15 May 1536 - The trials of Queen Anne Boleyn and George Boleyn, Lord Rochford
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- Опубликовано: 13 май 2019
- On this day in 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn and her brother, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, were tried by a jury of their peers presided over by their own uncle, the Duke of Norfolk.
Did they have any hope of justice? What happened? What do the contemporary sources tell us? And what happened when George disobeyed an order?
Claire Ridgway, founder of the Anne Boleyn Files website, explains exactly what happened in today's video.
You can read an article about the trials at www.theanneboleynfiles.com/15...
Good on George for reading that note! It's like an 'F you' to those who were basically judicially murdering him
I guess they thought better him than themselves.
I'm glad he read the note out to everyone. I bet alot of people in the court didn't believe all this about Queen Anne her brother and the other men but would be too afraid to say anything and went along with it xx
Good for George for reading out that letter. He wanted them to know he was not duped by their framing of him, Anne, and the other men.
What a scam. Those poor innocent people. May they rest in peace. 🙏😢
I believe that Henry underestimated his first two wives - who were both educated, intelligent and articulate, particularly in the face of adversity. They both defended their honour and did not bow to the pressure put upon them. Unfortunately, it was to no avail. I have not done much reading on the last four wives - but it has always been the first two who have fascinated me.
But, the first two were picked in the prime of his life and didn't have the cautionary tale of their own "sticky ending" to put the fear of Henry into them.
The first two are the most interesting to me as well. Such amazing ladies. Catherine Parr is interesting for the possible danger she was in when the king died, and for the part she played in shaping a young Elizabeth I.
To me also,
Catherine Parr is interesting because she is the only British Queen Consort who was also a published author.
Hello to all fellow history nerds and Claire Ridgeway fans!!
I'm not religious but obv Katherine of Aragon was and her God tested the shit out of her! For 7 long years, as her child-bearing years were passing and her future still so unsure, Henry VII kept her a virtual prisoner and then when he finally died in 1509, Henry, who was obviously in love with her all that time, swept her off her feet and saved her at the same time! He was her hero, her one true love and husband! I have zero doubt that she was a virgin when she married Henry as pious as she was, before her death, surely she would've finally given that info up. I admire the fight she put up for her marriage and her rights as Queen and mother to the heir.
I could write a paragraph for each but it's late and I've got an early morning; plus, I'm not sure anyone would care lol
George knew he had no chance of being found innocent. Good for him that he read the note.
There was never any hope for them 😢 So sad. And still such a shock of how quickly it all happened! Thanks again for another great video!
Oh my, it's speeding by... So sad and sickening. You've opened our eyes.Thank you, Claire!
A prime example of a miscarriage of justice.
Absolutely, a true miscarriage of justice… the sad part of it is, that it continues even today. It really depends what judge u are assigned to, as to the outcome of any litigation. Going into court is dicey, at best. Most legal minds want to avoid it, most of the time, at all costs. A jury of your peers means just that. You expect the worst, and hope for the best. 🌹
Well, Claire, this was another "home run". (I'm from America, you would probably call it another "G-O-A-L !). Simply a wonderful investment of 10 minutes on my part! Anyway, I honestly can not wrap my head around the thought that their uncle, who, I believe knew exactly what was going on here, did not only partake in this charade, but actually presided over it! I do hope there is justice in an after-live, and he is burning somewhere.
It was smart of Henry to put the Duke in that role though. Surely if he was finding them guilty it signals that it was a fair trial. Slippery and slimy Henry.
Amara Jordan As far as I’m concerned, the only true good Henry did was help create Elizabeth I.
If Henry and Norfolk are in hell, it's because of their treatment of Anne's "lovers" and Kitty Howard--breaks my heart
Going from bad to worse. So awful
I'm very glad to hear that Norfolk cried at Anne's trial. He's usually portrayed as being a hard man who simply carried out the king's will. I'm intensely proud of Anne for stating the truth about being found guilty for a reason different to what she was accused of.
I unfortunately knew him first from Gray's Anatomy, so he was ruined for me.
Good for George for reading that note. He was condemned to death regardless.
It makes no sense that he would disparage the parentage of his niece. He and Anne were very close so why would he do something like that to risk her safety?
He lived by "Go big or go home."
Good for George. Good. For. George!
What an incredible guy. Bold. To be compared to Thomas is quite a testament to character.
