Thank you so very much for all the comments you have left here on the Anne Boleyn Files and on YouTube regarding your views of Mary Boleyn, what myths surround her and questions you have about her. Your comments have really helped me prepare my masterclass on Mary and ensured that I don’t miss out anything.
As a result of your feedback, I will be covering:
- Mary Boleyn’s early life – Her birthdate, her upbringing – was she given the same opportunities as her sister, Anne? Did she go to France?
- Her relationship with King Henry VIII – What was the nature of their relationship? Was it consensual? What do we know about Mary and the king? Did he father her children? Did the relationship affect her reputation and prospects?
- Was Mary the mistress of King Francis I?
- Was Mary a pawn? Did her family use her for advancement and then disregard her when she wasn’t useful anymore?
- What were her relationships with her parents and siblings like? Was she close to Anne? Were her and Anne rivals? Was she the black sheep of the family? Did she reconcile with her family in her last years? Did her sister, Anne, steal her son?
- How did she come to marry William Carey?
- Mary’s marriage to William Stafford – Did she marry Stafford for love? Did they have a child together? What happened to Mary and Stafford after Mary was banished? How did Mary avoid getting caught up in the events of 1536? What were the last years of her life like?
- Mary’s appearance – What did she look like? Are there any definitive portraits of her?
- Mary’s character – What do we know about Mary as a woman? Was she intelligent? Was she less intelligent than her siblings but more attractive and agreeable? Was she interested in religious reform? Was she less ambitious than the rest of her family? Was she the good sister? Was she a “harlot”? Did she choose to take control of her destiny and go her own way?
- Mary and her niece, Elizabeth – Did Mary see Elizabeth after 1536? Did she take Elizabeth after Anne’s execution? Did she play any role in Elizabeth’s life?
- Mary’s death – When did she die and where was she laid to rest?
- Mary’s descendants – How are so many people descended from Mary? What are her links to the royal family?
Phew! It’s going to be a rather detailed talk!
I can’t wait to flesh out Mary Boleyn for you and debunk the myths while exploring what we DO know about her.
I’m doing my Mary Boleyn masterclass live on Saturday 12th February at two different times to suit as many timezones as I possibly can – 10am London/5am New York and 10pm London/5pm New York. You can convert the time to your time zone at https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html
This masterclass is exclusive to people who buy their tickets to my online event “Anne Boleyn, the Woman who Changed England” before the end of Tuesday 8th February. So if you’re disappointed you missed out on my last masterclass, do get signed up before the end of 8th February so you can attend this one. Attendees will also be able to access a recording of the masterclass afterwards, and will receive a transcript and recommended reading list.
The online event is 7 days (28th February to 6th March) and features 8 Boleyn experts giving talks on Anne Boleyn and answering your questions in live chats throughout the week. It’s going to be fabulous!
If you think I’ve missed out anything important on Mary Boleyn in my list then please do comment and I’ll see if I can add it. Thank you!