Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn by Arthur Hopkins c. 1860's-1870

When Henry VIII noticed Anne Boleyn in 1526, he didn’t wanted her to become his wife and queen. He simply desired Anne as his mistress. The king offered her a title of Maîtresse-en-titre, this title was very famous in France and meant that woman who had such a title was a chief mistress of a sovereign, and she had her own privileges like her own apartments, servants, etc. Although Henry VIII had many mistresses, he never actually had a maîtresse-en-titre and this title was offered only to Anne Boleyn. But Anne refused. Why would any woman refuse the king of England? Well perhaps Anne thought that if she refuse, then Henry will give up and find a new mistress. But perhaps, which is more likely, Anne learned from her sister’s example ; Mary Boleyn was Henry VIII’s mistress for few years, she gave birth to two children during affair with the king but in the end Henry casted her aside.

Anne’s refusal really made Henry VIII want her even more.  What was so special about Anne Boleyn? When she came back from France in 1522, she was considered a Frenchwoman – she was elegant, well-spoken and gracious. Although she was not a typical blue-eyed ‘English Rose’ with pale skin and blonde hair, she caught the attention of male courtiers and soon became very popular. She was a dramatic brunette with olive skin and enchanting black eyes, even French King called her a ‘Venus’ and Venus was synonym of beauty.

So Anne refused to have sexual relationship with Henry VIII until they were married. She was determined to preserve her virginity, but some people didn’t believe that she was as chaste as she wanted to be seen. She was seen by her enemies as a sexual predator, a lady with low moral standards, a harpy who entraped a great king. But was she really the one who entarped Henry?

Henry VIII c. 1536 by Hans Holbein

“Today, Henry’s approach to Anne would be instantly identifiable as sexual harassment. (…) Could she really tell the king to his face that she had no interest in him? She could reiterate her  desire to keep her chastity and her honor, but clearly he didn’t respect that. She could ignore his  letters and stay away from court, but he refused to take the hint. To offer him the outright insult he asked for would be to risk not only her own but her father’s and brother’s careers at court. She undoubtedly kept hoping he would tire of the chase and transfer his attentions to some newer lady-in-waiting. But he didn’t and she was trapped: there was no chance of her making a good marriage when every eligible nobleman knew the king wanted her. She began to realize she would have to give in. [as Wyatt wrote in his poem 'Whoso list to hunt'] ‘Nole me tangere, for Caesar’s I am’’.[1]

So Anne made her own conditions – she would became Henry’s wife and Queen, and not a mistress. But why Anne was slandered if she insisted so much to preserve her virginity?

Le Chateau d Amboise, France, where Anne Boleyn served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Claude of France

Perhaps because she spent her youth in France. Since c. 1515 to 1522 Anne Boleyn served as a lady-in-waiting to Francis I’s wife, Queen Claude de Valois. French court was infamous for it’s immorality and Francis himself cheated on his wife (who was constantly pregnant) with many mistresses. Brantome wrote that ‘rarely, or never, did any maid or wife leave that court chaste’[2]  How about Anne? Queen Claude, whom Anne served, was only 15 years old and she ‘insisted upon high morality and restraint and showed a strict regard for etiquette.‘[3] Because she was so religious and because of her almost annual pregnancies, she spent her time mainly at the Chateau of Amboise and Blois, while ‘her philandering husband entertained scores of mistresses and set the tone for one of the most licentious courts of the period’.[4] It seems that Anne Boleyn accompanied her royal mistress and learned from her. Although we don’t know the exatc date of Anne’s birth, we might assume, that she and Claude were the same age[5], so they understood each other perfectly well. Some historians claim, that Claude’s court was too boring for vivacious Anne, however she entertainded herself and her royal mistress by singing and playing on the instruments.

Anne’s attitude towards her duties is also expressed in a letter she wrote to her father in 1514. Although she was writing this letter from Margaret of Austria’s court, we can be sure that her sense of resposibility did not change when she was in France ;

‘Sir,

I understand by your letter that you wish that I shall be of all virtuous repute when I come to Court and you inform me that the Queen will take the trouble to converse with me, which rejoices me greatly to think of talking with a person so wise and virtuous. This will make me have greater desire to continue to speak French well and also spell, especially because you have so recommended me to do so, and with my own hand I inform you that I will observe it the best I can.’[6]

It was in 1585, 49 years after Anne Boleyn’s death, when a staunch Catholic on exile, Nicolas Sander, wrote about her that ;

“At fifteen she sinned first with her father’s butler, and then with his chaplain, and forthwith was sent to France, and placed at the expense of the King, under the care of a certain nobleman not far from Brie. Soon afterwards she appeared at the French court where she was called the English mare, because of her shameless behaviour; and then the royal mule, when she became acquainted with the King of France.”[7]

Anne's sister Mary Boleyn, who was French king's mistress and later went on to be Henry VIII's mistress

It is Sander who started rumours about Anne’s alleged six fingers, moles, projecting tooth and wen under her chin. So his writing is not reliable at all. He does not even get the right dates ; Sander wrote that Anne ‘sinned’ when she was 15, and then she was sent to France as a punishment. However, Anne was sent to Margaret of Austria’s court first in 1514 when she about 14 years old (if we assume she was born in 1501 and not in 1507, which would make her even younger at the time) and then, in 1515 she was sent to France as a lady-in-waiting to King’s sister, Mary Tudor. Sander also states that Anne Boleyn was called an ‘English Mare’ and she was Francis I’s mistress.

Informations about Anne Boleyn’s misconducts are also described in the Spanish Cronica del Rey Enrico ; for example there is a description of Anne’s escapades with Mark Smeaton or Thomas Wyatt. But this Spanish Cronicle is not a reliable source of information – Anne Boleyn was enemy of Spanish Queen Cathrine of Aragon, and it is obvious that Anne was maligned. Also Eustace Chapuys who was imperial ambassador, hated Anne and called her ‘the whore’, ‘the concubine’ or ‘the English Messalina or Agrippina’.

During their long courtship, there were rumours that Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII had few children together, but there is no evidence. We can assume that Anne Boleyn knew that if she surrender to Henry and get pregnant too soon, her child will be no more than another royal bastard. And she was clever enough to wait with the consummation of this relationship.

In his letters to Anne, Henry often described his feelings about her.

