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The Calculating Courtier

At the Tudor court, only love and danger are certain…

Rebecca Link

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The Tudor Court is a spider’s web; power hungry men all climbing to the centre, where the spider lies, in control of everything. However, one thing he couldn’t control was his obsession with a certain lady in waiting: Anne Boleyn.

Anne circled the palace behind Katherine, her ‘B’ necklace glistened in the sunlight, highlighting her presence, and drawing the attention from many passing courtiers. This shell of splendour was intertwined with a heart of ambition and ruthlessness, something that would surely haunt her in the coming years. But, for now, this exotic nature caught the interest of Henry.

They exchanged many heartfelt letters, even notes written in Bibles, between each other to express their feelings. Yet, I kept warning her how dangerous becoming the King’s mistress would be. She was like a drug to him; the more he wanted her, the greater the obsession grew. I would always ask myself, “Does he want her? Or just the idea of her?” Unfortunately, I believed the latter, like he did with many before her. She refused him, she learnt from me… at first that is. Was this a way for her to keep leading him on? To grow this already significant obsession?

Secret letters carried feelings of love. Every feeling of ambition surrounded these exchanges. We were one step away from this influential alliance. Only one thing stood in Anne’s way: Katherine.

She could no longer produce heirs, so Anne became his next source for a son. Anne becoming Queen became a silver noose around the family’s neck. If Anne could not produce what the King wanted, she would no longer be wanted, and neither would we.

The Pope could not allow a divorce, as it opposed the teachings of the Bible. Henry’s desperation searched and searched for a solution. He found a line in the Bible which argued that one cannot marry his own sister. Since Katherine had been married to his brother before him, Henry was Katherine’s sister. England broke away from the Pope like a lone raft at sea.

Henry and Anne married in the confidence that the annulment with Katherine was finalised. Soon after, Anne became pregnant. It seems insignificant to an outsider like yourself, but we were relying on her to bare a son.

She was the centre of attention as she had always wanted, the spider at the centre of its web. Her coronation day was one to remember. She was Queen. Although it wasn’t acknowledged anywhere in Europe, it was in England and that’s all that mattered, for now.

In September 1533, Anne went into labour to provide the long-awaited heir to the throne. But the baby was a girl, my niece, Elizabeth.

Soon later, I fell pregnant, and Anne dismissed me from court. My own sister. This marriage corrupted her. All she cared about was her reputation. All she cared about was pleasing the King with an heir. This relationship was no longer one of love but of alliances and networks. It was a business agreement.

‘Katherine is dead!’ rang out in every street in England. Finally, Anne was viewed as the only Queen of England. She also fell pregnant with a son. Fate was now on Anne’s side.

She miscarried.

This failure led Henry to question the marriage. Why would God deny them the son they so desperately wanted and needed?

Henry’s attention was stolen by Jane Seymore. Jane circled the palace behind Anne, her blonde hair glistened in the sunlight, drawing attention to her presence.

Jealousy encapsulated Anne and she became more flirtatious towards the men in her household. She was no longer secure in Henry’s love and affection. This snapped the final strand of the string that was connecting the monarchs.

It was a horrendous moment on 2nd May 1536; Uncle Thomas arrested Anne. She was imprisoned in the Tower of London, and we all know no good can come of that. ‘She despised her marriage and entertained malice against the King in that time. In following her lust, she did procure various of the King’s servants to be her adulterers.’ This included our own brother, George. For this, Anne and George were executed. The Boleyns had been cut out of royal life like a poison.

We all became pawns in Henry’s game of chess, and we all got played.

- Mary Boleyn

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