This video today finally made me go wow, we are days away from this and it’s snuck up. Seeing how he handled himself and what Anne said, it’s so heartbreaking.
Thank you.
What a travesty of justice. Stalinesque show trial. No wonder Anne asked "Shall I have justice?" and then laughed bitterly. Mrs Ridgeway, your technique of presenting this in "real time" and also sticking to the authentic court records, without gloss of interpretation, means we're able to get the full impact of these momentous events, almost as if we were really living through them at first hand.
So horrendous and brutal.
I think the Duke was crying because he saw his future dissolving before his eyes. Women weren't valued by men [in general]. Anne being found guilty meant Anne had no purpose and could not be of any use to the family business. As for George, I think he read the paper outloud to humiliate Henry VIII and all those sitting in judgment of him & Anne. By all accounts, George was extremely intelligent and an excellent diplomat; he knew how things were going to end for Anne and himself. This was George's final opportunity to let the world know what Henry VIII truly was. I believe George knowing he was guilty of immoral living, accepted this as justice for his immorality, not for anything to do with Henry VIII. I think that this was George's way of coming to terms with his conscience. I think both George & Anne were incredibly devout with their religious beliefs, but were enticed by court life. Avarice, fame, power, & control are extremely powerful. Very few would be able to turn their backs on those earthly rewards. Turning Henry and his "generosity" down would have ended in much the same way. Henry enjoyed manipulating his courtiers; it was a game to him - the puppet master in control.
Poor Anne and George. I don't blame him disobeying an order and reading the note out aloud. He knew he had no chance.
Can't say I can blame George, last great act of defiance. All or nothing Henery VIII wanted his head. Bravo.
Absolutely loved reading George Boleyn ❤️
Where are the links to the letter?
They were absolutely disgusting to Anne. Especially after all Henry went through to be with her. She was everything he would have wanted in a queen. She was actually probably smarter than him.
If she had not lost the baby non of this would have happened. Wasn't it Henry's fault? He did scare the living hell out of her when he got hurt and knocked unconscious when jousting. That was probably enough to worry her and scare her into thinking she lost him and the miscarriage followed.
Since she didn't come through with the Male heir he knew the only way to get rid of her was false charges. Little did he know the heir she gave him was Elizabeth the first. Some would argue the best ruler in England!
George & Anne are tried by a jury of their peers...now isn’t that comforting...
As far as I'm concerned, they had no peers. Just a bunch of Pharisees crying out for blood. Not that I'm comparing Anne and George to Christ, that probably wouldn't go over too well.
Although, actually, I wonder if George and Anne weren't two of the most learned Bible Scholars in that court? From what Claire has said, send other things I've read and seen, they would both devour any religious texts and Anne's illuminated Bible is still somewhere I just recently saw again. That gorgeous blonde with the curls. I have straight brown hair if you couldn't tell! Although, I do not mean in any way to disrespect her knowledge or research by continuously forgetting her name. But, David Starkey is the only man I can remember delving into all of this. We have Claire, the lovely blonde lady, Lucy Worsley whom I personally adore, she cracks me up. Is there something to women being more hungry to find out the man behind the monster?
I thank you so much I understand her more
So sad they did not stand a chance.
Thank you Claire!
Is there any validity to the accusation that Anne Boleyn told Lady Rochford that Henry fell short so to speak in the bedroom?
There is some validity to the accusations however that was provided later in Henry's life. If it was already an issue in 1536 is debatable though I highly doubt that Anne would have discussed it with anyone other than her priest and confessor. To talk about this with anyone would have put herself, her family and friends in extreme danger and I believe that Anne was wise enough to know that. I believe that Lady Rochford knew exactly what she was doing. It's the 'why' she did it that I can't figure out. There would have been nothing in it for her.
This whole thing is absolutely insane!
I can feel my mood dipping and sadness rising day be day. I just can't imagine what must have been going through the minds of these poor people. Maybe it was an accepted way of life in those days but the fear must still have been unbelievable. It really is shocking how fast this all happened; it feels almost out of control. Such terrible injustice :(
It was just away to get rid of Queen Anne and usher in Ms Seymour. So sad.
A terrible case of misjustice. I highly doubt that the Duke of Norfolk had tears running down his face when pronouncing the sentence. He was in on the sham to get rid of Anne so Harry could have his new, younger love to give him sons. He could have helped both Anne and George a month earlier to calm things down and encourage that Anne be set aside. However, he could see the tide turning and did what was necessary to save and increase his own political offices and power.
