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I started the latest series for the Anne Boleyn Files and Tudor Society YouTube channel, “Facts about…”, with some interesting facts about Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII, so I thought I’d better follow it with one on Anne Boleyn, even though I’d done a Top 10 Facts about her in the past. So, I’ve shared 20 more interesting facts about this second wife of Henry VIII.
I expect, as an Anne Boleyn Files follower, that you know most of them, if not all of them, but enjoy the video anyway!
And here’s my previous one on Anne Boleyn, in case you missed it:
On Easter Sunday in medieval and Tudor times, the candles in the church and around the Easter sepulchre were extinguished, and then the church lights were re-lit by the priest, from a fire. The sepulchre was opened, and Christ’s resurrection was celebrated with a special mass.
The Easter Sunday mass marked the end of Lent, a period where people’s diets were restricted, so it was only natural to celebrate it with good food. Dairy products and meat were back on the menu, and people enjoyed roasted meats like chicken, lamb and veal.
I love reformer William Tyndale’s translation of the New Testament and thought I’d share with you John 20, which, as she owned a copy of Tyndale’s New Testament, I’m sure Anne Boleyn would have read on Easter Sunday. The spelling is the original.
“The morow after the saboth daye came Mary Magdalene erly when it was yet darcke vnto ye sepulcre and sawe the stone taken awaye from ye toumbe. Then she ranne and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whome Iesus loved and sayde vnto them. They have taken awaye the Lorde out of the toumbe and we cannot tell where they have layde him. Peter went forth and that other disciple and came vnto the sepulcre. They ranne bothe to gether and that other disciple dyd out runne Peter and came fyrst to the sepulcre. And he stouped doune and sawe the lynnen clothes lyinge yet went he not in.
Then came Simon Peter folowynge him and went into ye sepulcre and sawe the lynnen clothes lye and the napkyn that was aboute his heed not lyinge with the lynnen clothe but wrapped togeder in a place by it selfe. Then went in also that other disciple which came fyrst to the sepulcre and he sawe and beleved. For as yet they knew not the scriptures that he shuld ryse agayne from deeth.
And the disciples went awaye agayne vnto their awne home. Mary stode with out at the sepulcre wepynge. And as she wept she bowed her selfe into the sepulcre and sawe two angels in whyte sittyng the one at the heed and the other at the fete where they had layde the body of Iesus. And they sayde vnto her: woman why wepest thou? She sayde vnto the: For they have taken awaye my lorde and I wote not where they have layde him. When she had thus sayde she turned her selfe backe and sawe Iesus stondynge and knewe not that it was Iesus. Iesus sayde vnto her: woman why wepest thou? Whom sekest thou? She supposynge that he had bene the gardener sayde vnto him. Syr yf thou have borne him hece tell me where thou hast layde him that I maye fet him. Iesus sayde vnto her: Mary. She turned her selfe and sayde vnto him: Rabboni which is to saye master. Iesus sayde vnto her touche me not for I am not yet ascended to my father. But goo to my brethren and saye vnto them I ascende vnto my father and youre father to: my god and youre god. Mary Magdalene came and tolde the disciples yt she had sene the lorde and yt he had spoken soche thinges vnto her.
The same daye at nyght which was the morowe after ye saboth daye when the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled to geder for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the myddes and sayd to the: peace be with you. And when he had so sayde he shewed vnto them his hondes and his syde. Then were the disciples glad when they sawe the Lorde. Then sayde Iesus to them agayne: peace be with you. As my father sent me even so sende I you. And when he had sayde that he brethed on them and sayde vnto the: Receave ye holy goost. Whosoevers synnes ye remyt they are remitted vnto the. And whosoevers synnes ye retayne they are retayned.” John 20: 1-23
Picture: Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Raphael, 1502.
Thank you so much to Omar from Leeds for the excellent questions regarding Showtime’s The Tudors series for my Fan Q&A series on YouTube. Omar wanted to know if William Compton and Thomas Tallis, and George Boleyn and Mark Smeaton really had sexual relationships. I consider whether these storylines were just fictional devices and look […]
Last week, on the Elizabeth Files, I shared my top picks for Elizabeth I books, fiction and non-fiction, so I thought I’d do the same here for Anne Boleyn books. The non-fiction books are books that I’ve found useful and accurate, and the novels are ones that I’ve simply enjoyed as escapism, and are not […]
Catherine of Aragon was the first wife of King Henry VIII, the mother of Queen Mary I and the aunt of Emperor Charles V, but there are lots more interesting facts about this Tudor woman. In this talk, I share 16 interesting facts about this Tudor queen consort. How many of them do you already […]
Thank you so much to Edith and Lucy the dog for their excellent question regarding Anne Boleyn’s imprisonment in the Tower of London in May 1536. In series like The Tudors, Anne Boleyn is shown being treated like a queen even though she’s a prisoner, and she’s shown being attended by ladies-in-waiting? But is this […]
Here is the latest video in my series answering questions from viewers of the Anne Boleyn Files and Tudor Society YouTube Channel. Thank you so much to Emilie and super cute Nathaniel the dog for asking about the real relationship between Thomas Cromwell and his master, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Were the two men as close […]
I am delighted and honoured to be speaking with my dear friend, Dr Owen Emmerson, castle supervisor at Hever Castle, on our very favourite subject, the Boleyns – yay! We’re speaking at the Two Sisters Theatre in the grounds of Hever Castle on Sunday 1st August 2021 at 8pm. It really is a ‘pinch me’ […]
