On this day in history, 1520 Mary Boleyn, sister to Anne and future mistress to King Henry married William Carey. Contrary to popular belief, Carey was quite a catch. He was in favor with the King and had already amassed some wealth. There is no evidence to suggest that she was married off quickly, to the first man who came along in order to cover up her affairs in France. Sometime shortly after her marriage, probably in around 1521 Mary began an affair with King Henry VIII. Over the next several years, she would birth two children, Catherine and Henry named in honor of the reigning monarchs. There were some rumors that the children were actually Henry's and not sired by her husband William, however no contemporary evidence exists to suggest that this Henry was not a Carey by blood, although Catherine's paternity has been questioned. William died of the Sweating Sickness in 1528. Upon the death of her husband, Mary was left with substantial debt and little to no income. As a result, the King granted wardship of her son Henry to Anne. Mary would remarry in 1534 without permission of her father or the King, causing great turmoil between Mary and her family. The man, William Stafford, was a relatively poor landowner from Essex. His meager means support the theory that this marriage was a love match; quite uncommon during the time period especially for the high ranking nobility. She seemed happy finally, unlike her sister who would meet her demise just two short years later.
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