“trials” - not so much!
I look forward to these videos. Thank you. I mean that. I really do.
Brave anna brave George. Sick Henry 😪😪😪thank you claire .this book would make an amazing tv drama💖
I'm staying to think all of us ladies of Anne's are equally interested in George! I study religion as well so I would love to ask him so many questions! Most of all, my heart hurts for them.
Have you read anything from the site On The Tudor Trail? They had an article about George and it left me in doubt of the sites research.
Hi Claire, really enjoying or should I say enjoying learning about the Anne Boleyn's fall. I wondered what you thought of the scene in Reign where a maid admits to Queen Elizabeth witnessing Anne and George together. But that they did not go through with the deed.
Zee There is no way that’s true. Elizabeth was 2 years old at her mother’s death and the charges against Anne occurred months to years prior to the execution.
@@rynctv yes but she was trying to conceive a male heir so she kept trying even after having Elizabeth. Plus this could incident could have been prior to her falling pregnant with Elizabeth.
Zee I honestly am sure that all the charges were trumped-Reign in of itself is laughably inaccurate (though I do have a crush on the main actress). Anne did not consummate her relationship with Henry until their secret wedding or soon before. The only evidence for the incest was that they spent a lot of time together and no witnesses were brought forward. Henry didn’t want The Great Matter 2.0 and murdered her and her supposed lovers as a way to clear out a way to marry Jane, who he was engaged to the DAY after Anne’s execution. Anne waited six or seven years to be with Henry but took many lovers after and then also conspired to murder Henry with them? No way.
@@rynctv hey. Didn't get notification you'd replied. Just came across this accidentally. Yes it was all very convenient but then that's the way he dealt with all his wives. Look at poor Catherine of Aragon...
The trial was merely a formality and Anne knew it. But being Anne, she wouldn’t of course go down without a fight, which makes me admire her even more.
I really like the intro music ( I play guitar ). Where did you fund it?
Us there a channel with this lovely harmony of strings?
This period on History is fascinating with so many characters that reach through the centuries to us. Anne and the five men had no chance to survive in the evil and self serving plans of Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell. Your countdown is brilliant Claire. Anne's fall was so quick but the more one reads, it's clear it was an evil set up to free Henry to marry Jane Seymour. Anne was right when she said her daughter Elizabeth will be.a better Queen than any son of Henry. Hope to visit The Tower of London in the next few days and remember Anne. Look forward to continuing countdown to 19th May.
What an ego. Can't perform well in the bed chamber? Must be the Queen at fault. So horrid.
We'll, she couldn't change his sperm magically to produce sons! I mean, really! Lazy witch.
We see how he blamed Anne of Cleves, saying it was just impossible to feel desire for her because she was supposedly so awful, with foul airs etc. 🙄
@@SunflowerSpotlight As if he smelled like a rose etc.LOL
Do you have any suspicions on who might have accused Anne and her brother George ?? I mean if not jane what in the heck could have caused one of her ladies to accuse them of such an act ??? What could they have possibly done
😞
It was basically a kangaroo court that’s only purpose was to clear the way for Henry to marry what he thought was going to be a good little brood mare for him, Jane Seymour. The Seymour family campaigned well, using Henry’s Achilles, lack of a surviving son and heir, to great advantage. Didn’t work out so well for them in the end though. It’s a great F U to them all that Elizabeth became one of the greatest Queens in history.
I wonder who wrote the note to George about the king.
IMO if Henry believed any of these charges, the men would have been executed as horribly as possible yet George and as I recall, some of the others were simply beheaded. Anne could have been burned or taken her chances with the not so accurate axe.
I still think this whole travesty was based on sexual ignorance of the day. Perhaps Henry had tired of Anne and found it more difficult to perform with her. Tudors believed the woman had to enjoy the sex act in order to conceive. Maybe Anne was unable to respond as expected when Henry had difficulties. Maybe the newness of Jane Seymour aroused him with excitement, If he could not complete the act with Anne he needed to try to get a son with another woman.
So far as I know, the tale told much later to Elizabeth I, about her mother beseeching the king with baby Elizabeth in her arms, cannot becorrobrated. But I wonder if Henry had approached Anne to get her to agree to a divorce? Perhaps Anne replied in a tart manner, recalling the difficulties with Catherine of Aragon, the days when England was not so merry because there were two queens. At some point Anne realised she could not win the battle so she humbled herself before Henry, reminding him visually that they did have a daughter.
