristocracy. Both girls were raised at the court of Queen Claude of France. There they studied language, dance, etiquette, singing, literature, music, religion and philosophy. Maria left the French court before Anna, most likely due to a sex scandal. Anna had to return to England in 1522 after relations between the two powers cooled. Henry's first meeting with her occurred, presumably, at the same time.

Anne Boleyn: the Queen's new lady-in-waiting

Returning to England, Anna was presented to the court, where she had big success. She was well educated, attractive, and knew how to carry on a conversation. Not much is known for certain about Boleyn’s personality; the characteristics that were awarded to her in books and films are mostly speculation. The queen's appearance is also described very differently. Thus, Catholic propagandist Nicholas Sanders claimed that Anna had 6 fingers on one hand, as well as a huge wart on her neck. It is not surprising that such a demonic appearance is contained in the description of an ardent Catholic preacher. In other sources there are much more prosaic notes. Anna was of average height, fragile build, with dark hair, olive skin and deep brown, almost black, eyes. She looked more French than English, with her milky skin and blue eyes.

At the English court, Count Henry Percy courted Anna; the lovers wanted to get married, but the engagement was terminated by their parents, perhaps not without the participation of the king himself. Anna was sent to the family estate. She returned back to the court only in 1526 as a maid of honor to Catherine of Aragon.

It is not known exactly how and when Henry became interested in Anna; most likely, he paid attention to her during one of the court holidays. The king showed Anna signs of attention, sending expensive gifts and love letters in which he openly offered to become his mistress, but was refused. One day the king sent as a gift a gold pendant in the shape of a whistle and a touching note: “If you whistle, I will come running.” Anna gently rejected advances and teased Henry: she only wanted to be a wife, but not a mistress.

Henry and Catherine of Aragon: divorce

The same pendant in the shape of a whistle. (wikipedia.org)

Henry had long been looking for a reason to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and take a new wife, who, he hoped, would bring him an heir. Having received Anna's consent, the king decided to turn to the Vatican with a request to annul his union with Catherine. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was entrusted with this issue. As the main argument, the cardinal was going to use the fact that the king and Catherine, who was the wife of the sovereign’s late brother, were considered relatives, and therefore Pope Julius II did not have to give consent to this union. In May 1527, the first court hearing took place, which did not bring the desired results: the jury demanded a theological examination, which was supposed to confirm or refute the legality of the marriage.

Meanwhile, Catherine herself did not even want to hear about the annulment of the marriage, or about voluntarily going to a monastery. In this case, in addition to the loss of the title and all bonuses due, her own daughter- Mary Tudor - would have lost the right to claim the throne and would have been declared a bastard. Catherine's nephew, Charles V, takes Pope Clement VII prisoner, and therefore the issue of Henry's divorce is postponed indefinitely. However, the pope, one way or another, refused the king of England.

It is believed that it was Anne Boleyn who pushed Henry to break off relations with the Catholic Church and make England independent of the power of the pope. Most likely, her influence on the king is somewhat exaggerated: Henry himself was not satisfied with the position of a vassal of the Vatican. However, now he had one more good reason- long-awaited marriage with Boleyn. His new adviser, Thomas Cromwell, a supporter of the Reformation, also pushed the king to take this decisive step.

Portrait of Henry and Anna. (wikipedia.org)

In 1531, Catherine was removed from the palace, and her chambers were given to Anna. A year later, the secret wedding of the lovers took place; the future queen was already pregnant. The new Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, declared Henry's previous marriage illegal and recognized the new union. The official wedding took place in London on January 25, 1533. That same year, Pope Clement VII excommunicated Henry from the church.

Queen Anne

On September 7, 1533, Princess Elizabeth was born. Henry was disappointed. The feast prepared in honor of the birth of the heir had to be cancelled. However, the king was still under the influence of Anna’s spell, and therefore decided to secure Elizabeth’s position by depriving his first daughter, Mary, of all possible privileges. In 1534, the Vatican issues a papal bull, which states that Henry’s marriage to Catherine is considered legal, and therefore the king of England must return to his “legitimate” wife. In response to this attack English parliament adopts the First Act of Succession to the Throne, according to which Mary is declared illegitimate and deprived of all rights to the throne. Elizabeth becomes the heir.

What about the new queen? Anna bathes in luxury and is never denied anything. Its staff of servants was expanded to 250 people. She spends England's money on clothes, hats, fashionable furniture, horses, and jewelry. The people treated the new queen with more than restraint, if not hostility. It is believed that Anna took Active participation in state affairs almost on a par with Henry: she met with ambassadors and diplomats, attended official events and presented petitions. Anna, of course, had influence on the king, but it is unlikely that she conducted really vigorous political activity.

At the end of 1534, Anna had a miscarriage. The relationship between spouses is cracking. The fickle Heinrich is already thinking about a new divorce. At the same time, to Anna's great displeasure, he welcomes new favorites. The monarch's wife sometimes has to put up with her husband's infidelity and pacify a woman's pride. But Anna was not fully ready for such a role. She is jealous and openly expresses her complaints to Henry, which infuriates her husband. The couple separates, however, not for long.

Henry's love letter to Anna. (wikipedia.org)

In 1535, Anna became pregnant again. She understands the fragility of her position and desperately wants to give birth to an heir for Henry. But, alas, a miscarriage occurs. By that time, the king had already found a new favorite - Jane Seymour, Boleyn's maid of honor.

It becomes obvious: the fall of Anna and her entire family is inevitable. The king's wife was accused of witchcraft, treason and incest. At the trial, Boleyn behaved with restraint and calmly denied all charges. However, she was found guilty and sentenced to death by beheading.

As a tool instead an ordinary ax the sword was chosen. It is believed that this was the last “mercy” shown by the king to his disgraced wife. While imprisoned, preparing for execution, Anna writes her last letter to Henry, where she assures him of her love and devotion. Nevertheless, on May 19, 1536, the sentence was carried out, and on May 20, the King of England secretly became engaged to new wife- Jane Seymour.

Anne Boleyn was born in 1501 according to some sources and in 1507 according to others. She was executed on May 19, 1536 in London. She was Queen of England, second wife of King Henry VIII Tudor of England from 1533-1536. Anne Boleyn is the mother of Queen Elizabeth I of England, the last of the Tudors.

