Reader Questions

Once again, I have fallen off of the band wagon of answering your questions! There were so many that I will post two sections of them this week. Here is section one:

Q: What did Anne Boleyn look like?
A: I have answered this question a lot, I never tire of it! Probably because I have wondered this very thing myself. Here is the link to my article on the topic.

Q: What did Mary I die of?
A: We cannot be entirely certain, she died during an influenza epidemic which could have done it, but we also know from her medical records that she was suffering from intense pain and bloating (so much so that she thought herself pregnant), possibly from Ovarian cysts or uterine cancer. Internal bleeding from the cysts or complications from the cancer could have caused her demise as well.

Q: Was Elizabeth involved in the Dudley plot against Mary?
A: I think you are incorrectly calling Wyatt's Rebellion the "Dudley Plot" Thomas Wyatt the younger led the rebellion because he, and other nobles, feared that Mary's marriage to the Spanish Prince Phillip would lead to the subjugation of England to the Holy Roman Empire. The rebellion also had religious roots, the Spanish prince and devout Catholic Mary would certainly try to return England to the Roman fold. The rebels sought to depose Mary and place Elizabeth in her stead. Robert Dudley, and his brothers, were often thought to have conspired in the plot even though no evidence could be found. We cannot be sure if Elizabeth was involved, although Mary certainly thought she was and locked her in the Tower for it.

Q: Did Henry VIII suffer from MacLeod's Syndrome?
A: Great question, one that cannot be answered without access to his body; which is unlikely to ever happen. However Kyra Cornelius Kramer makes an excellent argument for the case in her book Blood Will Tell: A Medical Explanation for the Tyranny of Henry VIII. I would suggest picking it up and drawing your own conclusions.

Keep your questions coming! I will endeavor to be more diligent about answering!

On This Day in Tudor History

On this day in Tudor history Katherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII and Queen of England made her confession of infidelity to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. Cranmer had attempted to interrogate Katherine the day before but she became hysterical and unable to answer his questions. On this day it seemed her hysteria had calmed and led her to a state of repentance. Cranmer tried a more gentle tactic and coaxed Katherine into saying:

"Alas, my lord, that I am alive! the fear of death grieved me not so much before, as doth now the remembrance of the Kings goodness: for when I remember how gracious and loving a prince I had, I cannot but sorrow, but this sudden mercy, and more than I could have looked for, shewed unto me, so unworthy, at this time, maketh mine offences to appear before mine eyes much more heinous that they did before: and the more I consider the greatness of his mercy, the more I do sorrow in my heart that I should so misorder myself against his majesty."

Katherine continued the confession admitting that she had been sexual with Francis Deerham [Dereham] saying her often called her wife, kissed her and entrusted her with a large amount of money when he was away. You can read the entire examination of the Queen online at archive.org

Portrait believed to be of Katherine Howard
By Hans Holbein the Younger ca 1540

White Falcon: The Coronation Song of Anne Boleyn

In 1533, a song was composed by Nicholas Udall, praising Anne Boleyn. It was to be sung at her coronation at Queen of England. The song was a remarkable piece of PR work; it extolled Anne's virtues of chastity and fertility. It also spoke about her pale beauty and shining wit; additionally it hinted at her long position as Henry's favorite. Read on for the lyrics:

This White Falcon,
Rare and geason
This bird shineth so bright;
No bird compare
May with this Falcon White

The Virtues all,
No man mortal,
Of this bird can write.
No man earthly
Enough truly
Can praise this Falcon White.

Who will express
Great Gentleness
To be in any wight;
He will not miss,
But call him this
The gentle Falcon White.

This gentle bird
As white as curd
Shineth both day and Night
Nor far ne near
Is any peer
Unto this Falcon White,

Of body small.
Of power regal,
She is, and sharp of sight;
No manner fault
Is in this Falcon White

In chastity,
Excelleth she
Mostly like a virgin bright:
And worthy is
To live in bliss
Always this Falcon White.

But now to take
And use her make
Is time, as troth is plight;
That she may bring
Fruit according
For such a Falcon White.

And where by wrong,
She hath fleen long,
Uncertain where to light;
Herself repose
Upon the Rose,
Now may this Falcon White.

Whereon to rest,
And build her nest;
GOD grant her, most of might!
That England may
Rejoice always
In this Falcon White.

Check out the song here

Anne Boleyn: Witch, Bitch, Tempress, Feminist

While I have often given Hilary Mantel a bad rap for her wildly inaccurate histories and scathing remarks about Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, I really did enjoy a recent article she wrote for The Guardian. In it Mantel talks about why Anne was so controversial and why she captivates historians and Hollywood nearly 500 years after her demise. Check out the article here.

Two Gentleman Poets at the Court of Henry VIII

I love when new research becomes available about the Boleyn family! Thankfully, Claire Ridgway, from the Anne Boleyn Files, recently translated and published a nineteenth century biography of George Boleyn. It is currently the only biography of Anne's ill-fated brother and gives insight on the Howards as well! Claire translated this book from 1800s French to English in order to give Anne addicts who do not speak French access to the this work. My copy is on order, stay tuned for a review! Purchase your own copy here!