Did Henry VIII have an affair with Anne Boleyn’s mother?
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Translation: I have read recently about Elizabeth Howard, the mother Anne Boleyn, a lady with Elisabeth of York and later said to have been at Catherine of Aragon. It was also speculated whether she had an affair with Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn had been possible, perhaps even an illegitimate daughter of Henry VIII. I wanted to ask if you are now, if there is something to it, because I have read so for the first time?
It was rumoured that Henry had bedded Elizabeth Howard and that Anne may even have been his daughter. In Philippa Jones’ “The Other Tudors”, Jones talks of how Lord Herbert of Cherbury’s book, “Life and Raigne of King Henry VIII” 1649 (his spelling not mine!) quotes judge and author William Rastall as saying that the young Henry had an affair with Elizabeth Boleyn when Thomas Boleyn was away in France and that Anne was conceived. Jones points out that this could just about be believable if Anne had been born in 1507 but not if her birth date was 1501 when Henry was 10! Eric Ives thinks that there may have been confusion between the names Elizabeth Boleyn and Elizabeth Blount. When Henry was confronted with the rumour of his involvement with Elizabeth Howard Boleyn and Mary Boleyn, he confirmed his relationship with the “sister” but said “Never the mother”. There is no evidence that a young Henry was involved with Elizabeth Howard, just vicious rumour which probably started as someone mishearing the name.
Es gab Gerüchte, dass Henry Elizabeth Howard Bett hatte und dass Anne kann auch seine Tochter gewesen sein. In Philippa Jones ' "The Other Tudors", zitiert Jones Gespräche, wie Herr Herbert Buch Cherbury's, "Leben und Raigne von König Henry VIII", 1649 (seine Rechtschreibung nicht von mir!) Richter und Autor William Rastall mit den Worten, dass der junge Heinrich hatte eine Affäre mit Elizabeth Boleyn, als Thomas Boleyn war in Frankreich und dass Anne konzipiert wurde. Jones weist darauf hin, dass dies nur über sein könnte glaubwürdig, wenn Anne war im Jahre 1507 geboren, aber nicht, ob ihr Geburtsdatum war 1501, als Heinrich 10 war! Eric Ives glaubt, dass dort gewesen Verwechslung der Namen haben könnten Elizabeth Boleyn und Elizabeth Blount. Als Henry mit dem Gerücht von seiner Beteiligung mit Elizabeth Boleyn Howard und Mary Boleyn konfrontiert wurde, bestätigte er seine Beziehung mit der "Schwester", sagte aber "niemals die Mutter." Es gibt keine Hinweise, dass ein junger Henry war mit Elizabeth Howard beteiligt sind, nur böse Gerüchte, die begann,
There is a book on the Protestant Reformation written from the Catholic point of view. I have the book at home. Bishop Fisher (who was later executed) stated it was known and believed that Anne Bolyen was Henry the VIII’s daughter…it was “the reason” so credible that the Vatican refused to grant the divorce to Katherine so Henry could marry Anne. The book states that even the British Parliament was aware of this. Anne’s mother was quoted to protest the relationship because “You should be able to figure it out…she is your daughter…you can’t marry her.” (not exact quote). It would also go along with why Anne was shipped off to Austria when she was so young when she had a sister. Could her father not stand the sight of her? Anne’s father was very ambitious and needed an “in” to rise in power his station did not inately provide. It was customary to give your wife to buy “position.” Henry was quoted to respond “My child or not…i will to marry her.” (not exact quote…from memory). I was reading in another book about Elizabeth…at Queen Mary’s funeral…a clergyman gave a jaw gabbing speech. It was about Mary’s long line of genetic ligitimacy supporting her unquestionable right to the throne….Elizabeth’s was “like” a word that implied she was granted the right not by ligitimacy. He would have be a direct colllege of Bishop Fisher. Also my grandmother’s name is Blount. Sir Blount and Fisher were the ones that told Katherine of Aragon Henry wanted a divorice….and Elizabeth Blount was mother to Henry Fitzroy planned heir apparent to the throne…because both Mary and Elizabeth had been made bastards by annulment/divorice etc. He was the richest in England next to the King. He witnessed Annes beheading but died at 18 yo or TB. Fisher implied there was documentation at the Vatican.. I have not yet found it. If you e-mail me I will get the titles of the 2 books for you. I was surprized but not shocked to read this info. but it really doesn’t seem that outrageous a theory. Geneological research deems these people lived in very close political quarters. It was all about who you knew, slept with etc. essentially it was about family survival at any cost. By the way Bessie Bount was more beautiful than Anne …they is a little ditty that was sung by the commomn folk comparing them. The Blounts were not the most important but moved well within the circle. Shakespeare wrote about how Sir Blount died wearing the Kings colors. I never thought about him knowing the about the “real people” depicted in his plays. A will left items to him and to members of our family…so he got the stories from the horses mouth and not to many generations off. Ruth Holecek 5501st@gmail.com
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I think it’s a fascinating ‘what if’ but highly unlikely as fact.
Henry was many things, but incestuous? No. There wasn’t even a hint by sources or even Protestant enemies of Henry’s that he molested either Mary or Elizabeth, or that they- or Anne Boleyn- were deformed in any mental or physical way- a result of interbreeding?
The reasons for Anne’s exile and the papal objections were just as we traditionally think they were, with no deep and disturbing revelations?
It was an age of propaganda and counter-propaganda.
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