‘There is a strong sexual tone to this letters. The king spoke often of his need to be ‘private’ with Anne, and wished he was, ‘specially an evening, in my sweetheart’s arms, whose pretty dugs (breasts) I trust shortly to kiss’.’[8]

There are strong inclination that Anne Boleyn remained virgin until 1532.  Alison Weir states that ;

‘Some intimacies she may have permitted, but never full intercourse. This is substantiated not only by King’s repeated denials that she was his mistress in the sexual sense, but also by the fact that, once the affair was consummated, Anne became pregnant immediately and conceived regularly thereafter’.[9]

So what had convinced Henry VIII in 1536, that a woman, who refused to sleep with him for almost 7 years, was guilty of multiple adultery?

In the same book, Alison Weir stated that Henry VIII confided to imperial ambassador that Anne was ‘corrupted’ in France and that French King told Duke of Norfolk that Anne was not a virtuous person during her youth spent in France. However I did not found such informations in primary sources so I think that this is Alison Weir’s pure imagination.

Anne Boleyn

We can easily say that Anne Boleyn changed everything ; she was the second commoner to become English Queen (first one was Elizabeth Woodville) . She took Catherine of Aragon’s place and she set up an example for other ladies at court . Who could ever imagine that a ‘foolish girl’ as Wolsey described Anne once, could dare to replace the Queen? Anne Boleyn did it – for her Henry VIII broke up with the Catholic Church, risking everything. People had to find a scape goat – someone they could blame for all the evil that fallen on England – and Anne was such a scape goat. Henry could do a little to stop the malicious rumours about his future bride, but little did she cared about them. ‘Let them grumble’ was her motto in 1530. Anne Boleyn had her flaws. She was not afraid to express her own opinions, even if others did not approve of them. In the end Henry VIII felt tired of such an outspoken wife and he cheated on her with new mistresses. But Anne was not afraid to show how jelous she was although the queen’s role was to ‘shut her eyes and endure’.

Was Anne an immoral temptress? I think not. She was Henry’s victim. Anne Boleyn payed the ultimate price for her relationship with the king. She died accused of adultery, incest and witchcraft, and yet she said nothing at the scaffold, when she  prayed  ‘God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never’. [10] Even her enemies, like Chapuys, did not believe in her guilt ;

‘You never saw a prince or husband show or wear his horns more patiently and lightly than this one does.’[11]

Anne Boleyn died innocent. For many years to come her name was slandered and malicious rumours were spread about her. She was a brave woman who lived in a very difficult times. She proved that woman can be equal to a man. Today she is remembered and celebrated not only in England, but also in the whole world.

Elizabeth of York was a daughter of Elizabeth Woodville, the first-born English queen consort. While her mother was perceived as a social-climber and was unpopular among her contemporaries, Elizabeth of York was less controversial. She was humble and beloved by people because she endured many tribulations during her life. She was born a royal princess but when her father died she was deemed a bastard. As a teenager she fled to sanctuary with her mother and sisters and when she finally emerged from seclusion in 1484, she found herself being admired by her own uncle, Richard III (or at least this is what the contemporary rumours were saying). She was also the sister of two Princes in the Tower whose fate remains unknown. When Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth, Elizabeth married Henry Tudor and became a mother of the new dynasty.

This book is a fascinating glimpse into the life of Elizabeth of York. Amy Licence combed obscure sources for hitherto unknown insights and has written them into a cohesive history. The daily reality of Elizabeth of York is portrayed very well: everything is described so vividly that I could almost see what Elizabeth saw and heard, tasted, smelt. I learned a great deal of interesting details from this queen’s life. Who knew that she was involved in designing the royal gardens or that she gave money in return for presents of apples and oranges? My favourite part of the book was chapter entitled ‘A Year in the Life, 1502-3′ where Elizabeth’s expenses are outlined and discussed. What a great insight into her life! Plus I really loved the selection of pictures for this book.

Amy Licence is an historian of women’s lives in the medieval and early modern period and it really shows in the way she has dealt with her subject. She was very enthusiastic and sympathetic towards Elizabeth of York and managed to bring Elizabeth back to life, showing us the world the first Tudor queen consort lived in. What I really enjoyed about this book is that it tells you the story of a Elizabeth from a completely different angle: there are so many interesting details from every-day life at court and from the history of women, that it is really hard to put this book down. Amy Licence’s books are like a breath of fresh air, and I am definitely going to read everything and anything from this author. I highly recommended this book for all Tudor enthusiasts.

Thank you for a great read, Amberley Publishing!

“JANE SEYMOUR”

Jane Seymour is an interesting character because she is remembered chiefly as Henry VIII’s most beloved wife who gave him a son. Considering that Henry’s two previous wives were abandoned due to the inability of having a male child, Jane is the one who succeeded where her predecessors (and successors) have failed. Unfortunately, Jane Seymour died shortly after the birth and we don’t know if she would have become more powerful or decisive had she survived.

There is not much known about the short life of Jane Seymour, but David Loades did a great job sketching Jane’s life at court, her relationship with her family and royal husband. I especially enjoyed the section where author discusses Jane’s relations with her predecessor, Anne Boleyn. Because Jane was Anne’s maid-of-honour (just as Anne was Catherine of Aragon’s maid), there was a lot of tension between the two women, especially when it became obvious that Henry VIII fell in love with Jane.

David Loades puts emphasis on Jane Seymour’s origins, family (especially two famous brothers and a son who became Edward VI) and career at court.  It is a good book about a woman who is largely overlooked and often dismissed as dull.

“HENRY VIII”

The book starts with discussing Henry VIII’s family and background, his father’s claim to the throne and victory at the battle of Bosworth, Henry’s education and interesting details about his early life. The young Henry’s character is extensively covered as well so we learn about his love for all kinds of sports, his intellectual pursuits and his passion for the tradition of courtly love. There are several chapters covering the wars during Henry VIII’s reign so if you are looking for a political/military biography this most likely will be your cup of tea. If, from the other hand, you would like to learn more about Henry VIII as a person, you will find interesting chapters as well. Loades details Henry’s relationship with his subsequent wives and discusses their impact on his character and politics.

1)   Welcome to Queen Anne Boleyn Website! Could you share with us a little about yourself and your background?

I am an English writer of English historical fiction. My work spans the Tudor, Georgian and Victorian eras – but I like to explore the whole area of dreams and the unconscious as well as the facts and events of history. What people thought and imagined is every bit as important, I feel, as what they actually did – and so I try to convey this aspect of the past as much as possible in my stories.

2)   I have finished “The Arrow Chest” and I was impressed with your style of writing and ability of blending histories. How did you get an idea of writing about Anne Boleyn’s story set in Victorian background?