Why was Anne allowed to keep the title of Queen?
She wasn’t.
Contrived charges that sounded ridiculous then and now. A group of men decided that they would throw everything possible against her and these innocent men.
Oh the pious men who lauded themselves aligned with god, lied, cheated, stole and murdered with such ease.
Nothing godly in them including the gross king.
What a total monster Henry V111 was. I totally believe Queen Anne Boleyn was totally innocent, as were all the others. It is hard for me to believe how Henry could give orders to butcher the woman he had loved with all his heart. Why he could not have sent her into exile in France or a nunnery and just have annulled the marriage, he could have so easily passed this law. They were all framed, no more no less. I believe Henry V111 is remembered for his mass murders, not for his great achievements for England.
Yeah, the king couldn’t raise his banner😜
Claire, I would like to ask a question about your research methods. You hear of individuals finding caches of antique documents squirrelled away in old manor houses, which shed new light on historic times once they are studied by scholars. Have you ever had this privilege of being among the first to examine newly uncovered primary source material? If not, do you go to ancient archives & study there before you write, or do you research in secondary sources only, relying on the accuracy of the authors? Would you do a video on this, I think, fascinating question? 📜
That’s a really good question! I’d love some insight into it as well.
@@SunflowerSpotlight
Thanks for the support. I think Claire's subscribers appreciate her hard work very much, & would like to know more details about how her books come into being! 📚
Anne boleyn always queen 👑 ever ...God give her grace with elizabeth and her name legends
Hi again, Claire!
A few things; so, Queen Anne was executed on my Dad's birthday (which I actually remember b4 my dad's lol).
I bought The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown Audible version last night and I see The Anne Boleyn Collection; does the latter like include the former, because the descriptions don't really help in that area and I'm wondering if I should exchange or own both (I trust you 100% not to say whatever gets me to buy your book! lol). Also, will there be an Audible version of George Boleyn? After this video, I'm dying to get it and I have gift cards from Christmas to use but only for Audible and I don't really read many books tbh! I'm a listener.
Speaking of this video (and I just watched Queen Anne's! omg! You had me in tears, mama! I always think about what these PEOPLE, not GoT characters, went through! The Queen been given a time to die and being ready for hours only to be told "sorry chickie, gonna be a minute!"
Then, George & their father ... all this time I considered them pretty much pimps (and they kinda were), but hearing that he was worried about his debts and who was going to suffer for them ... I guess what I'm saying without near enough punctuation lol is that what you say right before you know you're going to die, especially in 1536 was as gospel as it comes. As you've said many times, these people truly thought they deserved to die due to original sin; let alone the perpetrated (right word?) sins.
Probably the longest comment in the history of RUclips comments but I had a lot to say I guess lol
I'll be seein' ya around! I'd get a Tudor IV if I could! You get me right before I go to bed at night after all the Trump trash all day! I am so grateful to you! Lotsa love from the US!
Is there any information or historical records detailing anne boleyn funeral or any procession? Why is her heart buried away from her body? Where is her body buried?
Terrible echo !
I listened twice, but still can't grasp your description of the ax turned against Anne. What exactly does that mean?
I think it means the blade of the ax was turned toward her.
The guard could either hold the staff of the weapon with the blade facing forward, in the direction in which the procession was walking, or hold it with the blade turned backwards over his shoulder & facing the prisoner. The sharp edge of the blade turned towards the prisoner proclaimed that they had been found guilty & were condemned to whatever sentence of death had been pronounced. ⚔️
@@h.calvert3165 Oh, thank you! Now I can picture it.
@@kkay3784
No problem! 😉
I had a question. In The Fall of Anne Boleyn, there was a letter from the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, to Ambassador Chapuys. He mentions the Infanta of Portugal, the daughter of his sister (the queen of France). Is this Maria of Portugal? The daughter of Manuel I? She would have been about 15 I think? I’m not nearly as familiar with the Empirical aspect of the situation.
And the duchess dowager of Milan was... Christina of Denmark? Who was also about 15? At one point wasn’t she someone Charles had wanted to push forward to marry Fitzroy, but her family didn’t love the idea because of his illegitimacy?
