Claire | May 4, 2019
On this day in 1536, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, received a message of comfort from his wife, Jane Boleyn. What do we know about this message? I share what the contemporary sources tell us about the message and also what else happened on 4th May 1536. I’m doing these “Fall of Anne Boleyn” videos daily […]
Claire | February 13, 2019
Today is the anniversary of the execution of Jane Boleyn (née Parker), Lady Rochford, on 13th February 1542. She was executed at the Tower of London with her mistress, Catherine Howard, fifth wife of King Henry VIII. The two women had been found guilty of high treason by an act of attainder, Catherine for her […]
Claire | November 14, 2018
On this day in history, 14th November 1541, an inventory was taken “of the goods and chattels, lands and fees of Thos. Culpeper, the younger”, a member of the king’s privy chamber who had been having secret meetings with the queen and who Francis Dereham claimed had replaced him in the queen’s affections. By 14th […]
Claire | May 4, 2018
By 4th May 1536, there were four new prisoners in the Tower of London implicated in the same plot against the king: Queen Anne Boleyn; her brother, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford; Sir Henry Norris, Henry VIII’s groom of the stool; and Mark Smeaton, a court musician. On 4th May, two more were added to their […]
Claire | February 13, 2018
On this day in history, Monday 13th February 1542, Catherine Howard, fifth wife and queen of King Henry VIII, and her lady, Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, were executed at the Tower of London after being found guilty of treason by attainder. An eye-witness, London merchant Otwell Johnson recorded that the two women “made the moost […]
Claire | February 11, 2018
On this day in history, 11th February 1542, the bill of attainder against Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, and Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford “received the king’s assent, given in absentia by letters patent”. The bill had been introduced into Parliament on 21st January 1542 and you can read the full bill in my article […]
Claire | February 9, 2018
On this day in history, on the night of 9th February 1542, four days before her execution, Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, was rowed to the Tower of London. While her mistress, Catherine Howard, was confined at Syon, Jane had been residing at the home of Sir John Russell, Lord Admiral, on the Strand. Jane had […]
Claire | January 17, 2018
As more historical research is done, historical characters are being rehabilitated and long-believed myths are being challenged and even banished, which is a wonderful thing. However, sometimes, the rehabilitation of one person can lead to another suffering, as has been the case with Anne Boleyn and Jane Boleyn. But things are changing. We had the […]