There are already so many novels and films about Anne Boleyn that I wanted to come up with something fresh.  And because I wanted to explore the psychological and emotional dynamics between the characters that surrounded her during her tragically short life I decided to loosen up and move the whole story forward into a different era. Victorian Gothic (19^th century) is a perfect place to put Henry VIII and Anne because the Victorian age has lots of parallels to that of the Tudor periods. There were powerful men – ‘kings’ in their own right. There were beautiful elegant women, and there were the fabulous poets and painters of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. So it was not difficult to find placements for Anne, Henry and for Thomas Wyatt in that kind of environment. But it was also a suitable match because it was a time which underwent its own very powerful crisis of faith and identity – similar to that experienced at the time of the Reformation of the 16^th century. The Victorians had the advent of Darwin’s theory of evolution, and the threat this held for the established Church. The horrors of Anne’s execution and the sinister plots that festered in the background at the time of her fall also fit perfectly into a Gothic setting. The author and reader are then both liberated in a sense to explore and speculate about what might really have taken place, not in a sense of dry facts and events, but on a deeper, more fundamental level of raw emotion.

3)  Amos and Daphne are linked to Thomas Wyatt and Anne Boleyn; are they also a combination of other historical figures?

One could draw parallels with a much older generation – of Lancelot and Gwenevere, for example, at the court of King Arthur. There was a strong code of chivalric conduct in those times, or at least in the legend. There was a strict hierarchy in society and a precise way in which one was supposed to behave. In The Arrow Chest, the main protagonist, Amos, strives to find a solution to the situation he finds himself in through embracing the cult of the ‘English Gentleman’ which, in itself, embraced some of the principles of knightly conduct from those much older times. In fact the Victorians were very fond of exploring the realm of medieval culture. The poems of Tennyson, the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites – all these looked to the past for inspiration as to how to live an honourable and dignified life amid all the distractions and temptations of the contemporary world, which for the Victorians were ones of unprecedented industrialisation and commercialisation accompanied what they perceived as a moral and spiritual decline.

4)   The illustration on the cover of “The Arrow Chest” is very beautiful – it is called “Daphne” by Amos Roselli. But Amos is a fictional character, so who created the cover?

Thank you, Sylwia! Because you have said how much you liked it, I shall claim full responsibility for it myself  

Robert Parry

5)   It is three years since your debut novel “The Virgin and the Crab” was launched. How do you feel about your writing career now after 3 years and two released books?

Still very excited by it all. I love the whole process of seeing a project through from start to finish (like that cover, for example). It is a wonderful time in the publishing world at present. Quite a revolution going on with e-readers and self-publishing and so on. The author has never had more freedom to express his/herself, and the reader has never had such a wide choice of titles and genres to choose from, from classics to modern experimental – it’s all there at our fingertips to interact with, to enjoy and to explore. I get a huge buzz from running my Facebook page and my blog, as well, and speaking with my readers online. It’s just a miracle, really, and such good fun.

6)   When did you first become interested in writing? 

During my early twenties. I have been writing continuously since then. I enjoy it immensely.

7)   When and where do you write?

I always admire those writers who say they rise at dawn, leap out of bed and type out a thousand words before breakfast. But I just cannot do that. I like to write a little later in the day, and especially at night. The darkness is wasted unless it is used for some kind of creative activity. Best of all, though, come the Summer months, is to work from my ‘outdoor office’ – that is, my bench out in the garden. I love to take the laptop out there, and I have a table too, and write in the fresh air. I suppose most of us dislike being stuck inside at a desk when the sun is shining. I am a very keen gardener, and so in-between paragraphs I often get up and walk around and do a spot of weeding or watch our newts cavorting in the pond.

8)   What kind of research process to you usually undertake before/during writing a novel?

For my first novel, Virgin and the Crab, I had to do things the hard way, visiting libraries and historic sites, because there was no internet then – or at least not an internet as we know it today. For The Arrow Chest, however, it was a little easier to work online for research purposes. I am also fortunate in having lived and worked most of my life in and around London and the South-East of England where so many of the historical sites are still to be found. And I feel I have a strong link to the past through my Grandparents, who were Victorians/Edwardians, in fact. The London I grew up in was still a place that was closely connected in atmosphere and social structure to the London of their times – and even to earlier periods. I hope this gives a certain authenticity to the stories.

9)   How do you organize your facts and plots? Do you have a note-taking system, chart or other means of controlling the information, or is it all in your head?

Always the first serious attempt at writing a story is, for me, preceded by taking up a very large piece of graph paper. I write a timeline along one side of it – all the significant dates of events, battles, kings and queens and so on. And then along the other side, I plot the story itself, as experienced from the perspective of the characters. I like to see the big picture that this provides, and I refer to it constantly during the early stages. That way, too, no one gets stranded in places where they are not meant to be.

10)   What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Everyone has a story inside, and it should be expressed – but not everyone who reads it will find it interesting. Keep going until you can make it interesting. Be modest in your ambitions, therefore, at least at first, and no matter how unlikely it seems, try to recognize that what you write at the outset will most likely not be what you will finish up with many years later. Then, once you have something that you are happy with, keep going and don’t give up.

11)   Are you currently working on any new novels?

Yes, my third novel, which is set in the 18^th century England at the time of the Jacobite rebellion. That is the historical backdrop, anyway – but the story is really all about a set of fictitious characters who happen to become caught up in it all. It is very different to the previous two stories, just as they were different to each other. I hope to be announcing the title and cover design soon.

12)   And last but not least, is there anything else you would like your readers to know about you or your upcoming projects?

Just that I hope to keep finding fresh ways of exploring the way people lived and thought about themselves in the past. I believe that is important – because it helps us to understand who we are today.

Today we have a guest post by Emily Pooley, creator of Anne Boleyn’s beautiful wax work that is currently on display at Hever Castle. Emily kindly agreed to write an article about her interest in Anne Boleyn and how this wonderful wax figure was made. Enjoy!

Le temps viendra.

– by Emily Pooley, technical and special effects artist for television, film and live events.

At this moment, I am sipping a cup of tea looking out of my parent’s office window to the bottom of garden where I would sit for hours with my best friend Holly, patiently carving sticks into stakes -ready for our first encounter with vampires on our next trip to the woods down the road. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was an idol of ours you see – 6:30pm, BBC2, telly on full volume for the intro music. We would train for hours, using the swing as an assault course, passing levels that we would invent.. preparing ourselves. When we created a sufficiently sharp point.. off we went. Deep into the woods.