Date controversy

The exact date of Anna's birth has not been established due to the fact that parish records from that period have not survived. The probable dates were 1501 and 1507. They were taken from surviving letters from Anne Boleyn herself - one addressed to her father, Thomas Boleyn in 1514. French, on which it was written, was not native to her, but the handwriting had time to form well. Therefore, a version appeared that she was 13 then. This was the minimum age when a girl could be accepted into Margarita’s retinue. Another letter from the end of the 16th century was preserved, testifying that the year of her birth was 1501. But based on two other sources, memoirs of friends, she was not even 29 years old at the time of her death. And in William Camden's almanac the year of her birth is indicated - 1507. Camden had access to state archives.

Family

Anne Boleyn's father became Earl of Wiltshire thanks to his daughter, and he was also Earl of Ormond. He was a gifted diplomat who enjoyed the favor of King Henry VIII. The latter often sent him on diplomatic missions to different countries.

The mother of the future Queen Anne Boleyn is Elizabeth Howard, a woman from an old aristocratic family. She was a maid of honor for two queens - Elizabeth of York and Catherine of Aragon. Both Anne's father and mother had relatives among the Plantagenets in their family history.

At the time of Anne and Mary Boleyn's appearance, their family history was highly respected in the country. They were prominent representatives aristocracy of his time. They lived in Blickling. The sisters' education was most typical for girls of their position.

They studied arithmetic, family genealogy, grammar, history, reading, spelling, household management, needlework, foreign languages, dancing, singing, good manners. Like any aristocrat in England, Anne Boleyn practiced archery, horse riding, playing cards, and chess.

When the future queen was not yet 12 years old, Margaret of Austria drew attention to her and invited her to court. Anne Boleyn's life at the Tudor court began with her entry into Mary Tudor's retinue. Initially, Henry VIII's sister was supposed to marry the French king Louis XII, but he died. Mary Tudor returned to England. Subsequently, for 7 years, Anna was a maid of honor to the French Queen Claude of France. Then she completed her education.

Appearance

Contemporaries drew up the portrait of Anne Boleyn as follows: a girl of average height, slender, her dark hair was thick. She had dark eyes, full lips, and her skin was olive in color. She was distinguished by her sharp mind, elegance and cheerfulness, while at the same time she was strong character.

Those who saw her noted that she was attractive, but they created different portraits of Anne Boleyn.

Thus, the Venetian Marino Sanudo, who met her in 1532, noted that she was “not the most beautiful woman in the world,” had an average build, dark skin, long neck, wide mouth and low chest, eyes were dark and beautiful.

The French poet Lancelot de Carle called her “so graceful that she looked more like a Frenchwoman than an Englishwoman.”

Simon Greene wrote in 1531 that Anna was “young, pretty, dark.”

But the descriptions of her, compiled half a century after her death by Nicholas Sanders, were as follows: “Anne Boleyn was quite tall, with black hair, an oval face of a sallow color, as if after “jaundice.” They say she had a protruding tooth under her upper lip, and on right hand six fingers. She had a “hair cyst” under her chin, so to hide the defect, she wore a dress with a high collar... She was attractive, with beautiful lips" Of course, after the reburial of Anna’s remains, it became obvious that she had five fingers, but not six.

It can be seen that Boleyn was temperamental, direct, frank and prone to command. She's like anyone strong man, not everyone liked it, but adherents appeared around it. In particular, attracted by her attraction to Luther in matters of faith.

Court life

By 1522, relations between France and England had become tense. At the same time, Anne Boleyn made her first appearance at the court of Henry Tudor. And it was a performance in which the girl herself played along with other aristocrats.

She became more and more popular. Those who knew her noted the sophistication of her manners, pleasant voice, lightness and energy. Anne Boleyn's biography of this period was full of positive aspects - she enjoyed everyone's attention, but as befits real seductresses, she did not show that she cared. Also, aware of the many rumors circulating about her sister Mary at court, she kept her life a secret. Mary, as was then believed, had an affair with King Francis I, a number of court men, and also with Henry Tudor. Anne Boleyn, however, had an affair with him herself.

Disease

Anna's life in 1528 was under great threat. This year an epidemic of sweating fever broke out in London. This disease is shrouded in mystery to this day. It was difficult and took with it the lives of many, including noble persons.

Because of her, the king and Anna left the city, moving from place to place. However, Boleyn's beloved maid soon became infected. And her mistress fell ill. After leaving, the king wrote to Anna that he was sure that she would recover, since women more often recovered from the disease. He provided her with the best doctors who could be found at that time.

In reality, the sick man was doomed, but he was more resilient female body in 50% of cases he prevailed over sweating fever. According to surviving descriptions, the symptoms of the disease were as follows. First, a strong chill set in, and after 3 hours the person was sweating very heavily, then delirium began with severe pain in heart.

This all started suddenly and developed within 24 hours. After this period, the patient often died. If he fell asleep during the day, he died instantly. However, if after 24 hours he was still alive, then he was on the road to recovery.

Anna moved to her parents' house and prepared for the unknown. The doctor sent to her by the king fought desperately for her life. The treatment methods were as follows: the patient had to be constantly warm. Therefore, in her room they always kept the fire burning, closing all the windows and doors so that the heat would not escape. The clothes in which Anna was dressed were preheated over the fire. She only drank warm water with wine, to which were added herbal infusions that supported her heart.

Anna survived the first day. Then the doctor fed her his own potion with dozens of herbs. The thing is that in those days they believed that a medicine with less than three ingredients was ineffective. The more expensive the product, the more herbs it contained.

The entire population considered the epidemic a divine punishment due to Henry's cruelty. And he, trying to justify himself, invented his own medicines, testing them on court women. It was women who usually survived, and Henry took advantage of this, declaring that he had found a panacea. He spread the drug throughout England, but people always died.

In the end, no cure for the disease was ever found. After a while it became quiet and then disappeared completely. On this moment sweating fever does not exist, and doctors are scratching their heads over what kind of disease it was.

Queen

The first time Henry and Anna met was on gala event in 1522. Henry did not express any particular sympathy for future wife until 1526, he was married to Catherine of Aragon for 17 years, cheating on her at the same time. He justified himself by the fact that he did not have a son with his wife.

