The Fall of Anne Boleyn The day is May 1st, 1536, a great May Day celebration is taking place in the English royal court. Anne Boleyn, the second queen of Henry VIII sits next to her husband watching a joust. As she watches, she knows that she has failed to grant to her husband the only thing he desperately needs, a son. She had given birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, and miscarried twice, the most recent miscarriage had appeared to be of a boy. That miscarriage was the beginning of her downfall, her husband had lost interest in her and was courting one of her ladies in waiting, Jane Seymour. Once Henry completely lost interest in Anne, her enemies at court moved in to facilitate her fall. They made up lies about her and told them to the king.
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She once said to Henry Norris, a friend to the king who was trying to court one of Anne’s ladies in waiting, “You look for dead men’s shoes. For if [ harm was to come to ] the king [ . . . ] you would look to have me” (Ridgeway). The queen’s other ladies found her saying this surprising. Firstly, she had accused another man of desiring her, and secondly, she had spoken of the death of the King. Her or anyone eles speaking of Henry’s death was considered the highest of high treason in the eyes of English court members, therefore it could be used against her. Thomas Cromwell, one of Anne’s major rivals, made up lies about her based upon her behavior with certain men at court, it was claimed that she had been unfaithful to Henry with five other men: court musician Mark Smeaton, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton, Sir Henry Norris, and even Anne’s own brother Lord Rochfod. A famous poet, Sir Thomas Wyatt was also accused but later released from the tower (Bevan). Henry of course believed these lies because he wanted to be rid of Anne and would have done anything to get the job done, even if that job was accusing her of treason and
She once said to Henry Norris, a friend to the king who was trying to court one of Anne’s ladies in waiting, “You look for dead men’s shoes. For if [ harm was to come to ] the king [ . . . ] you would look to have me” (Ridgeway). The queen’s other ladies found her saying this surprising. Firstly, she had accused another man of desiring her, and secondly, she had spoken of the death of the King. Her or anyone eles speaking of Henry’s death was considered the highest of high treason in the eyes of English court members, therefore it could be used against her. Thomas Cromwell, one of Anne’s major rivals, made up lies about her based upon her behavior with certain men at court, it was claimed that she had been unfaithful to Henry with five other men: court musician Mark Smeaton, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton, Sir Henry Norris, and even Anne’s own brother Lord Rochfod. A famous poet, Sir Thomas Wyatt was also accused but later released from the tower (Bevan). Henry of course believed these lies because he wanted to be rid of Anne and would have done anything to get the job done, even if that job was accusing her of treason and