Anne Boleyn

Timeline

1. c. 1501–1526Hever Castle · KentAnne Boleyn was born into an English noble family; her father Thomas Boleyn was a diplomat of Henry VIII. Sent to the Low Countries as a child, she later spent several years educated at the French court, learning French, music, and court etiquette, and cultivating a highly engaging talent and personality. She returned to England around 1522, entered the household of Queen Catherine, and soon drew attention for her wit and charm.
2. 1526–1533London · LondonHenry VIII pursued Anne ardently from about 1526; Anne refused to become a mistress and insisted on marriage. This stance drove Henry to seek a divorce from Catherine, which in turn triggered the 'King's Great Matter.' Anne was sympathetic to Protestant reform, actively recommended reformist figures, and had an important influence on the shift in Henry VIII's religious policy. Between 1531 and 1532 she effectively acted as queen designate.
3. 1533–1536Westminster Abbey · LondonHenry and Anne secretly married in January 1533; on 1 June that year Anne was crowned queen at Westminster Abbey. That September she gave birth to the future Queen Elizabeth (I). However, three miscarriages (including one possibly of a male child) deeply disappointed Henry. Anne also made many enemies at court, and figures such as Cromwell posed a political threat to her. In early 1536 the situation took a sharp turn for the worse.
4. 1536Tower of London · LondonIn April 1536 Anne was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London on charges of adultery (involving five men, including her brother George Boleyn) and treason. The trial is widely regarded as politically motivated, with weak evidence. She was sentenced to death on 15 May and beheaded by a French swordsman on Tower Green on 19 May. Her marriage was declared invalid two days before the execution, and her daughter Elizabeth was stripped of the succession.