During this time period, Anne was betrothed to Earl Henry Percy. But the couple's parents were against their marriage, and the wedding did not happen. According to some reports, Henry had a hand in the destruction of Anne Boleyn’s marriage: he liked the girl. She lived for several years on the family estate, and only in 1526 returned to the court as a maid of honor to Catherine of Aragon.

From this moment it began love story Anne Boleyn and Henry. He gave her many expensive gifts, wrote letters, offering to be his mistress. However, the girl always remained at a distance from him, refusing his proposals. She aimed at being a wife, not a mistress. At that time, the king’s marriage to Catherine was falling apart. The impulsive king did not like his wife; he was indignant about her because they did not have a son, as he announced to everyone.

He needed a wife to strengthen the power of his dynasty, and he wanted a male heir. Moreover, he was unrestrained in his betrayals; he had many favorites. The wife understood all this. Next to the impulsive and dangerous king, one after another, her children were born weak and died in infancy. His subsequent wives, who lived under great stress, suffered miscarriages. Despite the fact that Henry changed many wives, he never achieved an heir with such tactics: after his death, the country was ruled by girls.

The biography of Anne Boleyn is notable for the fact that this girl influenced the most important event in the history of England - independence from the Vatican. When the king became inflamed with feelings for Anna, he turned to the Vatican to annul the union with his wife. A special examination was needed so that the king would not have the consequences of this marriage. Catherine protested: such a decision meant life in a monastery for her, deprivation of her title, and her daughter from Henry would become a bastard. Catherine persuaded her relative to take the Pope hostage, and the examination was postponed. 7 the king fought for marriage with Boleyn.

And it was precisely this move that provoked the King of England to break off relations with the Catholic Church. From now on, England did not depend on the will of the pope. Having done this, he achieved a wedding with Anna. In 1531 he moved his ex-wife Ekaterina. Henry and Anne Boleyn got married a year later. Soon they had a child. Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn, becomes a disappointment for the king. Only his love kept him in marriage. Having charmed the king, Anna preserved the alliance and protected the child from the indifferent cruelty of her father. Anna was afraid for the fate of her daughter. Elizabeth was sent to Hatfield House with her own court.

He had already deprived his first daughter from Catherine, Maria, of her title and all privileges. He recognized her as illegitimate and having no right to the throne. Thanks to the efforts of the new queen, the daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn managed to live in peace for some time.

In 1534, Rome issued a bull stating that the king's previous marriage to Catherine was valid. Rome ordered him to return to his lawful wife. However, the response from Henry was the First Act of Succession, which emphasized that Mary, daughter of Catherine of Aragon, was illegitimate.

His new passion Heinrich did not refuse anything, increasing the staff of her servants in comparison with the disgraced wife to 250 people. Taking money from the country's budget, he bought many jewelry, new furniture and dresses for his beloved. This did not please the people, who blamed the queen for everything.

Anna herself begins to actively participate in the political life of England. She helps the king and holds meetings with a number of ambassadors and diplomats. But her reign did not last long, as a year after the birth of Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn, the queen suffered a miscarriage. The couple's relationship worsened. Once again the king sets out in search of a new wife.

Anna does not hide her emotions, she expresses her indignation, and the couple breaks up for a while. The king finds a new favorite - maid of honor Jane Seymour.

Personal life

Before her relationship with Tudor, Anne Boleyn communicated with her admirer Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. The Count fought for his marriage to Anna, but it was all in vain when the King intervened. Boleyn herself was unhappy when her independence was challenged.

Her connection with the poet Thomas Wyatt is known. He was excited by Anna's sensuality. He himself was married, and Anna did not have any special feelings for him, openly declaring that she was not interested in the role of a mistress.

Charges and execution

In 1536, news came of the death of Catherine of Aragon. The next day, Anna and Heinrich put on yellow clothes. In England, this color symbolized celebration, and in Spain, the homeland of the deceased, it was considered the color of grief, complementing black. This was probably how the king and queen expressed their condolences.

The newly pregnant Anna understood that she was in extreme dangerous situation, if a male heir does not appear in the family. With Catherine's death, the king could marry and divorce freely. He has also already started flirting with Jane Seymour. On the day of Catherine's funeral, probably due to severe nervous tension, Anna suffered a miscarriage.

A stillborn male child marked the beginning of the end of the marriage. When the woman came to her senses, the king announced that he was forced into marriage with her by witchcraft, and it was concluded against his will. At the same time, Henry gave chambers to his new favorite at court.

Historian Eric Ives has theorized that Boleyn's execution was planned by her former ally Thomas Cromwell. He argued with her over the distribution of church income, which had been confiscated. She wanted to use them for charity and the development of education in the country, and to support the alliance with France. And he planned to appropriate part of the funds for himself, and use part for an alliance with Charles V. But many historians do not agree with this version.

To enter into a new marriage, the king decides to eliminate Anna. He accuses her of treason and marital infidelity. This was punishable by death. As lovers, he put up the woman's friends - Henry Norris, William Brerton, Francis Weston, Mark Smeaton and even her brother George.

In 1536, Henry's servants arrested her musician Mark Smeaton, who denied any connection with the queen. However, he was tortured, and subsequently retracted his first testimony and confessed, most likely for the promise of freedom in having a love affair with her.

People of noble birth were not tortured. All the “lovers” denied having a love affair with the queen. But that didn't stop anyone.

Already in May 1536, Anna was arrested and taken to the Tower. Anne Boleyn was aware of the imminent execution. She was aware of what was happening and was preparing for a death sentence. When Cromwell died, Anne's last letter to Henry was discovered among his papers, which he never delivered to him. Boleyn assures the king that she is devoted to him and asks for an open, fair trial in which her innocence will be proven. She asked for the release of the innocent. However, the authenticity of the letter is still disputed by historians. Its original has not survived to this day.

On May 12, 1536, 3 of the 4 accused men denied their guilt in court, and Smeaton, who was tortured, admitted his guilt. Three days later, Anna and her brother George were accused of incest and high treason, which was believed to threaten the rights to the throne and was punishable by hanging, drawing and quartering for men and burning alive for women.

It is curious that the jury that decided on the execution of Anne Boleyn was chaired by Henry Percy, her ex-lover. When the jury's unanimous decision about Anna's guilt was announced, he lost consciousness. He died 8 months later, leaving no heirs.

