Anne Boleyn, the infamous second wife of King Henry VIII, is a historical figure whose reputation is largely defined by persistent rumors. A common misconception is that she possessed six fingers. Here, we debunk this and other major rumors surrounding her life:
The Witchcraft Accusation
Perhaps the most widespread rumor associated with Anne Boleyn is that she practiced witchcraft, with her supposed sixth finger as proof. This myth stems from the writings of Nicholas Sander, a Catholic priest who published his scathing work, Rise and Growth of the Anglican Schism, in 1585 during the reign of Anne’s daughter, Elizabeth I.
Sander, deeply opposed to the Protestant Queen Elizabeth, sought to undermine her legitimacy by vilifying her mother. He blamed Anne for Henry VIII’s break from the Catholic Church, a decision known as the “King’s Great Matter.” His writings were fueled by religious hatred, not historical fact.
The witchcraft rumor is easily dismissed. In Tudor England, accusations of witchcraft were grave and often resulted in execution. If Anne truly possessed such an obvious deformity, she would never have risen through the ranks of the royal court to become queen. The total lack of contemporary evidence supporting these claims further discredits them. Sander’s writings, penned decades after Anne’s death, are the sole origin of these damaging falsehoods.
Anne Boleyn: Homewrecker or Victim?
A common misconception about Anne Boleyn portrays her as an ambitious social climber who deliberately seduced the married King Henry VIII to advance her own position. This narrative often implies she withheld favors from the King until he divorced Katharine of Aragon and made her queen.
However, a more nuanced view suggests that Henry VIII relentlessly pursued Anne, not the other way around. His numerous letters professing love and desire illustrate his determination. Anne, navigating a perilous situation where rejection could incur the King’s wrath, had to tread carefully. Henry’s deteriorating marriage with Katharine was his own doing.
Importantly, Anne Boleyn was not the first of her family to attract Henry VIII’s attention. Her sister, Mary Boleyn, had been his mistress. While the exact timeline is unclear, Henry’s presence at Mary’s wedding and the disputed paternity of her children underscore his past involvement with the Boleyn family.
Anne, aware of her sister’s experience, likely feared becoming yet another of the King’s discarded conquests. The notion she refused Henry unless he made her queen was likely a tactic to delay his advances, not a genuine expectation. Divorce was rare in Tudor England, and Katharine, of higher social standing, represented a more politically advantageous match.
The tale of Anne refusing Henry’s advances unless crowned queen has been reinterpreted to cast her as manipulative and opportunistic. This reflects a broader trend of misrepresenting strong women’s intentions, a strategy that, tragically, contributed to Anne’s downfall.
Anne Boleyn and Mary Tudor: Beyond the ‘Evil Stepmother’ Myth
Anne Boleyn’s ascension as Queen of England is often associated with the image of a cruel stepmother who tormented Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s daughter by Katherine of Aragon. While Anne and Mary undoubtedly had a strained relationship, Anne was not solely responsible for this tension. Evidence suggests Anne attempted to create a bond with Mary, but historical narratives favoring the ‘evil stepmother’ trope have obscured this complexity.
Henry VIII’s tumultuous divorce from Katherine of Aragon deeply impacted Mary Tudor’s life. As a devout Catholic, Mary believed in the divine right of monarchs, which validated her mother’s position as queen and her own place as a princess in the line of succession. Anne Boleyn’s entry into her life challenged this entire belief system.
Henry and Anne’s marriage in January 1533 resulted in Mary being declared illegitimate and stripped of her titles. She was barred from seeing her mother and, after Elizabeth Tudor’s birth, further demoted to becoming her half-sister’s servant. The resulting stress severely impacted Mary’s health.
Anne Boleyn’s actions towards Mary are often cited as a source of this distress. For example, during a 1534 visit to Hatfield House, Anne insisted Mary recognize her as queen, a demand Mary steadfastly refused. However, their strained relationship was a natural consequence of their vastly different perspectives. Anne may have acted harshly at times, yet Mary – inheriting her father’s headstrong nature – displayed an unwavering refusal to compromise that was understandably frustrating.
Ultimately, Mary’s suffering was primarily orchestrated by Henry VIII, who condemned his daughter as his “greatest enemy.” As king, he held absolute power over Mary’s fate. Nonetheless, Anne Boleyn has been disproportionately blamed for this hardship, perpetuating the simplistic narrative of an evil stepmother conveniently overshadowing Henry VIII’s actions.
Much of what is believed about Mary Tudor’s life originates from Eustace Chapuys, Charles V’s ambassador to England. Chapuys firmly opposed Henry VIII’s divorce from Katherine of Aragon and his marriage to Anne Boleyn. His known distaste for Anne, including his refusal to speak her name, makes his accounts suspect. Chapuys likely prioritized undermining Anne’s reputation over historical accuracy.
Anne Boleyn and Mary Tudor shared an understandably strained relationship. Mary, a princess stripped of her mother, status, and rights, likely harbored deep resentment toward Anne, whom she saw as the cause of her turmoil. While both figures contributed to their animosity, they were ultimately victims of Henry VIII’s actions. Henry’s execution of Anne in 1536 and his continued troubled relationship with Mary illustrate his central role in their suffering. Neither woman received fair treatment under Henry’s rule.
Anne Boleyn was a polarizing figure who attracted significant envy and resentment. Figures like Nicholas Sander and Eustace Chapuys profited from spreading unverified rumors to discredit her. These rumors, though often unsubstantiated, have become entangled with historical records. As more research is conducted, a clearer picture of Anne will likely emerge, separating long-standing rumors from the true woman behind the myth.
