Claire | April 29, 2015
On 29th April 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn had two encounters with male courtiers which she later worried about when imprisoned in the Tower. The first involved court musician Mark Smeaton and the second involved Sir Henry Norris, her husband’s Groom of the Stool and a man who was courting Anne’s cousin, Madge Shelton. Both were […]
Claire | February 7, 2012
The shrovetide joust of 1526 was the first indication of Henry VIII’s courtly pursuit of Anne Boleyn. According to the chronicler Edward Hall, it was on this day that Henry VIII rode out in cloth of gold and silver “richely embraudered, with a mannes harte in a presse, with flames about it, and in letters […]
Claire | May 3, 2011
These are dark times and it feels like there is a dark cloud hanging permanently over London at the moment. The Queen, Mark Smeaton, Henry Norris and Lord Rochford are all still in the Tower and there are rumours that there will be further arrests. Like many at court, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer is shocked at […]
Claire | May 1, 2010
(or Henry Norris with the dead men’s shoes at the May Day Joust!) The May Day joust of the 1st May 1536 should have been like every other May Day joust, it should have been a day of celebration, of fun and joy, instead it was to be the first outward sign that something was […]
Claire | March 3, 2010
This post is continued from “Courtly Love, Flirtation and the Fall of Anne Boleyn – Part One”. Courtly Love and the Undoing of Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn had learned the rules of courtly love from the “Queen of Courtly Love”, Margaret of Austria, and Anne was known for being strict with her ladies and keeping […]
Claire | March 2, 2010
After a February full of anniversaries of key Tudor events, I thought it would be good to get back to my original theme and series of articles looking at the possible reasons for the fall of Anne Boleyn and the Boleyn faction. Anne Boleyn’s fall is hot news at the moment with the recent publication […]