On May 14, 1536, Cranmer declared that the marriage of the king and Anne was invalid. All accused were executed on May 17. Henry replaced the execution by burning alive with beheading with a sword for Anna, who was killed two days later.

According to some reports, while awaiting execution, the queen wrote a poem. But its authorship is disputed. On May 19, 1536, before dawn, Boleyn confessed and swore that she had not cheated on her husband. In the morning she made a short speech on the scaffold, her robe with ermine was removed, and her hair was tucked under her headdress. Having said goodbye to the ladies-in-waiting, she knelt down and was blindfolded. One blow was enough to kill her. She was buried in an unmarked grave. Her remains were discovered in 1876, then, during the reburial, and it was found out that the presence of six fingers on her hands was nothing more than a myth invented later.

Details of the sentence

Anna's trial took place in the Tower, where 2,000 spectators gathered. The Queen entered the hall calmly and calmly. She sat there all the time while Cromwell read out the charges. She was accused of adultery, sexual relations and seducing men “through shameless speeches, gifts and other deeds,” and they “due to the basest incitement and lure of the said queen succumbed and bowed to persuasion.”

It was indicated that later Anna and her lovers “thought and pondered about the death of the king,” and then the queen agreed to become the wife of one of them immediately after Henry’s death.

The prosecution also pointed out the reasons for the queen’s miscarriages - she allegedly had sexual relations with men during pregnancy, which is why there were such consequences.

The text of the accusation even contained passages that she was guilty of the fact that when the king found out about her debauchery, he was so upset that he suffered bodily injuries. Probably, it was about the case when Henry fell from his horse at a tournament a few days before the trial, or about the ulcer that he had on his lower limb.

Boleyn was also accused of poisoning Catherine of Aragon and plotting to poison her daughter, Mary. Anna categorically denied all this.

Many of those who were in the courtroom, initially pursuing the goal of enjoying the fall of a noble person, were already touched by the absurdity of the charges and the injustice of the trial. When the verdict was read, Count Norfork, who announced it, cried.

But if the king decided to do this, he went to the end. To contradict him meant certain death for everyone along with Anna. Boleyn was sentenced to death by the court and jury.

Anna experienced mood swings in those days. She sometimes joked that her new nickname would be “Headless Anna.”

According to the story of her jailer Kingston, she prayed a lot while in captivity. “I happened to see many men, and women too, awaiting execution, and they were sad and grieved. This same lady finds death joyful and pleasant,” he said.

Rehabilitation

The queen has a 2-year-old daughter left to live. After the death of Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth began to rehabilitate the image of her mother.

The birth of Elizabeth did not make anyone happy; her father was saddened and angry at her birth. Nevertheless, a magnificent celebration was held in her honor. The parents rarely visited their daughter, who lived at Hatfield House, although Anna was attached to her. When Henry married again, Elizabeth was declared illegitimate. All the king's marriages had no legal consequences.

In 1537, the new queen Jane Seymour gave birth to the king's son Edward. She tried to reconcile Henry with his innocent daughters. But he did not want to see the Boleyn daughters.

When Jane died, Henry married three more times. He executed some of his wives and divorced others. All this was observed by Elizabeth, who survived the murder of her mother by her father. TO last wife The 9-year-old girl became especially attached to Henry, her stepmother. And her execution shook her to the core.

Elizabeth grew up as a girl who protested against marriage. She never married.

She eventually became queen. From that time on, Anne Boleyn was perceived as a heroine of the English Reformation, a martyr. All this led to her being recognized as one of the most influential queens of England.

In fact

No accusations against Anne Boleyn of adultery can be considered reliable. Henry VIII was considered an unusually cruel and extravagant monarch. He had many health problems. According to recent studies, the irreversible changes in his psyche that made him an unhealthy person were caused by a genetic disease.

The 16th century, when this king reigned, is considered a shameful page in the history of England.

Henry passed the "vagrancy law." According to him, all the ruined peasants were simply hanged. This was a simple path, following which there was no need to provide help to people and wait until they regained material wealth.

At that time, wool prices were rising. Keeping sheep became profitable, and landowners increased rents. As a result, peasants became unable to pay for plots of land, since their cost exceeded the profit they received from the crop. For this reason, there were many ruined peasants. And their king gave the order to hang them. During the reign of the extravagant king, 72,000 people were executed.

The king indulged his desires, putting them above state interests. Cruelty extended to subjects, children, and wives. Human life was absolutely not valuable to him, and the slightest offense was enough for execution. Anne Boleyn became the wife and victim of such a man.

Memory

Although not a single original portrait of the queen has survived during her lifetime, which would not raise questions among specialists, Anna often appears in works of painting. There are many portraits of her.

The opera "Anne Boleyn" was written in 1830. It is still staged to this day. Dozens of films about Anne Boleyn were released until 2015. In them, the queen was played by Helena Bonham Carter, Natalie Dormer and many other stars. Each film repeats the story of this bright personality.

Almost 500 years later, its story excites many minds. Alison Ware wrote a book about her, Anne Boleyn: The Passion of a King. In the work, the author makes an attempt to restore justice to this dramatic figure in the history of England. The woman was hated by her subjects and slandered in front of her husband. But the book sheds a different light on her life.

Among other things, there are legends that her ghost roams England. She is seen in various buildings. The girl was so energetic and cheerful that it is believed that even after 5 centuries she is present among the living. Someone shows the ghost of Anne Boleyn in a photo.

Last wish

It is known that for the execution of his wife Heinrich, “the most intolerable scoundrel, a disgrace to human nature, a bloody and greasy stain on the history of England,” as described by Charles Dickens, chose an executioner from France. There are several versions as to why this was done.

According to one of them, having learned that the king’s false accusation required the queen to be beheaded, the executioners were filled with horror and abandoned this role. Even money was not a convincing argument for them. And the authorities ordered otherwise, calling an executioner from another country.

According to another version, it was his mercy. Since the called executioner was a professional known for cutting off a victim's head in one fell swoop, this made for a quick death.

Throughout the Middle Ages, and in some places the tradition is still observed, before execution the executioner dined with the condemned. And on this score, the story concerning Anne Boleyn has survived to this day. According to her, while communicating with the executioner, she asked him to fulfill her last wish. And he fulfilled it, going through imprisonment, torture and many trials.

