Claire | February 7, 2019
On this day in Tudor history, 7th February 1526, in the reign of King Henry VIII, the annual Shrovetide joust took place at Greenwich Palace. The king jousted that day and he wore an interesting motto: “declare je n’ose”, or “declare I dare not”. What did this motto mean? Was the king in love? Was […]
Claire | January 18, 2019
A few months ago, I asked you for questions about Anne Boleyn that you would like me to answer. Thank you for coming up with so many, and also for asking such interesting ones. I knew I could count on you! I decided that I’d do a series of videos answering a question at a […]
Claire | May 17, 2017
On the same day that George Boleyn, Sir Henry Norris, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton were executed on Tower Hill, the marriage of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, was annulled. At a special court at Lambeth Palace, in the presence of Sir Thomas Audley, Lord Chancellor; Charles Brandon, […]
Claire | April 25, 2017
On this day in history, 25th April 1536, a day after the commissions of oyer and terminer had been set up by Thomas Audley, his Lord Chancellor, King Henry VIII wrote letters to his ambassadors abroad: Richard Pate in Rome, and Stephen Gardiner and John Wallop in Paris. In these letters, he referred to Anne […]
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 14, 2016
According to Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, King Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn on St Paul’s Day 1533, i.e. 25th January 1533, in a ceremony that was so secret that even Cranmer did not find out about it until several weeks after the happy event. However, this may not have been the first secret marriage ceremony for […]
Claire | September 7, 2016
I am honoured to welcome historical novelist and my good friend Sandra Vasoli to the Anne Boleyn Files today on day 3 of the book tour for Truth Endures, her second ‘Je Anne Boleyn’ novel. MadeGlobal Publishing is offering a paperback set of Je Anne Boleyn books (Struck with the Dart of Love and Truth […]
Claire | April 27, 2016
On this day in history 27th April 1536, writs were issued summoning Parliament to meet on 8th June, even though Parliament had only been dissolved on 14th April. A letter was also sent to Archbishop Thomas Cranmer asking him to attend the Parliament. Why was Parliament being summoned? Did this have anything to do with […]
