Not Just the Tudors

Six Wives: Anne Boleyn

Jun 3, 2024

Dr. Charlotte Bolland, Curator of the National Portrait, discusses Anne Boleyn's significant impact on England's history. Topics include Henry VIII's break from tradition for Anne, her intelligence and wit beyond beauty, their passionate love letters, her struggles, and debunking myths surrounding her accusations leading to execution.

50:51

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Episode guests

Charlotte Bolland

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Anne Boleyn's upbringing was shaped by strategic family connections and a focus on education and refinement.

Exposure to female power at foreign courts influenced Anne's reformative ideas within the Catholic Church.

As queen, Anne Boleyn advocated for religious reform despite facing challenges and a tragic end.

Deep dives

The Rise of the Berlin Family

The Berlin family's rise to prominence began with Anne Boleyn's great-grandfather elevating them from working on the land to becoming landowners. Through strategic marriages into noble families like the Butler and Howard families, each generation built upon the foundations, securing connections to the court. Anne's father, Thomas Boleyn, established himself as a well-respected courtier under Henry VII, gaining intimate access to the king and setting the stage for Anne's future at court.

Introduction

2min

Anne Boleyn's Formative Years and Courtly Education

15min

Reevaluating Anne Boleyn: Beyond Beauty and Image

10min

Anne Boleyn's Dilemma

4min

Henry's Proclamations of Love

4min

Henry's Pursuit of Annulment and the Birth of Elizabeth

3min

Unraveling the Myths Surrounding Anne Boleyn's Accusations

16min

Acknowledgements, Engagement Promotion, and Podcast Recommendations

2min

Six wives - six lives that we think we know everything about. But beyond their mostly doomed marriages to Henry VIII and, in most cases, tragic ends, here were six women who shaped history in their own unique ways.

In this special six part series, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb brings together the most illuminating interviews about the six wives from the Not Just the Tudors archive. She also explores some of the latest research and speaks to Dr. Charlotte Bolland - curator of the National Portrait Gallery’s new exhibition Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens - to paint an even fuller portrait of each of the six wives.

In this second episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb focuses on the woman who changed the history of England, Anne Boleyn. In order to make her his Queen, Henry altered the very faith of the country, banished his closest minister, broke with Christendom, and set aside his faithful, once beloved wife Katherine. So who was Anne Boleyn?

This episode was edited and mixed by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

From 20 June to 8 September 2024, the National Portrait Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition titled Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens, displaying the images that have shaped our perception of the six wives . Find out more, here >

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Not Just the Tudors

Six Wives: Anne Boleyn

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Rise of the Berlin Family

Anne Boleyn's Early Life and Education

Anne Boleyn at Foreign Courts

Anne Boleyn Returns to the English Court

Anne Boleyn's Reign as Queen and Downfall

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts