(1501-1536) The second wife of Henry VIII; she refused to be his mistress and would only give herself to him as his wife, never mind that Henry had been married to
Katherine of Aragon for over twenty years.
Henry's efforts to discard Katherine, who had been able to produce one living child out of six, their daughter Mary, and Anne's
determination to become the queen sparked the English Reformation.
Ultimately, Anne, like Katherine before her, was under enormous pressure to bear sons; she was only able to bear Henry a daughter,
Elizabeth I, a stillborn son, and miscarried two other children. Impatient for a son and fed up by Anne's refusal to switch to the demure, submissive role of a wife, Henry had Anne arrested on fabricated charges of adultery, treason, and incest with her brother and had her beheaded.
An unremarkable brunette with piercing black eyes and olive skin, Anne Boleyn's charisma, wit, and charm, in addition to her sharp tongue and fiery temper, entranced Henry VIII... although the
English people hated her, denouncing her as a whore, a heretic, and a witch.
Anne Boleyn, a complicated character, is admired for her bold, witty, outspoken nature and her stridently sexy allure, plus the fact that she bore
Elizabeth I. Still, she was widely hated as a homewrecker and a Protestant.
Katherine of Aragon was widely beloved by the people, especially among women, while Anne Boleyn was openly denounced and had only Henry's affections as defense.
