Claire | April 27, 2022
On this day in 1536, writs were issued summoning Parliament, and, according to Eustace Chapuys, a bishop was consulted regarding whether Henry VIII could abandon his second wife, Anne Boleyn. What was going on? And on this day in 1609, in the reign of James I, Sir Edward Michelborne, member of Parliament, soldier and adventurer, […]
Joel Ridgway | November 14, 2021
On this day in Tudor history, 14th November 1541, an inventory was taken of “the goods and chattels, lands and fees of” Thomas Culpeper, a groom of King Henry VIII’s privy chamber and a man who had been having secret meetings with Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife. An inventory had also been taken of […]
Claire | May 28, 2021
I always find it strange at this time of year to switch from writing about Anne Boleyn’s final days in May 1536 to the lead-up to her coronation in May 1533. How different things were just three years apart. On this day in Tudor history, 28th May 1533, over four months after Henry VIII had […]
Claire | March 7, 2019
In 1533, King Henry VIII married his sweetheart Anne Boleyn, the woman he’d been pursuing for at least six years, and then had his marriage to his wife of nearly 24 years annulled – yes, he did it that way round! Some fiction would lead us to believe that this was all Anne Boleyn’s fault. […]
Claire | November 14, 2018
This day in history, 14th November 1532, the Feast of St Erkenwald, might just have been Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s wedding day! Chronicler Edward Hall can usually be trusted and according to him “The king, after his return [from Calais] married privily the lady Anne Boleyn on Saint Erkenwald’s day, which marriage was kept […]
Claire | August 16, 2018
I’ve just come back from a two week holiday travelling through Spain and France to the UK, and while I was in the UK I was lucky enough to attend David Starkey’s talk “Henry VIII: The First Brexiteer” at the Festival Theatre at Hever Castle. It was a wonderful talk, both entertaining and educational, and […]
Claire | February 14, 2017
Today is Valentine’s Day, the traditional day of romance. You can read all about Valentine’s Day itself in an article I wrote for the Tudor Society – click here – but here at the Anne Boleyn Files I want to ask you for your thoughts on Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. I want to ask […]
Claire | November 12, 2016
12th November was a busy day in Tudor history and I’ve picked out four key events for you to read more about: At midnight on 12th/13th November 1532, King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Marquis of Pembroke, set sail from Calais to head back to Dover. Chronicler Edward Hall writes: “On Tewesdaie at midnight he […]