Henry was 45 or so at the time. I mean, I know it was more rare than we expect for teenagers to be marrying middle aged men, and it tended to happen with kings, but wow, that’s quite a difference in age. Three times her age.
I guess I just wanted to make sure I had it right, because they aren’t named in the letter and sometimes it can be tricky to be sure who is being talked about.
These videos have really had an impact on me. Today, I getting some new glasses and I had to sign and date something. I knew the date because of this countdown. I wanted to tell the lady that was helping me, ‘Just four more days until Anne’s execution.’ But- I didn’t of course. 🥴
Amanda Grayson 😂
Is it possible that George could have been found innocent if he hadn't read that note?
No, and I think that's why he read it, he knew he had no chance with the other men having been found guilty and sentenced to death.
Henry VIII found guilty of impotence.. that's why Anne was sent to death.. so sad
Thank you for the video. In my view, if this was all just a baseless conspiracy, it is hard to explain why some men were interrogated and released without charge. Had the proceedings against Anne been a fabricated conspiracy made up out of whole cloth by Cromwell, then a charge of adultery with just one man would have been sufficient to destroy her. Henry had just gone to enormous and unprecedented trouble to rid himself of one wife and I think it improbable that he now proposed to repeat the process, without the slightest grounds, in order to rid himself of another. I believe Anne was probably guilty at least of some foolish indiscretions that no king could have ignored and certainly not a king as ruthless as Henry VIII. I admit it's hard to believe she committed incest with her brother. On the other hand, people do do some stupid things. We have to remember also that sixteenth-century treason trials were concerned with treason, not with vindicating the accused.
This has been so amazing, and morbid and splendid. I feel I have found my tribe. And @Claireridgway I cannot imagine the level of dedication and time and perserverance that a project such as this has entailed over probably much of your adult life, if not earlier.
I feel so honored to be privy to your knowledge and ability to tell a story so it comes alive. I never dreamed when I started watching a silly show late night one night that it would lead to such academic knowledge. I mean, come on, who has access to this kind of background?? We are so blessed to have found you. And, each other.
I have a feeling that this will be one of those things that hangs on for years. One if the very rare good things that come out of RUclips and social media in general. It's like an evil genius spontaneously using his powers for good - something Henry VIII could have used a lesson in.
I don't know how he slept at night - other than in a sugar and protein high. The more I learn about the intricacies of court, and his in particular, the more those final scenes in "The Tudors" give me goosebumps. I imagine he had quite the parade of "Wives of Christmas Past" parading through his weirded out brain.
However, the weird thing is that there are people just as deluded today. I don't know how many of you follow the beauty community, but the first RUclips I watched was Tati Westbrook. With those whole crapshow of James Charles and her and then the gossip mongers thrown in, it could be court life in the Tudor Era. It's hard to switch back and forth and see which one was more fantastical. Over makeup of all things.
Oh, and you think the Brits are hard to explain to my 87 year old mother, try James Charles and Jeffree Starr. She thinks I have list my ever-loving, Southern Baptist, old woman mind. Sometimes I do too.
Henry the viii was the cheater and the liar he was a cold blooded murderer. May Ann and all the innocent peoples whos life was taken in a horrifying way may God Bless them and may they rest in peace and for that scum bag Henry I sure hope he got his in the after life. My Heart goes out to the innocent.
It’s interesting how history assumes he had the wives because of a voracious sexual appetite, but it looks like he was having more problems than anything else. And of course because that just cut at his integrity as man so badly it had to be the witch’s fault. First marriage cursed, second ensorcelled, third perfect and cut short, fourth married to someone repugnant, fifth to a harlot, sixth to... a stepmother more than anything else. What marvelously bad luck. Of course it wasn’t the King’s issues though, noooo. I wouldn’t even think it.
That *would* be treason, after all. And I could *never* be malicious toward the king.
Sigh... this is so sad that I cannot really watch this mini series. Innocent people railroaded by a bully king.
Imagine all that happening in those awful moments: guilty, crown stripped, titles gone. Pronouncement of sentence. Could anyone have truly comprehended in those moments what was happening? Her comments show tremendous presence of mind. George had a sharp mind as well. What a loss these people were to their world.
I feel so bad that Queen Anne and George died that way, I think they both were close and didn't have an incest relationship, their relationship was taken wrkng.
You’re in the kitchen ? Lovely idea, pour a cup of coffee and let’s talk about the ‘ trial ‘