What, I hear you cry, has this got to do with Anne Boleyn? Buffy was my first encounter with a strong and independent female role model. We were inspired and empowered enough to come face-to-face with a pointy-toothed demon and fight to the death. Of course, there was never any real threat and I have since been dragged kicking and screaming into the serious world of adulthood.. and I found myself looking to a real lady for inspiration, with an incredibly powerful story.

When our GCSE exams were over (finding that miraculously my method of cramming in as much research into the night before actually worked) it was time to plan ahead – what on earth was I going to do!? Like a large number of girls my age, my first port of call was: Vet. But after spending a long week of work experience at a veterinary clinic, clearing up ‘presents’ from the animals as they called it, the reality of work really set in. Don’t worry, Anne is near – ‘le temps viendra’ people!

I sat at home flicking through prospectuses for colleges deflated and racking my brains. This was interrupted by my weekly unmissable dose of Doctor Who. Again, full volume for the intro. Next came Doctor Who confidential on BBC Three courtesy of our brand new digibox, where Neill Gorton talked through the creation of one of his prosthetic monster make-ups. It suddenly dawned on me that people actually made a living out of making these things! This would be the programme that would set me on a path to a career in special effects in television and film.

So off I trotted to Art College and then on to Wimbledon University of Art for my degree in Technical Arts and Special effects.

In cometh Anne Boleyn.

It was shortly after I had completed my second year that Anne Boleyn and I became good friends. We had been acquaintances for a number of years as Hever was my place of choice to visit when my parents were looking for a way to entertain my brother and I without covering the house with PVA glue and tissue paper – as was the norm. We had also met briefly through the pages of the Horrible History books (the new CBBC series is a hilarious watch may I add!) History has also fascinated me, the clothing, the rituals, the drama. Third year rolled around and we were finally permitted to create a project of our own choice. Without a doubt, there was only one person who would be joining me.

I looked for yet more inspiration with another great historical female figure. Marie Tussaud had a mix of rich history with breathtakingly detailed technical and special effects – just the thing I was after. My ambitious aim, albeit it made naively when considering the technicalities, was now to create my own life sized waxwork of my beloved Anne Boleyn.

As with any model, before you can touch any clay you must know and more importantly understand your subject. Especially when a well-known personality or historical figure is concerned. This meant living with my old friend Anne Boleyn for the summer, making her a new outfit to keep her on side. I read as many books as I could but having always struggled with reading (I can read a page without taking any of it in) I only focused on Anne’s coronation with most books.. not due to lack of interest, but rather a complete fascination with the beginning of her story. This is what I knew I wanted to portray with my model. I watched every movie and television adaptation or documentary on Anne that I could find – Degree’s can be such hard work – and used this research to begin my 5000 word dissertation describing the positive and negative portrayals of her throughout the decades.

Next, I had to decide my own take on her. Although I have always been an avid Boleynian I wanted to stay quite neutral in my representation of her, and instead use my figure to tell her story through symbols and props a technique that old Tudor portrait artists had mastered. Once a design and maquette was created, I was to look for a life model to work from. My friend Laura worked next to me at university and bared an uncanny resemblance to my absolute favourite depiction of Anne’s image – Holbien’s sketch. Once I had cornered her and badgered her into sitting for me, I began recording her details.

This process involves drawing a large number dots on the face at keys points like the tip of the nose and tragus (the little sticky out bit above your earlobe.) Photographs are taken of the model from 360 degrees and the points on the face are measured and recorded using calipers. These are all extremely useful reference materials when sculpting and ensure that you can get an accurate a likeness as possible, especially when you don’t have the model to work from.

When sculpting, you need a strong and sturdy armature frame to support your clay. This meant welding – my nemesis. Once the armature is bent into position, finally, the sculpting can begin. This is the process I love the most. Since a kid, I have always had the desire to shape clay into objects and creatures. Luckily enough, I came across a natural clay pit whilst out staking vampires. This meant an endless supply of creatures, props and pots turned up in the house of my poor unsuspecting parents. Much to their delight of course.

Over a number of weeks, the body is built up – constantly referring to the reference material and measurements. Measuring has always been my weakness, so at one point – I had to operate on Anne and give her a leg extension, cutting them off and hoisting the armature up. The ruler changes length every time I swear! The body and head are roughly built up together, until the stage where the head needs to be refined.

This meant the amusing task of removing Anne’s head – a process that caused a number of opportunistic comical photos with myself and my classmates. I apologized to Anne, and lopped through her neck with a cheese cutter (clay wire to the pro’s.) I shuddered, thinking of the actual day of Anne’s execution, and that night watched a docudrama by the BBC called ‘The Execution of Anne Boleyn’. The horror of her final days struck right through me as I remembered my reasoning for the creation of my model: to tell her incredible story and to somehow do her justice by bringing her back to life. I became a lot more serious about her after this day. I worked on her head at home, spending whole days locked in my room, often forgetting to eat. As payback for making fun of her – she made my life very difficult. At this point I was juggling my dissertation with a few days until the deadline, with the impending day of finishing and moulding her head. She also decided to fall over a week after I got her body out of the mould – splitting the resin cast along the seams and causing a number of repairs. We didn’t talk for days.

But alas, the sculpt had been finished and moulding was complete – the hands were the only section of the model that I had life cast, a technique that Madame Tussaud’s also follow. A plaster waste mould was used for the body and a fiberglass resin cast was pulled out. For the head, I used a flexible silicone jacket mould, which meant pulling a delicate wax cast out would be a lot easier.

I decided to give Anne her infamous 6th finger.. not to make fun or to create a monster (I didn’t want to fall out with her again) but to describe the attacks on her image shortly after her death. Of course, the extra finger most likely did not exist, but I wanted to stir up a bit of debate amongst people who saw her – get people talking about her story again. It was great to hear a conversation at my show on this exact subject: ‘Look she has an extra finger!’ ‘Yes, but she didn’t actually have an extra finger.. it was made up by the Catholics’… ‘But I heard it was a friend that gave a description of it?’… bingo. Of course, Hever had me remove it – much to my pleasure.

Finally, Anne and I had made it to the final hurdle. Once the eyes had been burned into the wax, and the eyebrow hair punched in – I repositioned her head. She looked at me approvingly. All had been forgiven.

Painting her was more of a relaxation process than anything… all of the hard work was completed, now it was time to make her pretty and get her ready for her first party. Finally, I popped her new shift and corset on that I had won her over with the previous summer and fitted her wig. I left her hair down, as she did – a fashionable one was our Anne!