Legends

Stories have been preserved that the bringing of the executed Anne constantly struck fear into the Tower guards until the 19th century. Dozens of soldiers were court-martialed for leaving their posts or fainting when they saw a white silhouette holding its head in its hands.

One day, a guard noticed that the windows of the locked chapel were shining from the inside, and looked into it. In complete darkness, he saw a massive ghost - Anna with the entire retinue of the royal court, after this incident he conducted excavations in that place. The remains of Anne Boleyn were discovered under the floor. Then they were buried again with all honors, and then the ghost stopped terrorizing the guards.

Anne Boleyn's Tower Ghost is the only officially recognized ghost of this place. He is called the "White Lady". Sometimes he is seen in a funeral carriage driving by with headless horses. In addition, every year on the eve of her execution, Anna walks through the fortress in London, holding her own head in her arms.

There is another legend concerning the queen. So, according to her, her heart was removed when she died. He was taken to Suffolk County, where she lived happily for several young years. In 1837, during excavations in a chapel in this area, a heart-shaped box was discovered right in the wall, with a handful of ashes inside.

The lead casket was buried with honors and a plaque was placed at the burial site in memory of Anne Boleyn.

“I have now fully experienced your good deeds. I was nothing; you made me a lady of state, a marquise, a queen; and when it was no longer possible to completely exalt me ​​on earth, you make me a saint.” (lines last letter Anne Boleyn to the King)

Anne Boleyn is usually portrayed as either an evil bitch or an unfortunate victim of a treacherous husband. The first looks impressive on the screen, the second is the result of “cleansing” of historical chronicles and active PR of Elizabethan times. Queen Elizabeth's mother, by definition, could not be considered a witch, a devil or a courtesan. After all, she is the mother of the sovereign, the head of the church, God’s anointed. Thus, during the reign of Elizabeth, the courtiers, who still remembered Anna and had their own opinion, could think whatever they wanted to themselves, but officially Anna became a martyr and an innocent victim.

Elizabeth treated her mother's memory with reverence. Not only because she had to constantly prove the legitimacy of her birth, which was regularly called into question, but also because with the death of her mother, her life turned from the life of a crown princess into the life of a bastard. Not a long and happy childhood is over. Can we talk about deep affection for a woman who disappeared from the child’s life when he was three years old? Did she remember her? But the depth of feelings is invariably evidenced by the ring that Elizabeth wore on her finger. It was a ring with a secret - if you carefully pressed the secret lock, the signet on the ring opened, and two portraits were hidden there - the queen and her mother, Anne Boleyn.

Anna had a complex character. She was capable of strong feelings. And she knew how to hide them. This skill failed her after the birth of her child, when she found herself in danger and could not protect herself. And could she?

The chain of events in her life says a lot about the character of this woman.

Portrait of Henry by Holbein andportrait of Anna: unknown artist, probably 1525

The exact date of her birth is unknown. Historians call the period from 1501 to 1507. Anna was born into a noble family, her mother belonged to the Guard clan - one of the most influential and ancient families in England.

It is known that Anna and her brother George received an excellent education at home. And in 1514, the girl went to France in the retinue of the king’s sister Mary, who became the French queen. It is not known what exactly happened there, but Mary Tudor hated Anne until her death, and when Mary, after the sudden death of her crowned husband, returned to England as the wife of Lord Suffolk, Anne remained at court in France for several more years.

Anna spent nine years abroad. There she grew up, learned graceful manners, dancing, learned everything fashion lessons and, most importantly, I learned how to masterfully flirt and attract men.

The girl returned to England in 1520. Anna was already about 20, it was time to marry her off, which is what her parents tried to do. At first she was matched to a certain Piers Butler, but something didn’t work out.

The first meeting of Anna and the king is considered to be a reception in honor of the Spanish ambassadors in 1522. The girl was young, beautiful, flirtatious, stood out against the background of the ladies-in-waiting of Queen Catherine of Aragon, who adhered to strict principles and morals, and monitored the moral character of her court. No, it's not that Anna was slutty. But she was beautifully dressed, knew how to skilfully carry on a conversation, played the musical instruments, sang, and flirted recklessly.

And then she met Henry Percy, and they seemed to really fall in love. Or he fell in love, and she really wanted to become a countess. But the marriage of Henry Percy was a dynastic issue, it had to be agreed upon long and tediously, and Percy was also going to marry the daughter of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, in general, everything was very complicated, but Anne Boleyn was not suitable for Percy’s relatives. One way or another, Henry had to marry Talbot’s daughter, because Henry VIII had already paid attention to Anna by that time, and he did not need rivals.

Anna was furious and vowed to take cruel revenge on Cardinal Wolsey, who took an active part in arranging the marriage of her lover to another. Shrew was sent home to Hever, there were rumors about a secret marriage, but we don’t know whether it happened or not.

When her engagement to Percy was annulled, Anna realized that her wishes were not worth a penny in a world where men ruled, and all men were king. There will not be a wedding so desirable for her, which could elevate her and her family. Will be short novel the king with her (after all, by refusing, she would put her entire family at risk), and then - what? Possible birth of a bastard, dishonor, fading of the king's interest in her, and imminent wedding with some minor nobleman who bans her from his estate, she will bear him a child a year. And goodbye to youth, goodbye to brilliant ambitions, goodbye to the royal court. This is exactly how the life of her sister turned out, who obediently ascended to Henry’s bed. Was she then born into this world, and then did she shine for so many years at the French court?

Mademoiselle Anna was not happy with such a future. Vengefulness and wounded pride forced her to shout out to Cardinal Wolsey, who contributed to the breaking of the engagement with Percy, that she would not forgive him and would see his fall and would cause him the same pain that he was causing her. And she will achieve her goal - Wolsey will fall not without her help. Yes, Anna was vindictive.

The return to the court occurred in 1526. Henry began to actively court the girl. She rejected his advances. This came as a surprise to Heinrich. He was 35 years old at that time, he had a wife who bore him 8 children, of whom only one girl survived - Princess Mary. He had many mistresses, among whom was Anna’s sister, Maria.

