On 1st May 1536, King Henry VIII and his second wife, Queen Anne Boleyn, attended the traditional May Day joust at Greenwich Palace.
The joust started well. George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, the Queen’s brother, led the challengers and Sir Henry Norris, Groom of the Stool, led the defenders. At one point, Norris’s horse refused to run so the King offered Norris his own horse. Everything seemed normal, but then the King suddenly left the joust, abandoning the Queen – what was going on?
Happy May Day! Find out how May Day was celebrated in medieval and Tudor times over at the Tudor Society – click here.
