The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn: 'The Most Happy'

At noon on Friday the 19th of May 1536, the dark-haired Anne Boleyn stood on a scaffold at Tower Green inside the Tower of London, surrounded by a thousand spectators. After a brief speech in which she was, as convention required, suitably submissive but in which she notably did not admit to any crime, she exposed her long, slender neck, tied up her hair, and knelt to await a blow from the sword of the French executioner who had been imported for the occasion. A moment later, as she prayed aloud for Christ to save her soul, she was beheaded. Thus died one of the more extraordinary women from a country whose long history is certainly not short of remarkable characters. Long ago, the hopelessly romantic Teenage Me developed something of a historical crush on Anne Boleyn - along with a parallel detestation of Henry VIII, that most self-indulgent and odious of English monarchs. Warning: digression... Said Teenage Me and his descendant, Middle-Aged Me, have long been fascinated with the wonderful mystery of who anonymously sends roses to Anne's grave at the Tower of London each May 19th, a tradition which has been maintained over many lifetimes. Spookily enough, I have on more than one occasion found myself at the Tower - usually taking friends and not thinking about the date - during the week of May 19th when the roses are there. Evidently Mistress Boleyn and I have some weird karmic connection. Okay, having now established myself as a fruit loop (really, I'm not), let us to this book proceed. First, this is a work of historical scholarship (albeit a very readable one), so if you're looking for a racy, romantic account along the lines of Anne of a Thousand Days... well, this isn't it. It does presume some basic knowledge of English history and a general idea of who some of the leading characters were (e.g. Katherine of Aragon, Thomas Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell). Although there is a genealogy chart at the beginning, it wouldn't have killed the author to provide a sort of Dramatis Personae for readers who weren't raised in England (or on PBS specials). That said, I have read a number of biographies of Anne Boleyn over the years, and none comes close to this one in its careful scholarship and attention to historical detail. Ives gives us an astonishingly thorough portrait of Boleyn and her times, but still manages to (for the most part) not lose the reader's attention in the wealth of information and interpretation. Ives writes with the authority and confidence of one who clearly knows every aspect of his subject. Here is a remarkably balanced rendering of the story of this extraordinary woman, whose intelligence and political skill even her many detractors did not deny. Ives fills out the typically scant portrait of Anne, showing her to be a woman who was almost uniquely independent and spirited for a female of her time. It is hardly surprising that Henry was ineluctably charmed, and subsequently obsessed. Ives repeatedly emphasizes the singular, remarkable fact that - unusually for a time when marriages were almost entirely about alliances or property - Henry married Anne for love (or at least out of passion). Furthermore, he did so at the cost of immense political and religious upheaval; the resulting annulment of his long-standing marriage to Katherine of Aragon, and his assumption of an unprecedented role as head of the Church (ousting the Pope), did much to advance the cause of religious reformation not only in England but across Europe as well. It would be simplistic to attribute all this to Anne Boleyn (who Ives shows to be clearly reform-minded), but it is interesting to ponder whether such a radical change - one that in a very real sense diverted the course of European history - would have occurred had that romantic obsession not been fomented in the breast of this selfish, impulsive King of England. There is sometimes, perhaps, rather too much information here; but readers who do not wish to learn the small details of Anne's religious beliefs, life at court, interest in art (et cetera) can easily skip some sections of the book. But on a broader scale, much of the book's value lies in Ives' careful interpretation of events. Time and again, he weighs the evidence in support of or against a particular interpretation of issues, acts and motives, sifting through often partisan contemporary (or later) accounts of who did or said what, and why, and providing for his readers a level-headed and circumspect judgment. While scholarly historical biographies can rarely be described as page-turners, Ives keeps things consistently interesting; and towards the end, his account of how Thomas Cromwell ruthlessly exploited events to turn Henry against Anne in a stunningly short period of time - she went from "entirely beloved wife" to beheaded in less than a month - is a compelling read. Personally, I would like to have seen a little more emotion in Ives' account. His is very much the perspective of the objective (and, frankly, male) historian, though his obvious admiration for his subject is always just beneath the surface, and sympathy occasionally leaks through into the upper layers of his writing. Towards the e nd, his disgust at both Henry and at Cromwell becomes undisguised, and there is no missing the change in tone to one of advocacy for the Queen (he rejects outright that there was ever any substance to the trumped-up accusations against her). And there is no doubting the tremendous achievement of this book in giving us as thorough a portrait as is possible of Anne Boleyn, the remarkable and ultimately tragic Queen Consort who changed the course of history. Ironically, it is Thomas Cromwell's assessment of Anne that seems most succinct today: that she possessed "intelligence, spirit and courage". This will certainly not be the last biography of this extraordinary woman, but it is hard to imagine anyone bettering Ives' fascinating account down the road.