Anna could have become the king's mistress. But you didn’t want to? Who would ask her... A brilliant mind, a fair amount of self-confidence and ambition told her that she could sell herself at a higher price. You can have everything. Crown.

And then she behaved very correctly. She either let Henry come to her or pushed him away, promised him a son, but refused to be close to him. The king's courtship continued for more than a year. During this time, his feelings from the desire to possess a beautiful and colorful toy turn into a deep feeling of affection.

King - what about the king? Then he was still a man in the prime of his life, possessing a fair amount of attractiveness, which was emphasized not only by the crown on his head. Although the crown too. Significantly emphasized, I must say. Married... so what if he's married. This hasn't stopped anyone yet. This fact was especially of little concern to the king himself when he was flirting with a young lady-in-waiting, when he sent her passionate letters and expensive gifts.

She sent the gifts back. Which surprised the king in the least. You see, he’s going broke, and some girl refuses him. But she refused him without offending his feelings, explaining that her pure and immaculate love for him could not find a way out, as long as the king had nothing to offer her except bodily pleasures. And she cherishes his beautiful and pure soul, which rightfully belongs to his wife. But it belongs to the wife - formally, because the marriage of Henry and Catherine is illegal. Catherine was his brother’s wife for several years, that is, the sister of Henry himself. So what if the Pope gave permission for this marriage, before God they are still almost relatives, God does not encourage such a union, therefore it jeopardizes the future of the dynasty, the future of England, depriving the king of an heir. And the king may have an heir - after all, his concubines gave birth to boys. Why not be an heir in a legal marriage? No, they cannot test this theory, because if Anna has a son, and he will definitely be born, if Henry ends up in her bed, he will not be legitimate, not an heir. But England doesn’t need this goodness. Moreover, Anna doesn’t need it.

The French cap, which Anna brought into fashion in England, the English cap and the Spanish cap (these were worn by Catherine of Aragon)

In order to slowly and persistently introduce these thoughts into the consciousness of Henry, who is extremely religious, who was prepared for religious life until he became heir, to develop them, to present them as his own, not only special female wisdom is needed, but also a fair amount of patience and extreme caution. And in order to maintain passion for six years in a man who refuses nothing, is capricious and spoiled, without giving him anything in return except spiritual and emotional food, considerable art of seduction, seduction and persuasion is required.

The influence she had on him cannot be explained only by appearance. She did not meet the standards of beauty of that time; she was short, dark-skinned, and dark-haired. In 1532, a year before she became queen, the new Venetian ambassador to England wrote: “...Not the most beautiful woman in the world. Medium build, dark skin, long neck, large mouth, not high chest; in general, nothing special - except that she aroused the king's interest. And the eyes - black beautiful eyes<…>».

Portrait of an unknown artist, probably 1533-1536 and miniature of John Hawkins

But the very graceful, thin, “little Boleyn” managed to get the king to marry her. There were many political motives in his break with the Catholic Church, but it is unknown whether he would have decided on this if he had not dreamed of how “little Boleyn” would give him an heir?

Calculating and smart, cunning, stopping at nothing, not afraid of God or the devil, Anna becomes the Queen of England. Formally, eight months pass between the birth of Elizabeth and the wedding. They say that Anna conceived a child before she was Henry’s wife. But he has considered her his wife for a long time; these are little things that do not matter to happy spouses.

I will not go into the details of his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, his break with the Pope, and the beginning of the Reformation.

On January 25, 1533, Henry VIII secretly married Anne Boleyn. In September of the same year, Anna gave birth to a girl - the future Queen of England Elizabeth I. Henry was disappointed and angry. Almost 8 years have passed since he began caring for Anna. Henry is tired. He tried so hard, but the woman failed him again. Apparently God doesn’t like this marriage of his either, since he didn’t give him an heir.

And the child turns out to be a girl. But they promised him a boy. And then - a miscarriage, then another. Anna is in despair. Her position is so precarious - the king is no longer so attached to her, he begins to pay attention to other women, and at court there are so many beautiful and young women who, using the example of Anna herself, saw that nothing is impossible, that any of them can become a queen England. But the worst thing is not this. The worst thing is that Henry VIII realized that anyone could be made queen.

After all the miscarriages, after all Anna’s hysterics and reproaches of infidelity thrown at the king, who, by the way, was not getting any younger, his character was getting worse (which was greatly influenced by a leg injury, gluttony and, probably, incipient impotence), a crisis ensued. Just as passionately as he had once loved her, now he hated her. In his mind, it was she who became the culprit in the death of his first wife, it was she who became the culprit of the unrest in the country, it was she who became the culprit in the death of his adviser and friend Thomas More.

Henry was generally not very consistent. He quickly caught fire, gave orders for the execution of those close to him, and then became sad and regretted what he had done. So, after the execution of Cromwell, he shouted that his adviser was slandered, that he was forced to execute his best minister. It was always the fault of those around him, but never His Majesty.

Sketch of Holbein the Younger and portrait based on the sketch

After giving birth, something happened to Anna. She always read her moves so skillfully, always achieved her goal. Confidence left her. She begins to realize that the king is no longer so passionate about her. And, having become the head of the Church of England, the king can easily get rid of his new queen. She untied his hands herself. The king is tired of the eccentric and passionate Anna.

The spouses' relationship deteriorated sharply. Henry began to pay attention to Anna's maid of honor - Jane Seymour; Anna staged scenes of jealousy, became hysterical, and did not give birth to a boy. New pregnancy ended in miscarriage. It is believed that Anne saw Jane on Henry’s lap and tore a necklace with a miniature portrait of the king from her new favorite’s neck.

Anna had several more miscarriages, and in 1536 she gave birth to a meter-long boy.

Henry was categorically unhappy with the lack of a male heir. Now we understand that the problem is genetic - the Tudors constantly had difficulties with childbearing, miscarriages, difficult pregnancies and rarely had boys.

Henry believed that women were to blame for everything. Well, they don’t want to give him a boy, bitches, and that’s all. There was another argument - if God does not want to reward him with an heir in this marriage, then something is wrong with the marriage and an urgent need to change his wife.

That same year, Anne finally quarreled with the king's minister, Cromwell. The king was already ready to get rid of his queen. He just needed an excuse. And specially trained people found this excuse.