Success! After a year long friendship, with ups and downs and a hell of a lot of hard graft, patience and may I add £1000 in material – I finally stood next to the infamous Anne Boleyn. I had placed her in front of a mirror so that her reflection mimicked many of her alleged portraits – Holbein’s sketch included. I stood beside her and read the words surrounding the frame: ‘Le Temps Viendra’ – the time will come. The infamous words written by Anne in her copy of the Book of Hours that I had read on tip-toes through a pain of glass at Hever as a girl. These words had stuck with me constantly throughout the project. The time will come when all my hard work would pay off and I could relax and show her off to industry professionals and my long suffering friends and family at the show…. The time would come also when I had to say goodbye, and let her go home.

I had been so wrapped up in her story and so concerned with actually finishing her for the show, that I hadn’t given a second thought to what I would do with her once she was here! She spent many weeks in my bed at my family home.. she always won when I came to visit – I got the couch. I began contacting castles to see if she could come and live with them, not once thinking that Hever would be remotely interested. Chance would have it though, that my mum had a close friend who worked at Hever and passed on my details. Next thing I knew it, I was walking with Anne’s head tucked neatly in a box under my arm, walking through the back corridors of the offices at Hever. I whispered to her so that the Lady I was following didn’t here.. ‘welcome home.’

It feels very strange to talk about her again after so long. So much has happened since I parted with her last year. I have been very lucky to land a full time job doing what I love, two days after I took my degree show down and recently worked on the Churchill dog for the insurance commercials. I have a lot to owe her.

I would like to thank the people who have taken the time out of their busy lives to contact me about my waxwork and indeed to read my mad babblings – congratulations if you made it this far! It is such a joy to talk to people about the stuff you love, and for an artist it is the best feeling in the world to know that someone else enjoys your work. It is also great to keep tabs on how Anne is getting on on her own. We were reunited when the exhibition opened – it was such a strange feeling to stand in front of her, wearing an absolutely stunning outfit that someone has made for her (feeling slightly jealous of their relationship). But it is great to see her living her own life.

I feel so privileged to have had the time with her and be able to bring Anne Boleyn home. Please say hello from me if you get a chance to meet her!

]]> http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/le-temps-viendra-by-emily-pooley-the-creator-of-anne-boleyns-waxwork/feed/ 1 http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/review-of-the-arrow-chest-by-robert-parry/ http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/review-of-the-arrow-chest-by-robert-parry/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:27:17 +0000 Sylwia http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/?p=211 “London, 1876. The painter Amos Roselli is in love with his life-long friend and model, the beautiful Daphne – and she with him – until one day she is discovered by another man, a powerful and wealthy industrialist. What will happen when Daphne realises she has sacrificed her happiness to a loveless marriage? What will happen when the artist realises he has lost his most cherished source of inspiration? And how will they negotiate the ever-increasing frequency of strange and bizarre events that seem to be driving them inexorably towards self-destruction. Here, amid the extravagant Neo-Gothic culture of Victorian England, the iconic poem ‘The Lady of Shalott’ blends with mysterious and ghostly glimpses of Tudor history. Romantic, atmospheric and deeply dark.”

Captivating. Mysterious. Delightful.

I was lucky to receive my copy of “The Arrow Chest” from Robert Parry himself (signed!) and I was not disappointed. I started reading immediately when I received it and – it was a magnificent read! The whole story is set in Victorian England, but there are glimpses on Tudor era – and that was what caught my attention.

 The main character is handsome painter, Amos Roselli who comes to the Tower of London to sketch the remains of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s ill-fated wife who was beheaded back in 1536. There, sketching the remains of a woman who was a legend in her own times, Amos finds out about her story and from now on he will be seeing Anne Boleyn in many different places…or will he?

Amos, a struggling artist is a very talented man and soon he gets a commission that can open many doors for him. Wealthy industrialist, Oliver Ramsey, has hired Amos Roselli to paint his own portrait. Oliver’s wife is Amos’s former sweetheart and muse – Daphne is beautiful, enigmatic and she adores Amos. Amos soon learns from Daphne, that her marriage is far from being happy. Oliver Ramsey is a tyrant of a man who does not cherish his beautiful wife. He desires a son – male heir who would inherit all his wealth. Oliver watches Daphne and Amos closely, because he knows that they used to be good friends – after all Oliver met Daphne in Amos’s studio.

Many strange and rather mysterious events occur during Amos’s stay at Oliver Ramsey’s house. A mysterious lady keeps appearing and disappearing leaving Amos puzzled and even frightened. Who is she? Why does she look just like his beloved Daphne?

The story is paralleled with the story of Anne Boleyn. Do you see how? Amos Roselli is a love-struck poet Thomas Wyatt, a childhood friend of Anne Boleyn. Oliver Ramsey is no one else but Henry VIII. And Anne Boleyn? Well, Daphne is Anne Boleyn.

I found the book to be fascinating and mysterious. Robert Parry’s style of writing is incredible, almost like a poetry – the settings are very richly detailed and simply amazing. As the story progresses there are more and more parallels to Anne Boleyn and as a Tudor-maniac I smiled each time when I read something that reminded me of her.

Robert Parry took great care of details – I loved how Oliver Ramsey was the Lord Bowlend. When you read ‘Bowlend’ it sounds almost like ‘Boleyn’ and thus Daphne is Lady Bowlend (Lady Boleyn). There is a variety of characters in the novel, and they are all exquisite. Although the novel uses the Tudor parallel, it is not predictable – the question that haunted me when I was reading this breath-taking novel was; what will happen to Daphne? The conclusion was really great but I will not give it away – you will have to see for yourself.

Robert Parry’s “The Arrow Chest” is creative Gothic mystery full of suspense, with a Tudor twist. I heartily recommend it! I would like to thank Robert Parry for giving me a chance to read and review his beautiful novel – it was a pleasure.

]]> http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/review-of-the-arrow-chest-by-robert-parry/feed/ 2 http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/interview-with-d-l-bogdan-author-of-the-sumerton-women/ http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/interview-with-d-l-bogdan-author-of-the-sumerton-women/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:42:45 +0000 Sylwia http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/?p=202 I am happy to post my interview with D.L. Bogdan, author of “The Sumerton Women”, “Secrets at the Tudor Court” and “Rivals in the Tudor court”. “The Sumerton Women” launches today , so on this occasion I had a little talk with D.L. Bogdan. Enjoy!

Q : Welcome to Queen Anne Boleyn Website! Could you share with us a little about yourself and your background?

