OK, so today isn’t just the long awaited day of The Tudors Season 4 premiere in the US, it is also an anniversary. On this day in history, the 11th April 1533 (Good Friday), Henry VIII ordered the Royal Council to recognise his wife Anne Boleyn as Queen of England and to accord her with royal honours, in the place of his former wife, Catherine of Aragon.
As you know, Anne Boleyn married King Henry VIII in a secret ceremony around the 25th January 1533, but this was while he was still officially married to Catherine of Aragon. It was not until April 1533 that the marriage between Henry and Catherine was annulled after Thomas Cranmer was made Archbishop of Canterbury. It was during Holy Week that Catherine of Aragon was dismayed to learn that she was now to be known as the “Dowager Princess of Wales” and that Anne Boleyn was Queen. The Royal Council were told on the 11th that Anne was now Queen and Ives writes of how Anne went to her first mass as Queen on Easter Saturday, the 12th of April.
Anne had played “Perseverance” in the Shrove Tuesday court pageant in 1522 and little did she know how ironic her part was – she needed every ounce of her perseverance to wait 7 years to become Henry VIII’s legal wife and Queen of England – phew, that woman had patience, determination and perseverance didn’t she?!
Sources
- “The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn” by Eric Ives
Oh yes, she did have all these!! What a great day for Anne! Thanks for reminnding us, Claire!
This was such a turbulent time in English History. Peyton place,Another world. These soaps had nothing on England. The little country was certainly colorful back then.It is a wonder no other country at the time considered conquering England.Taking advantage of the instability.
But for the most part they waged a more civilized form of warfare. They would simply marry off thier princess and princes. to a country .They had thier eye on. And conquered that way .Rather then to-day’s method of send the cream of our youth by the ten’s of thousands to be killed and wounded. Only to later sign a peace agreement.without settling the problem.That set us to war in the first place.
It is no wonder that Elizabeth upon hearing her councillors bicker back and forth like little boys. She decided to Marry England instead. So she could look after things in the true stubborn attitude of her Mother Anne Boleyn REX. Rather then allowing a King to mess with the country.
When thier is a demand to have somthing managed and done send in a woman.
But before anybody criticise me. I don’t for a long shot hate men.But it takes someone like a woman to fold and do the laundry for a country.And both Anne Boleyn.(if given the chance),The lady Jane,(like wise if given the chance.) and least but not the least queen Elizabeth the first, did just that. And the country as a whole was bettered for it. 🙂
I share my birthday with her Coronation! okay that totally rox!