I am literally shocked seeing those comments of whom found this book 'impossible to read and interpret'. I'm not even a native english speaker maybe not even an 'advanced leaner' but I had no problem whatsoever understanding this book. Besides, as it was said before this book is based on probably the best and the most objective research of anne boleyn. I think the only part I got confused was why the Tudor tradition of arrest first and interrogate later, was not applied regarding the case of anne boleyn, and how a husband who writes in the hopes of 'heirs male' by his 'most dearly and entirely beloved wife' on 24th of april and gives his consent to a commision of 'oyer and terminer' on 27th. But I dismiss it since I'm not a native speaker so it could be that I'm the problem with the reading, not the author. Some points Ives' made I believe are crucial corcerning the case of anne boleyn; such as incredibility of most of chapuys' remarks about her married life with the king, her miscarriage of a so-called 'shapeless mass of flesh' and his allegation that the king had confessed that 'he was bewitched by her'. Most of the authors I've read so far claim such unbelievable things about anne boleyn with no basis other than chapuys' letters. I don't believe this kind of research is anything but trash, literally. Another crucial point is the Cromwell factor. And I appreciated understading gradually of why he wanted to get rid of the queen to save his own head and pocket for a foreseeable future and how did he manage to succeeded in his notorious coup. According to Ives, cromwell was the one to blame, not the king. But how a man who shows signs of how much he loves and wants to keep his wife changed his mind and truly believed these accusations rapidly is a mystery. Ives implies that oncerning henry, changing his mind in 24 hours is quite possible. Ives also rebukes some myths and gets the reader have a sigh of relief about long-repeated stories such as henry was long tired of his second wife and after the miscarriage of a son in january 1536 he was already trying to find a way to get rid of her. This contradicts with his unwillingles to embrace an imperial alliance in the hope that charles v may find himself vulnerable in the possibility of an anglo-french alliance at last and accept anne as queen unconditionally, and many such details. And he regards the birth of elizabeth as a sigh of relief for henry and not a disappoinment as many historians suggests, since it probably assured henry that he can after all beget children after years of barenness. I personally believe that Ives portrayal of anne boleyn is by far the most objective one. Apparently, for her part, she died for no reason whatsoever. Lack of a son was her greatest vulnerability, yet without that inconceivable coup which cromwell staged with mary's supporters, including the seymour faction, her place as queen and the boleyn faction would stay secured. Since it is obvious that anne was more fertile than katherine (she concieved at three times-maybe more, if true as suggested by other scholars- in a row in just three years, while katherine conceived 6 times in 15 years time when she was sexually active with the king before he ceased trying to make her pregnant) and expected to produce (or conceive) more, as Ives argues. And I personally mourn at such a nasty end for a woman like anne boleyn. She was neither a saint, nor a witch, or a malicious woman who seeks nothing but her own profit, but just likesome other women of her time, a victim of an androcentric period, where the struggle of women to survive is hard, but to undermine them is so simple and easy. Had she lived, I can't even imagine how different things would be, it would be for the better of the reformation in england i guess, and many horrible changes in henry's personality.

Ives did not originally set out to write a book about Anne Boleyn. His interest was William Brereton, but Anne so captivated him that he changed course. The result is an in-depth study of Anne’s life that is not only informative, but also a pleasure to read. Ives doesn’t just recount the events of Anne’s life, he comments on the historical records that are our only sources of information about her, weighing the plausibility of various claims, seeking corroboration, and questioning when the person was not actually an eyewitness to events, writing many years later, or biased. Thus, readers are brought into the world of the professional historian trying to deduce what actually happened through analysis of a tangled skein of data. For me, the most intriguing subject of Ives’ scrutiny concerns Anne’s downfall. Ives makes the case that it was Cromwell, not a disenchanted Henry, who decided that Anne “had to go” and set events into motion. He eviscerates the charges against Anne, clearly showing how Cromwell manipulated evidence, trial, and jury to remove not only her, but her supporters close to the king. It all makes for fascinating reading. Even Ives’ analysis of the scaffold speeches, focusing on what was NOT said that onlookers would certainly have noted, is intriguing. If Anne was guilty of anything, it was in not maintaining “safe” distance from the men in her company, and engaging a little too much in high spirits. In the course of relating Anne’s life, Ives examines other events as well, offering his own interpretations of Anne’s relationship with Wolsey, her involvement with Henry Percy and Thomas Wyatt, the break with Rome, and Anne’s rising influence at court. His depiction of Anne is favorable and forgiving. Any sharp remarks toward Henry were a result of strain or momentary temper, not real animosity. Her attitude toward Mary sprang from self-defense rather than malice. Throughout the book, Ives shows us a woman ahead of her time, independent and self-made, whose vibrant personality made her imminently alluring as a mistress, but ill-suited to the conventional roles of wife and queen. She influenced king and court and pushed forward the Reformation. What more might she have done had she lived?

