****NEWSFLASH – Alison Weir Podcast – NEWSFLASH****
Posted By Claire on August 11, 2009
I know that I’ve already blogged today (see below) but I thought that you’d all want to know that Alison Weir’s talk on “The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn” is now available as a podcast from the British Library – see http://www.bl.uk/whatson/podcasts/exhibition/henry/index.html for all of the special British Library Henry VIII podcasts.
The British Library say:
“In this intriguing talk, she [Alison Weir] makes a compelling case that Anne went to her death an innocent, wronged woman.”
Other great podcasts include “Henry VIII: The Inner Life of a Most Public King” by Philippa Gregory and a series of talks by Dr David Starkey.
iPod users can download or subscribe to these talks at iTunes.
P.S. Don’t forget to read today’s blog on “Anne Boleyn: The Homewrecker” – see below.
Other articles you might be interested in:
****NEWSFLASH – David Starkey Podcasts – NEWSFLASH****
****NEWSFLASH – Henry VIII’s Love Letter to Anne Boleyn On Display****
****NEWSFLASH – “The White Queen” is Book of the Month” – NEWSFLASH****
Signed Alison Weir Book Up for Grabs
****NEWSFLASH – New Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn Resources Available – NEWSFLASH****
Henry VIII – 500 Year Celebrations
Good podcast, however she said 19th Feb that Anne was executed. It was May wan’t it? She must have just read it wrong! Interesting to find out she wasn’t executed where it says at the Tower of London, although also disappointing as I thought I had stood where she had died.
She also claims the skeleton found isn’t Anne’s, but infact the bones claimed to be Catherine Howard’s are Annes but were buried as Lady Rochfords! How confusing!
Yes, it’s funny when she says February – we all make mistakes! I noted down where Alison said Anne died – a scaffold before the House of Ordinance, facing the White Tower and today it is the modern parade ground before the Waterloo Barracks. It was interesting too that Alison believes that Anne’s body was actually reburied as Lady Rochford. An enlightening podcast.
What do you think about Alison saying that Henry found out that Anne had been corrupted at the French Court?
oh don’t think I caught that bit! Didnt everyone get corrupted at the French Court anyway… haha :o)
Just my thoughts as I listen:
Alison mentions a double nail.
Saying that Weirs’ book is the only book on Anne’s downfall I think is debatable to the many authors who have written biographies on Anne and even the Tudor Era.
I didn’t know Anne’s brother, George, was truly one of the most powerful at court. In what ways?
What compromising and treasonous words were overheard that she had said?
I wouldn’t lay too much credence to Chapuys, a Spanish amabassador, who said that it was not a happy marriage. He is not very objective. How much insight could he have provided to the royal couple’s goings-on in the bedroom? Yet before that he writes that they were inseparable?
Was Anne truly haughty? Definitely unpopular, but what were her offensive remarks?
Cromwell’s cronies at work, promoting the unpopularity of Anne.
Hi Marie,
I’m looking forward to reading the book and I do respect Alison Weir as an historian but I was disappointed with this podcast, probably because I couldn’t see a list of sources to back up what she was saying!
I agree with you about what she said about her book – although it may be the only book to concentrate on Anne’s fall, Ives, Warnicke, Denny and others have done a pretty good job at handling the fall in their works.
I think Weir was talking about Anne’s conversation with Norris, when she talks of Anne saying treasonous words. Anne had teased Norris and then got annoyed with him and said that he was looking for dead men’s shoes and it was treason to talk of the King’s death. I don’t think Anne was that unpopular either – perhaps at the beginning but she did much to help the poor and had support by the time of her fall. As far as George was concerned, like his father and other members of the Boleyn faction, he had risen considerably and was expected to rise further. He had been a very important diplomat and in 1534 he was appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle. Apparently, these positions were seen to be among the highest appointments in the realm. How Cromwell must have relished bringing George down as well as Anne!
Chapuys’ records are excellent in that they give us an idea of what was going on at court but Chapuys made many mistakes in his letters and he is also unlikely to say good things about a marriage he never agreed with and a woman who he always called the concubine, so I agree with you, we cannot believe his views 100%. I really don’t believe that Anne and Henry’s relationship deteriorated as soon as they married.
Well, I’m going to have to read Weir’s book!
Actually, quite a few people get the date wrong, i remember when i first got a book ‘On this day in history’ May 19 came and there was no mention of Anne Being executed, yet in May 17 it said her brother, smeaton, brereton, weston and norris were all executed and anne was two days later. it wasn’t until JULY 19 that it said she was executed.
Thanks, Claire, for clarifying the George bit. I understood that he had held more positions because of his ‘rising’ name/fame.. but I do not know the political implications that each of the titles imply. When I think of ‘powerful’ I would like to know what was actually done by that person that caused sweeping changes. Perhaps I put too much stock in the word powerful. I have not had a chance to delve deeply into Boleyn books lately, but I have high hopes that I will read both the new Mary Boleyn, and the Ives on Anne Boleyn book, and also the Penelope Deveraux book that have all been sitting patiently on my shelf. I also have the Queen of Subtleties as well. Unfortunately I have another month or so of books I must review for authors/publishers on the blog before I can peruse my own books! So sad!
But I will definitely be looking to acquire Weir’s new book as well, I also respect her as a historian and she does cover a lot of facts although she does tend towards her own opinions and conjecture. She needs to be more objective and examine ALL possibilities and back up her opinions with sources. Still thorough works on her part. I enjoyed her Wars of The Roses and The Princes in The Tower for the Plantagenet Era.