A : I am the proud wife of a very handsome retired US Navy Chief, and together we have a blended family of four, making our home in central WI.  I also am a trained pianist and vocalist—though I admit, much of that training was set aside when I discovered Janis Joplin, classic rock, and show tunes.  I still love to play and sing a very eclectic variety of music, however, and it is a great twin outlet to my writing.  I come from a strongly Chicagoan background and am the first of my family to be born in Wisconsin.  If you are not familiar with the area, there is a great rivalry between WI and its neighboring state of IL, so I have had to swear allegiance to both football teams—the Bears and the Packers!  It may just start a war yet . . .

 Q : I loved the characters and the storyline in “The Sumerton Women”. Are those characters based on real people/events?  

A : Most of the characters in THE SUMERTON WOMEN are of my own creation.  There are some, as I call them, “guest appearances” by historical figures, most prominently the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer.  The events that drive the conflict in the novel, such as the British Reformation and the ups and downs in Henry VIII’s and Edward VI’s England, are real.

 Q : When and how characters from your book became real in your imagination? When did you decide you will write this novel? 

A  : It was almost four years ago when I had the idea for this novel.  I wrote about a quarter of it, then put it aside when SECRETS…and RIVALS…got picked up, then returned to it when my editor asked if there were other Tudor era novels I was working on. Conveniently, THE SUMERTON WOMEN was there and waiting to be finished.  The characters ruminate within me for quite a while as I entertain scenes in my mind and develop them further.  I tend to get very wrapped up in my characters, whether they are my own or are historical figures, and the process can be quite intense.  They take up residence in my mind for the whole duration of the novel—and of course they never leave my heart.

 Q : You wrote two other historical novels set in the Tudor England. How did you become interested in this period of history? 

A : I am a lover of history, from the times before Christ right through the Vietnam era.  There are so many stories waiting to be told, about the people, the places, and the events that shaped them—everything a historical novelist needs.  The Tudor period is just one of my many fascinations.  I have always found the era to be filled with compelling historical figures faced with intense conflict and personal struggles that, despite the grand scale of the events they dealt with, are actually rather relatable.  I endeavored to cover areas within the now-familiar Tudor story that are a little less documented and breathe life into characters and situations that have been a bit overlooked.

 Q : What is your favorite Tudor character? 

A : I have a couple.  I must say the Third Duke of Norfolk is one of them.  He was a villain, true, but after researching him I could understand a bit more of what may have played into the development of his mind-set.  Though it didn’t justify his actions, it made him no less fascinating as a person.  I also have developed a fondness for Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury.  I found him to be a truly kind person with sincere motives to reform the Church at that time.

 Q : Can you tell us what sort of research process did you undergo for this novel? 

A : As most of the characters were my own, along with Sumerton as a setting, most of my research dealt with the Reformation and policy made during the reigns of Henry VIII and his son Edward VI.  It was interesting learning more about medieval nunneries, monastic discipline, and how closely politics walked with the religion of the day.

 Q : Do you outline your story first or are you more of a go-with-the-flow type?

A: I do have a very rough version of my novels outlined, not chapter by chapter, but very informal to work off of.  It goes through many transformations along the way, and often the pitching synopsis I write after the novel’s completion evolves into something much different than its original concept.

 Q : What is a typical working day like for you? Do you set a daily writing goal?  

A : Often I work at night.  In my house, with kids and animals and the responsibilities those entail, I find it most peaceful, though when my son is in school I have been writing in the early afternoons as well lately.  When I am under deadline I do have a writing goal of 5 pages a day, which is about 2,000 words or so.  When I’m not on deadline, however, I just write with my inspiration—which sometimes takes a bit of coaxing, but admittedly is the most enjoyable way to write.

 Q : How do you organize your facts and plots? Do you have a note-taking system, chart or other means of controlling the information, or is it all in your head? 

A : My facts I have noted or highlighted and are usually sitting in piles of books and notebooks beside me when I’m working.  I did once chart out a complete battle scene that I ended up deleting, so I don’t often use charts unless it is family trees.  My plot, unless I am working under the stricture of a real historical figure and the framework their life provides, is often in my head and on my first working synopsis.  It changes so much as it goes, when new research is uncovered or when I feel something else suits the characters more or will drive the story in a better, more compelling direction, that I never want to be locked into too rigid of an outline.

 Q : When and where do you write? 

A : This year my husband remodeled one of the bedrooms of our house into my first office.  I used to write in my rocking chair, with all of my books and notes surrounding me, which didn’t make for a very tidy spot!  So now it is all in one lovely, inspiring room that I can escape to, a world all the more meaningful since my husband built it with such love and the desire for me to have a quiet, peaceful working environment.

 Q : When did you first become interested in writing? 

A : As soon as I learned how to read.  I was always making up stories and daydreaming, carried away to other worlds.  The more I read, the more I wanted to write.  I began my first serious pursuit when I was 16 but didn’t begin pitching my work to agents till I was in my twenties.  It is a passion and a compulsion, something I’ll do regardless of whether I continue to be published or not, but I figured it was time to see if anyone else would believe in my work as much as I did.  I was very blessed to find and agent and editor who did so.

 Q : What advice would you give aspiring writers? 

A: To never give up or become discouraged.  Keep submitting your work to agents no matter how many rejections you get.  The more rejections you get, the better the story will be for later!  Writing can be an isolating profession, so networking with other authors is important, especially those who are established and can guide you through the bittersweet journey.  Never write hoping for wealth; write for passion and the love of your story and characters.  Be assertive but respectful, make your voice heard, and keep at it!

 Q : If “The Sumerton Women” gained a movie deal, who would you choose to play the main characters? 

A : Whenever I’m picturing my characters, I often pick actors/actresses from different time periods, so some of my dream cast would have to be resurrected.  But it would be fun to see Dianna Agron in the role of Cecily and Jennifer Lawrence as Mirabella.  Thorsten Kaye would make an excellent Father Alec but Hal . . . sadly I can’t see him as anyone but a young Richard Harris!

 Q : Are you currently working on any new novels? 

A: I am!  There are always ideas circling, it’s just finding which one is speaking to me the loudest at the time.

 Q: And last but not least, is there anything else you would like your readers to know about you or your upcoming projects? 

A: I have another work coming out in 2013 that I will be excited to disclose as soon as I am able to.  After that I would like to branch out to other eras and truly hope I can engage readers to follow me on my journey as I hope to keep growing and evolving as a writer.  If you would like to ride along, please check out my website at www.dlbogdan.com and blog at www.dlbogdan.blogspot.com  I’m also on facebook and twitter @DL_Bogdan.

 Q : Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule. 

A: Thank you, Sylwia!  It was a delight!