Anne Boleyn jewelry replicas

Hatred of Anna, fueled by those who were not happy with her rise at court, quickly turned into a very significant accusation of treason. But not only treason, but also witchcraft, high treason and incestuous relations with one’s own brother.

She bewitched the king and forced him to divorce the kind and beautiful Catherine of Aragon. She deprived the king of his male power. She lured the king into the net of heresy and deprived his pure soul of peace. It was even rumored that she had a sixth finger, two fused toes, membranes between her toes, and her body was covered with huge moles that she hid.

All the gossip spread by envious people and enemies at court acquired the force of an irrefutable and proven fact. Did the king believe what he once accused the woman he loved? Perhaps he believed it. He was refused for so many years, he was made henpecked in the eyes of Europe, he was cheated on, and maybe even before the wedding. Yes, he was simply bewitched! Otherwise, how could he leave his only legitimate wife, Catherine? Of course he was bewitched.

According to prosecutors, Anna slept with the musician Smithton, with the courtier Henry Norris, the poet Thomas Wyeth, and most surprisingly, with her brother George. Everyone confessed, everyone. Under torture they would confess to anything. Everyone was executed. Only the poet Wyeth was released.

And how could the king doubt it - after all, those with whom Anna cheated on him admitted everything. So what, under torture. After all, no one lies under torture.

It was especially convenient to believe this when his gaze fell on the beautiful and modest Jane Seymour, the complete opposite of his wife and Queen Anne.

The queen was arrested after a magnificent tournament, at which the king smiled at her, she laughed, flirted with the courtiers, and distributed honors to the winners of the tournament.

Did Anna cheat on Henry? Not known. Historians are still arguing about this, and even a year ago they found some lost sonnet, from which it supposedly follows that yes, she cheated. I'm inclined to think that she had no time for cheating. She had too many worries. And he is not the type to seek carnal pleasures and risk the crown for them. And Henry was still in the prime of his life, he was not yet fat, his leg had not yet festered. In his youth he was considered very handsome.

The British Library contains the book of hours that Henry gave to Anne. It contains messages from Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn to each other:

“If in your prayers you remember my love, as much as I adore you, I will hardly be forgotten, because I am yours.Henry R. forever” (“If you remember my love in your prayers as strongly as I adore you, I shall hardly be forgotten, for I am yours. Henry R. forever”).AnnawroteanswerunderminiatureAnnunciation: "INconfirmation, dayotodaylovingAndtenderYouyou'll findme“(“By daily proof you shall find me To be to you both loving and kind”).

At dawn on May 2, Boleyn, accompanied by hostile guards, arrived at the Tower. There she was met by the Commandant of the Tower, Kingston. Anna begged to be allowed to meet the king. The queen became hysterical. Everything she shouted was carefully recorded and passed on to Cromwell. Then he brilliantly used these words in his guilty verdict.

Years after the execution, a witness to the last meeting between Anne and Henry wrote to Elizabeth : “Alas, I will never forget the painful feeling that I experienced when I saw the righteous king Eve, Your mother, having raised you, still a child, in her arms, stood on her knees before the most merciful of rulers, yourtheir father, and he was looking through the window somewhere into the distance...”

How did Anna, smart and calculating everything five steps at a time, allow this to happen? It seems that after the birth of a child and several miscarriages, her essence underwent changes. She was afraid, she was disappointed, because the crown did not bring her the alluring happiness, and yet, she was completely alone. There were no people nearby whom she could trust, no people who could protect her. Moreover, a daughter appeared in her life, whose interests she, in turn, had to protect and put above her own.

Why didn't Henry divorce Anna like he divorced Catherine? Firstly, after being accused of treason against him, as a man, and the state, in his person, she betrayed England. Having believed in his own accusations, he could no longer forgive her. This is how wine becomes vinegar, and fierce love becomes no less fierce hatred. Secondly, even if Henry offered Anna a divorce, she would have rejected him, because she would have made her daughter illegitimate. The path to the crown for Elizabeth would have been cut off forever.

Anne's execution was the only way out that would satiate Henry's hatred. The irony of fate is that Anne’s judges were those whom she so defended during her lifetime - her former lover Henry Percy and her uncle the Duke of Norfolk.

Anna was sentenced to death. Henry relented and summoned an executioner from Calais. The queen should have had her head cut off with a sword, not burned at the stake. Anna, hearing this, laughed and said: “I heard he’s a good master, it won’t be difficult for him - I have such a thin neck.”

May 19, 1536. The scaffold was covered with black material. The sword is hidden between the boards. The execution was closed; foreign ambassadors were not allowed into the Tower courtyard. Anna ascended the scaffold and said : “I will die according to the law. I am not here to accuse anyone or talk about what I am accused of. But I pray to God that he will save the king and his reign, for there never was a kinder prince, and to me he has always been a 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."

Having received the news of the execution, the king, who was impatiently awaiting it, shouted cheerfully: “The job is done! Let the dogs go, let's have fun!" Eleven days later he marries Jane Seymour.

When I think about this story, it seems to me that it was at that time, the time of his love for Anna, that the king went crazy. And it was the execution of Anne Boleyn that made him a tyrant for the whole country. From that moment on, he allowed himself everything. And no one could contradict the king. Great and crazy.

And I also think that the king knew that all the accusations against his “little Boleyn” were lies and falsification. But he came up with it himself and convinced himself of their validity. Another manifestation of madness.

Oh, if Anna had given birth to a boy... Then Henry would not have had these doubts. He would be happy father, the richest ruler in Europe, the strongest sovereign. He would have someone to hand over the throne to. But a girl was born. Another girl.

Mad and unhappy, Henry will doubt all his life. Was the marriage of Catherine of Aragon and his brother Arthur really over, or did he marry a virgin? Did he legally become the head of the English church, is this pleasing to the Almighty, or is this just a politically advantageous position? Was his marriage with Anna legal, for which the Pope never gave permission.

And all his life he would be haunted by the ghost of Anna, who, in the depths of his soul, he knew, was not guilty of what he accused her of. All his life he will run away from her image, only once captivated by a woman similar in appearance to her - Catherine Howard (Anna's cousin), who was really guilty of treason, of which he accused the one who alone gave birth to the real heir to his Kingdom.

After becoming Queen of England, Elizabeth I destroyed all incriminating documentary evidence in her mother's case.

