The Attempted Erasure Of Anne Boleyn: How Her Legacy Refuses To Fade by Izzy Vaughan
Anne's story: the rise and fall of a queen
Feminist icon, mystic legend, whorish witch, victim, villain or something in between - Anne Boleyn has worn many faces both in her own life and in the centuries that followed, but her endurance in British memory makes her one of history's most iconic figures. This hasn't been without hindrance; Henry VIII was fierce and determined in his attempts to remove her from history books altogether. But, try as he might, Henry could not remove Anne from the veins of British culture, her story is too memorable. Born in either 1501 or 1507, Anne was the middle child of Thomas and Elizabeth Boleyn. She led an eventful life before her marriage to the King, receiving an education in France where she served Queen Claude. There, she learned court etiquette and diplomacy as well as charm and allure. Dark and olive-skinned, she decidedly stood out from traditional English beauties of the time, making her an exotic and mysterious prospect for the men she encountered. She is believed to have had romantic relationships before the King, most notably an engagement to Henry Percy. However, her destiny seemed to be down a more regal path... We don't know when exactly she first met Henry, but her position as a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon (from 1522-1526) would certainly have allowed for frequent interaction between the two. As the story goes, Henry, bewitched by Anne's charm and disgusted by Catherine's inability to produce a male heir, pursued his new love interest shamelessly. When it became clear that Anne would not settle for the role of mistress, Henry broke England away from the Catholic Church, allowing him to divorce Catherine and take Anne as his new wife. The new queen's coronation took place on the 1st of June 1533 at Westminster Abbey. Already married in a secret ceremony in January, Anne was happily pregnant with her daughter, Elizabeth, when the crown of St Edward was placed upon her head. However, after three years, as her relationship with Henry began to unravel, this happy image soured quickly. Miscarriages, popular dislike and Henry's wandering eye had marred her time as queen, and by 1536 Henry wanted her gone. Anne was found guilty of high treason, incest and adultery with five men, and on the 19th of May she was beheaded. Her demise came at the hands of a French swordsmen whose one swift blow both mercifully and brutally ended her earthly life. Henry's reasons for her execution are still debated, but tend to include: his frustration at Anne for her inability to produce a male heir, his fear of her damaging his public image, and his deep attraction to Jane Seymour. But whatever his motives, it is certain that he wanted her gone, not just in body but in memory as well. Every mark that Anne had ever made, every reminder of her existence was ordered to be destroyed.
A fall from grace: Henry's attempted erasure of Anne Boleyn
The King waited just eleven days after Anne's execution before marrying Jane Seymour. During this period, royal palaces were scrubbed and stripped of any indication of Anne's presence, and she had left many. Portraits, carvings, letters, badges, symbols and personal effects were destroyed. The initials A & H that had once adorned wood panels and stone arches were erased and replaced with Jane's initials. Anne's falcon and leopard emblems were replaced with Jane's panther and phoenix. Even a stained-glass window of St Anne at Hampton court chapel was removed, its association with the fallen queen deemed to provocative. Her erasure made its way further afield as well. When news of Anne's fate reached Zurich, Bibles were altered, changing their front page dedications from Anne to Jane. These visible changes serve as a reminder of how insistent Henry was that Anne's name be forgotten by the public. Henry's erasure of Anne is also devastating for modern historians, as we don't even know what she truly looked like. There are no contemporary portraits of Anne, and those created posthumously are often romanticised and embellished works little based on fact. One small coin, engraved with a vague depiction of Anne in 1534, survives as a glimmer of hope, however it provides few details about her features, leaving much to speculation. Discourse is rife even in subjects as trivial as hair colour. Always described simply as "dark", it is a possibility that Anne's hair could have been black, brown or even auburn - a shade for which Tudors likely had no specific word. Rumours about Anne's sixth finger or wen on her neck are equally hard to confirm or refute, ultimately leaving Anne's appearance another part of her enduring mystery. Perhaps most tragic, however, is the loss of Anne's own writing. We have no access to a personal diary, for example, or letters to her siblings. Only two love letters from Anne to Henry survive, and they are both difficult to authenticate. This means that nearly all we know about Anne comes from second-hand accounts, usually from figures with their own ulterior motives. Eustace Chapuys, for example, the imperial ambassador to the Holy Roman Empire, is one of the most significant sources on Anne's life. However, he was also her biggest critic, labelling her a harlot who seduced Henry into separating from the Catholic Church. With his strong opinions about Anne, it is difficult to know what is fact and what is prejudice. Without the survival of Anne's writing, we have very little evidence of her true character, intellect or emotions. We don't know her motivations, her hopes, or her anxieties. This fierce effort to erase Anne only demonstrates how deeply entrenched she had become in royal court. She had made her way into all parts of daily-life and every palace that she stayed in was likely to have retained a remnant of her one way or another. Dismantling Anne's impact on the country was no easy act, and the mission to do so was not without its oversights. For one, in their rush to erase every one of her marks, Henry's workers missed one or two intertwined A & H initials which remain in Hampton Court's gateway, embellishing the ceiling. Arguably, however, Anne's most significant legacy, which altered the course of British history, was her daughter, Elizabeth I. Desperate for a son despite two healthy legitimate daughters, it is clear that he did not think it ideal to leave the throne to a woman. Satisfyingly, however, this is exactly what happened twice. His daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, reigned for a combined total of nearly fifty years (nearly twelve years longer than Henry). Elizabeth, in particular, has gone down in history as one of Britain's greatest rulers, defeating the Spanish Armada, establishing tolerant attitudes towards Catholics, and generally providing stability as the longest-reigning monarch of the Tudor period. It could be said that Elizabeth took inspiration from her mother in many ways, taking her mother's badge of the falcon as her own, and frequently wearing the chequers ring which held a portrait of herself and Anne side-by-side. Although her mother died when Elizabeth was only two years old, it is clear that she held her mother in high regard throughout her life. Henry may have attempted to destroy Anne's legacy, obliterating all physical reminders of her, but he could never extinguish the truth that Anne's blood ran through the veins of the most iconic, successful, and long-reigning Tudor monarch. Henry may have executed Anne, but her daughter carried her legacy on.