]]> http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/interview-with-d-l-bogdan-author-of-the-sumerton-women/feed/ 2 http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/review-the-sumerton-women-by-d-l-bogdan/ http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/review-the-sumerton-women-by-d-l-bogdan/#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:40:26 +0000 Sylwia http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/?p=181

The Sumerton Women

I was lucky enough to receive signed copy of D.L. Bogdan’s “Sumerton Women” before the novel’s release date (24 April 2012) and today I am going to post my review. Here is book’s description from Amazon:

“Orphaned at age eight, Lady Cecily Burkhart becomes the ward of Harold Pierce, Earl of Sumerton. Lord Hal and his wife, Lady Grace, welcome sweet-natured Cecily as one of their own. With Brey, their young son, Cecily develops an easy friendship. But their daughter, Mirabella, is consumed by her religious vocation – and by her devotion to Father Alec Cahill, the family priest and tutor. As Henry VIII’s obsession with Anne Boleyn leads to violent religious upheaval, Mirabella is robbed of her calling and the future Cecily dreamed of is ripped away in turn. Cecily struggles to hold together the fractured household while she and Father Alec grapple with a dangerous mutual attraction. Plagued with jealousy, Mirabella unleashes a tumultuous chain of events that threatens to destroy everyone around her, even as the kingdom is torn apart…”

Hm, where do I start? First of all – “The Sumerton Women” is now officially my favourite historical novel so far. It has everything – great storyline, vivid characters and historical background.

Lady Cecily Burkhart’s parents died due to Sweating Sickness that ravaged England in 1527. Orphaned as an eight-year-old girl, Cecily becomes ward to the Pierce family. Although Cecily grieves after her beloved parents, she quickly adapts to new environment and she grows to love her new family. She becomes a spark of sunshine in Pierce’s life, and although at the beginning they seem a happy family, Cecily slowly discovers their dark and painful secrets.

Lord Harold ‘Hal’ Pierce, The Earl of Sumerton, is a kind and loving man. He shares an uneasy relationship with his wife Grace, who drowns her sorrows in wine. Their marriage is strained by a painful secret, but I will not reveal what kind of secret it is – I don’t want to spoil your joy of reading the story.

Then there are Hal’s and Grace’s children; Cecily’s age-mate Brey and consumed with desire to become a nun Mirabella. Brey is a lively child who quickly develops friendship with Cecily. Mirabella from the other hand is a quick witted girl, so intensely devoted to Church, resenting all the earthly joys. And finally there is Father Alec Cahill, the children’s beloved tutor and family’s spiritual support. He is a young priest who develops an interest in so called New Learning that quickly spreads though England as the King Henry VIII’s love for Anne Boleyn increases.

As an heiress of huge fortune and lands, Cecily becomes engaged to Brey. They develop a beautiful friendship and once Cecily realizes how happy she will be as Brey’s future wife, she finds her inner peace and stability. But when the tragedy strucks, everything changes for Cecily and the whole Pierce family. Now, I would like to avoid describing the events in the book, but I am telling you – the story is so wonderful and so surprising at times, that you will easily get soaked into it!

D.L.Bogdan’s novel has so many layers – you think you know how the story will develop, but when it unfolds before your eyes many new twists and turns are leaving you astonished and craving for more! This book is a real page-turner and I must say that D.L. Bogdan created a beautiful tale about eternal love, friendship, pain, betrayal, passion and simple, human need of being loved.

The novel is very carefully researched – I loved D.L. Bogdan’s portrayal of the Tudor court. There are glimpses at Anne Boleyn, woman who stirred so many emotions – from Cecily’s admiration to Mirabella’s hatred. Later in the novel, Father Alec joins Archbishop Cranmer’s household and it was a wonderful chance to learn about Cranmer’s views through Father Alec’s eyes. What I love about this novel is the fact, that we are able to see many Tudor characters though eyes of novel characters. For example; Cecily admires Anne Boleyn’s strength while Mirabella is burning with hatred against New Learning and Anne herself.

 “The Summerton Women” is a great read, and simply magnificent family saga set in a time of crucial changes in the reign of the Tudor kings. D.L. Bogdan’s style of writing is amazing – she pays such a close attention to details! The settings were described so vividly that I almost felt the smell of fresh country air, and with eyes of my imagination I was able to see the Sumerton Castle. Characters were living their own life on pages of this novel, and I literally felt part of their family. Lady Cecily matured before my eyes – from an orphaned girl she became a lady in her own right, a wife and a mother. Cecily is such a lovable character!  Other characters are also very enjoyable and I must say that two of them deserve a special mention – Mirabella who hides her own desires under the façade of divine calling, and Father Alec who is an intelligent and kind man. Every single character in this book has its own story to tell.

In the end of the novel I felt quite sad because it was over. When I finished reading, I felt as if a dear friend was departing. This is how powerful impact this beautiful story had on me. I found it really fascinating that the lives of fictional characters ware intertwined with life of real historic figures. We have a glimpse on Anne Boleyn, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, Jane Seymour, Lady Mary Tudor, Robert Aske, even king Henry VIII himself, and many more.

“The Summerton Women” will be published April 24 2012. I heartily recommend you this amazing novel!  Here I would like to thank D.L. Bogdan for giving me a chance to read her novel before it’s release date.

And a few words about Author…                                     

D.L. Bogdan is an acclaimed author of historical novels. Before “The Sumerton Women” she wrote two other books: “Rivals in the Tudor Court” about Thomas Howard, the 3d Duke of Norfolk and “Secrets of the Tudor Court” about Mary Howard, Anne Boleyn’s cousin. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, four children and few pets. For those of you who are interested in getting to know  D.L. Bogdan  better I have a very good news – soon I will publish interview with her on my website!

]]> http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/review-the-sumerton-women-by-d-l-bogdan/feed/ 0 http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/anne-boleyn-and-witchcraft/ http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/anne-boleyn-and-witchcraft/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:30:07 +0000 Sylwia http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/?p=175

Helena Bonham Carter as Anne Boleyn

The anniversary of Anne Boleyn’s death is approaching so I’ve decided to take a closer look on events that occurred before Anne’s death. One of the most popular myths about Henry VIII’s second wife is her alleged involvement with witchcraft.

It all started with Imperial ambassador’s report. Eustace Chapuys, always ready to report anything that about Anne Boleyn, wrote that Henry VIII told one of his courtiers that he;

‘made this marriage seduced and constrained by sortileges and for this reason he held the said marriage void and that God had demonstrated this in not allowing them to have male heirs and that he considered that he could take another.’