Ann Bolein. Second woman in English history to be crowned without being crown princess. The woman who led England to the Anglican faith. Elizabeth's mother. An amazing and sad fate.

“No, Henry, we don’t live in paradise! In a mad state, the king has the right to be mad. You called me not to be your wife, but to the throne! Let me go like a queen. And if you value me even a little, don’t humiliate me by admitting something that you yourself know I’m not guilty of.” (G. Gorin)

Who was Anne Boleyn - a woman with a disgusting character who forced her husband to fulfill his every whim, or simply a victim of venerable court intriguers interested in breaking relations between England and the papal throne in Rome? To this day, scientists have not come to a consensus.

Family and French education

Even the date of Anna’s birth is considered controversial. Some researchers are inclined to 1501, others to 1507. The girl’s father was Sir Thomas Boleyn, valued by King Henry VIII for his diplomatic talents, and her mother was Elizabeth Howard, who belonged to an ancient aristocratic family.

After a short time homeschooling Anna and her sister Maria were sent to Paris to receive an education. The girls are sent to the French capital as part of the retinue of Her Highness Marie Tudor, in 1514. The princess was preparing to marry Louis XII.

The return to their homeland took place in 1520, and was due to two reasons. The first reason is that Anglo-French relations have deteriorated. Second, Thomas Boleyn decided to marry Anne to Lord Butler. But his plans were not destined to come true.

Contemporaries noted that Anna was elegant and graceful in the French way. She had excellent taste and an extraordinary mind.

Henry in Love

King Henry VIII saw Anne at a reception in 1522 on March 4th. By that time, she was beginning an affair with Lord Henry Percy, a relative of the Duke of Northumberland, and things were quickly moving towards marriage. His Majesty liked Miss Boleyn so much that he upset the marriage. Henry was urgently married to another aristocrat, and Anna was sent to a distant estate.

After Miss Boleyn returned to court, the king began to seek the attention of the young beauty. At that time, Henry was married to Catherine of Aragon. Anna did not want the fate of the royal favorite for herself, so she kept His Majesty at a distance. The king could not forgive his wife for not bearing him a son, and believed that by divorcing her, he could marry someone else. He proposed to Anne Boleyn, which she happily accepted.

The divorce turned out to be long and difficult. In those days, for a woman this was tantamount to the loss of honor and dignity, and children born in a dissolved marriage were declared bastards and had no right to inheritance.

Henry, passionately in love, could not wait long for the pope to give permission for a new marriage, and at the suggestion of his adviser Thomas Cromwell, he changed his religion. This move allowed the king to proclaim himself head of the Church and, by his decree, to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

This decision caused discontent among the people, who sympathized with the former queen. Simple people Anne Boleyn was blamed for everything. Despite everything, in January 1533 the lovers got married. By that time, Anna was already pregnant, and the king hoped for the birth of an heir.

Catherine of Aragon spent the rest of her life in a monastery, but never recognized the divorce as legal. She died in 1536.

Capricious Queen

Having become a legal wife, Anna showed herself not with the best side. Forcing Henry to indulge her whims, she demanded that he remove his best friends from himself. The king fulfilled all her whims in the hope of having a son, but in the fall Anna gave birth to a daughter. The girl was given the name Elizabeth. She later became Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Meanwhile, the behavior of the king's wife deteriorated completely. In the absence of her husband, Anna threw rich balls and spent crazy amounts of money on outfits and jewelry. The couple often quarreled. The king is tired of his eccentric wife. He already had his maid of honor Jane Seymour in mind and decided to get rid of his wife. The court sentenced Anna to death for treason against the king. Her head was cut off with a sword in 1536 on May 19th.

When Anne Boleyn's daughter Elizabeth came to power, she completely rehabilitated her mother. Consciously or not, Anna contributed to the separation of England from the Roman Church, which earned her place in the history of Foggy Albion.

Ann Bolein. Queen for 1000 days.

10 Interesting facts about Anne Boleyn.

The queen who changed the course English history, a woman who was able to charm a king who had been married for almost 20 years... and dared to set her own rules for religion.

1) Even the exact age of Anna’s birth is unknown. Some historians indicate the date 1499, which refers to the 15th century, while others... tend to believe that this was the period from 1502-1507. (16th century). Anna was born in England (Hever)
One can only guess about the real date of birth of the queen.

2) Anne Boleyn is a woman who changed the history of an entire country. Anna was a staunch Protestant. At that time, the bulk of Europe was under the rule of the Roman Catholic Church.

3) Anne was the second and most famous of Henry VIII's wives
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 king’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon had already lasted 13 years (since 1509). Accumulated mutual claims and fatigue. Henry VIII constantly blamed his wife for her inability to bear him an heir.
Anna's next return to court dates back to 1525-1526. The king renewed 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, increasingly 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 a wife and queen.

4) Many women gossiped about the amazing girl who managed to melt the king’s heart, a girl who, although not 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 officially proposing to Anna, Henry needed to get a divorce from Catherine of Aragon. 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 pleased the king with the long-awaited news of pregnancy. And on January 25, 1533... in the strictest confidence... King Henry VIII of England and Anne Boleyn got married.
But new wife The king turned out to be not as flexible as Catherine. The wayward Anna began to establish her own rules, promoting and introducing Protestantism everywhere.

7) Dreams about the birth of an heir soon dissipated 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 relationship between the king and Anne Boleyn cooled. Henry VIII began to actively court one of his ladies-in-waiting, Jane Seymour. Despite this, Anna becomes pregnant for the second time. But the situation is aggravated by the fact that the child is stillborn.

8) Then the king finally decides to get rid of Anna, accuses her of 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 this a more humane execution... since... an ax would cause more pain. And the executioner was specially discharged from France.
Anna spoke about it this way: “I heard that the executioner is a skilled person, and my neck is thin.” Until her last breath, Anna behaved with dignity.

10) Last words Anna before her execution began: “I will die according to the law. I am not here to accuse anyone or talk about what I am accused of. But I pray to God that he will save the king and his reign, for there never was a kinder prince, and to me he has always been a 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 which, the former queen fell to her knees... and said: “Jesus, accept my soul. O almighty God, sorrow for my soul,” and was beheaded to the amusement of the crowd.

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