Elizabeth I's chequers ring containing a portraits of her and her mother, Anne
Anne's lasting impact: a legacy that defies erasure
All in all, it seems that everyone has an opinion about Anne. She is the most googled wife of Henry VIII and for many, the only one of his brides that people can name. Her legendary story remains entrenched in British culture, with rumours continually swirling about her alleged witchcraft, her supposed affair with her brother, and her severed head mumbling last words after being separated from its body. People have an opinion about her, often without really knowing they do. They love her, they hate her, and she has been contested and argued about like this throughout history. Famous individuals of the past have had their own opinions in the same way that we do today. Jane Austen described Anne as an "amiable woman... entirely innocent of her crimes", whilst Dickens argued that she was "very worthy of the fate which afterward befell her". It is indisputable that Anne is a complicated figure, whose characterisation can be polarising. Because it is difficult to know what Anne was truly like, it is difficult to confine her to a singular box, but this makes for a striking degree of creative liberty amongst writers and performers. Without a well-defined and evidenced character, she easily shifts from genre to genre, from gothic to romantic tales, from opera to musical theatre. She has been as an instrument to voice the values of the periods in which her story is told. The 1960s second-wave feminist movement provided context for films like 'Anne of the Thousand Days' in which Anne was played in line with the popular femme fatale trope. In the 21st century with a greater desire for complex female characters, Anne was generally portrayed with more nuance, often involving different angles with narratives coming from the perspective of her advisors and family members. 'The Other Boleyn Girl', although rife with criticism from historians and fans alike, has graphed new feminist approaches to her story, making her a complex character, both manipulative and vulnerable at the same time. One of the latest adaptations of Anne's story, 'SIX', the musical, portrays her as an extremely confident and cheeky woman, demonstrating how authors and actors can have fun with her character. The musical, also feminist in its approach, concludes by arguing that Henry VIII is most popularly known for his multiple wives - his true legacy lies in the women who surrounded him. All in all, Anne has been an ever-evolving character in popular media, changing from piece to piece. As Anne's image has evolved, so too has her commodification. She has become an icon plastered on t-shirts, stickers, dolls, mugs and everything in between. People buy Anne Boleyn costumes for Halloween and order storybooks about her to read their daughters. Others make their living by filming Anne Boleyn makeup tutorials and writing quizzes on whether or not you could have survived in her position. In 2020, Vogue dubbed Anne Boleyn "quarantine's unexpected muse", encouraging women to take inspiration from her square necklines and iconic B necklace for their next fashion haul. Anne's influence seems to be leaking into every form of current culture from fashion to musicals. Arguably, Henry VIII's attempted erasure of Anne only made her more powerful and prominent in British memory. Without a wealth of verified sources to ground her, Anne has become a shape-shifting figure that can be characterised by almost anything. Surrounded by mystery and intrigue, her influence has been extensive. Not only did she transform British religious practice and give birth to one of history's most iconic monarchs, but she has also become a face of modern-day feminism and one of Britain's most infamous ghosts. Anne's impact on Britain was too strong for Henry to destroy, and in his attempt to do so he only fuelled rumour, allowing her mysterious image to persevere. If only Henry could see Anne's legacy today: her name celebrated in media, history books and pop culture. She once inscribed in her Bible "Remember me when you pray", and her wish has certainly been granted. Etched into history with an unforgettable story, Anne Boleyn's name is forever destined to be remembered.
About the Author
Izzy is a third year student at King's College London, studying Liberal Arts with a major in History and a minor in Music. Her academic interests focus on the lives of prominent women in Early Modern Europe, delving into domestic and public spheres for her research. Writing as well for HerCampus, Izzy has a passion for storytelling and historical narratives. In her spare time she also volunteers at various museums, fuelling an interest in heritage and history education.