How Chapuys did come to such knowledge? Henry VIII’s  first cousin,  Marquis of Exeter who was in touch with ambassador, reported that the king confided this information in one of his courtiers. What was the meaning of the king’s words? It is all dependant if we are reading it in original language in which Chapuys reported them. Eric Ives wonders;

“Thus, did Henry use the term ‘sortilege’, or was the word provided en route? Even if Henry did use the noun, since its primary English meaning was ‘divination’ and since Henry spoke in the same breath of male heirs, the simple construction is that he was referring to the premarital predictions that union with Anne would produce sons”. (p. 298)

Professor Ives also adds that the word ‘sortilege’ could meant also occult practices, but ;

“in usual parlance ‘bewitched’ meant no more than ‘deceived’ – as in Tyndale’s 1526 New Testament: ‘Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?” (p. 298)

But did the word ‘bewitched’ indicate that Anne Boleyn dabbled into witchcraft? The word ‘bewitched’ could offer two possible meanings; ‘fascinated’ or ‘enchanted’ in a supernatural way. Back in Anne Boleyn’s days, Eustace Chapuys used the word ‘enchanted’ to reflect how huge influence Anne had over Henry;

‘This accursed lady has so enchanted and bewitched him that he will not dare to do anything against her will.’

It is highly unlikely that Chapuys meant that Anne ‘bewitched’ Henry VIII in a supernatural way. He believed that she used her womanly charms to influence the king.

During Anne’s trial no accusations about her dabbling in witchcraft had been made. 50 years after her death, Nicolas Sander in his book “The Rise and Growth of Anglican Schism” wrote about Anne’s abnormalities like sixth finger, moles, huge wen under her chin and projecting tooth. But he wrote also that back in January 1536 Anne miscarried a deformed foetus.

Of course those are words of a recusant Catholic who blamed Anne Boleyn for the spread of reformation in England, but it were Sander’s untrue remarks that later spread across the world forming ‘the black legend of Anne Boleyn’ as I call it. Even today many people believe that Anne Boleyn really had six fingers, or that the child she lost in January 1536 was deformed. And people link those myths with witchcraft.  Abnormalities and deformed children were associated with God’s displeasure over certain person, or – that this person was dabbling into black arts. Witches were associated with deformities of their bodies, unnatural lustful behaviour, abominable sexual practices, or hurting other people by using evil ‘spells’. They could cause death, weather change or even impotence in males. But there is no evidence that Anne Boleyn was deformed in any way, or that she gave birth to a deformed baby. No such thing was mentioned during her trial or the trial of 5 men that were accused along her.

So, Anne Boleyn was never accused of witchcraft. When Henry VIII made a remark that he ‘made this marriage seduced and constrained by sortileges’ he probably exaggerated or merely meant that Anne promised him male heir and failed at this task. Whatever the king said or meant – Anne Boleyn certainly was no witch and witchcraft was not used against her during her trial.

]]> http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/anne-boleyn-and-witchcraft/feed/ 3 http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/why-was-anne-boleyn-buried-in-an-arrow-chest/ http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/why-was-anne-boleyn-buried-in-an-arrow-chest/#comments Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:18:48 +0000 Sylwia http://www.anne-boleyn.com/eng/?p=165

Anne Boleyn's resting place

Anne Boleyn was executed on 19 May 1536. Although the executioner from Calais was ordered even before she was tried and found guilty, no one took care of a proper burial for Anne Boleyn. After she was decapitated with a French sword, her distressed ladies wrapped the late queen’s head and body into a cloth and buried her in an arrow chest within the walls of St. Peter Ad Vincula chapel.

But why was Anne Boleyn buried in an arrow chest?

During her time as Henry VIII fiancée, Anne Boleyn was showered with magnificent gifts. As Retha M. Warnicke wrote in her book:

“Throughout 1530 Henry continued to purchase gifts for her, often for her amusement, as, for example, a shaft, bows, arrows and a shooting glove in May. Archery was a sport she seems to have especially enjoyed, since additional bows were obtained for her. “(p. 96)

Henry VIII loved hunting and Anne Boleyn shared his passion. But Henry loved hunting also in a symbolic meaning – he loved to chase the ladies of the court. And he chased Anne Boleyn for almost a year before she finally surrendered, and agreed to become his wife. For the whole year the king was “stricken with the dart of love”.

Henry’s love for Anne Boleyn caused him many frustrations.  He was consumed with passion that was fuelled with Anne’s refusal.  He wanted her and no other woman. But she was playing him to her own advantage, or perhaps she hoped that the king will soon forget about her and find a new mistress. In any case, even when Anne withdrew herself from the court life, the king was eager to have her. In one of his letters he wrote:

“(…) and, that you may the oftener remember me, I send you by this bearer, a buck killed late last night by my hand, hoping, when you eat of it, you will think on the hunter (…)”

The symbolic meaning of hunt played a huge part in Henry’s courtship. When Anne’s ardent admirer, love-struck poet Thomas Wyatt had to back off when he realized that his rival was Henry VIII himself, he wrote a poem comparing his beloved Anne Boleyn to a hunted deer.

Henry VIII was a hunter literally and symbolically. Did he want to play one last cruel joke on his once beloved Anne Boleyn? It is really sad that such a remarkable woman ended buried in unmarked grave, inside the arrow chest that once contained bow-staves for Ireland.

Author of the book “The Arrow Chest”, Robert Parry made a great point about Henry VIII and his association with archer-god Apollo. In his novel, Robert Parry relates to Anne Boleyn’s tragic death – but he moves the story from Tudor to Victorian England. The description from Amazon says:

“London, 1876. The painter Amos Roselli is in love with his life-long friend and model, the beautiful Daphne – and she with him – until one day she is discovered by another man, a powerful and wealthy industrialist. What will happen when Daphne realises she has sacrificed her happiness to a loveless marriage? What will happen when the artist realises he has lost his most cherished source of inspiration? And how will they negotiate the ever-increasing frequency of strange and bizarre events that seem to be driving them inexorably towards self-destruction. Here, amid the extravagant Neo-Gothic culture of Victorian England, the iconic poem ‘The Lady of Shalott’ blends with mysterious and ghostly glimpses of Tudor history. Romantic, atmospheric and deeply dark.”

This book seems like a very interesting read and perhaps it offers a further explanation of the meaning of arrow chest. I have not yet had the pleasure of reading it, but I certainly will do it in the near future. If you have read “The Arrow Chest”  please let me know what do you think.

 Sources: 

Retha M. Warnicke, The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn

Peeking Between the Pages: Guest post by Robert Parry

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