This study of Anne Boleyn was not quite what I expected it to be. I did not find it a straightforward biography of this fascinating woman. Rather, the author chose to concentrate on Anne's tastes in, and patronage of, religious reform, art, politics etc. Intense detail was given to these subjects, but there was actually no consistency to the writing, and thus the book seemed "choppy". At times, I felt that I was reading an inventory of her estate after her death, rather then a true biographical book. I might add that it gave me an insight and viewpoint of Anne Boleyn that no previous books have done, and I have come away with a new and more enlightened view of just how intricate and intelligent this woman was. However, my disappointment lies in the fact that far too much was given over to details of her world, rather then to Anne herself. I certainly would not recommend this book to anyone not familiar with the storyline of Anne's life, as I feel the beginning student would find him/herself very confused. Although it seems the author takes a much too simplistic approach to her downfall (especially regarding Cromwell's role), only in discussing the people and forces that led to her destruction, as well as the description of her execution, did this book shine as a biography. If only the author had chosen to approach the writing of Anne's life as he did in the last one-quarter of the book, this would have qualified as the best biography ever written of Henry VIII's second wife. As it stands, it unfortunately falls short of the mark. My recommendation is to look at other works on Anne Boleyn, learn the major details of her life (and death), and then read this volume. Otherwise one will learn much about Anne's likes and dislikes, but really too little regarding the timeline of the major and minor events in Anne's life.

It has been very tempting for many Boleyn biographers to paint Anne as a feminist icon and victim of male power. It has been equally tempting in other generations to paint her as a conniving, power hungry witch who brought about her own donwfall and whose only value was sex-object and mother of one of England's greatest rulers. The truth one might rightly suspect lies somewhere in the middle. Ives gives us enough information-- at times, too much-- to find that middle ground, exploring not just Anne's family and social roots but the development of her tastes, values and beliefs. There can be no doubt Anne did plenty of scheming and had a thirst for prestige and power, and did not hesitate to wield it once she had it. But she was also a highly educated, engaging and interesting Renaissance woman, bringing the sophistications of the Continental Renaissance to the English court, a court which was in many ways, still Medieval in a world that had long passed into the era of "New Learning" and scientific exploration. There are rather extensive lists of her belongings, friends, writings, but that is what one would expect in a thorough study such as this (the most thorough yet done in all likelihood). Some of these listings might be better suited to an appendix rather than contained in the text but that was for editors to decide and one assumes they made their choices for informed reasons. And throught this dense documentation Anne emerges not as a stock Renaissance Comedia character, colored of one mood or dimension, but as a complex human being with the same appetites as any of us. And like any of us she is by turns infuriating, admirable, pitiable, likeable and annoying. In the end she proves tragic, but brave: after being offered a way out of her death sentence by the king himself, she goes to the scaffold and the swordsman rather than disinherit her blood and admit to any wrongdoing. If you've an interest in this period, and in this Court in particular, this is a biography worth owning.

Anyone who has an interest in discovering the motivation and impact of Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, will find this an engrossing read. The author, the late Eric Ives, is widely known as Anne's primary biographer. His research is exhaustive, and intricate. We see Anne as she develops into the independent, intelligent and alluring woman, who was as much a woman of her time and a victim of it. We see all the players in Anne's life portrayed with respect and curiosity. The same woman who entranced a king, and became his queen dances before our eyes, and remains an intriguing character. Although we may know the end of her story, her journey is exciting, and her contribution to history indisputable.

While mostly factual and carefully documented, this dry book is for lovers of non fiction, scholars who already know the history of Henry viii and those who are able to fill in the gaps of this era. The author presumes that the reader is already a student of English history so there are lapse of information at the same time the author appears to be writing a tedious term paper for which he would receive a c

The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn is a biography of one of the most controversial women in history. The book concentrates not only on Anne Boleyn the mistress and later queen consort, but also on the woman herself. The book begins with a brief history of the Boleyn family and Thomas Boleyn's early years at court. The book also focuses a great deal on Margaret of Austria and the french court's influence on Anne's education, taste in art, books, and more importantly her success as a courtier. This will book will be extremely satisfying to Anne Boleyn sympathizers. Eric Ives cleverly isolates various myths and allegations against Anne Boleyn and rips them to shreds with a plethora of contradicting evidence. Allow me to give you an example. I cannot tell you how much I hate to hear about the infamous sixth finger. Even some of my favorite Boleyn books makes references to it. Ives traces the beginnings of what he calls "the monster legend" to Nicolas Sander who was born in 1527 and most certainly was not a contemporary to be making such "accurate" descriptions of Anne. Mr Ives believes Anne probably had some minor nail deformation, but most certainly not a sixth finger or a monstrous goiter on the neck. This is just one example of the many unkind myths surrounding the tragic second wife of Henry VIII that Ives blows apart. There are far more serious ones, especially concerning the allegations of Anne's adultery, who Ives traces back to Thomas Cromwell. The book also contains many gorgeous illustrations, which include several illuminated manuscripts that once belonged to Anne. Dr Ives is certain Anne had a certain interest in art and antiques, although he states it would be inaccurate to see her as "Renaissance patron of the arts". He certainly makes a convincing argument for linking Hans Holbein the younger's portrait, Ambassadors', Jean de Dinteville and George de Selve, to Anne Boleyn's forthcoming coronation. No matter how many biographies you have read or haven't read, read The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn. The book is extremely readable and will certainly be a page turner for anyone fascinated with Anne Boleyn!