"Make way for the Queen!". Until recently, these were the cries of the fragile dark-haired young woman, like a balm for the soul. And today, she hears them for the last time ...
Day May 19, 1536 turned out to be traditionally English - gloomy, cool, with drizzling rain. Climbing the wet steps of the scaffold, Ann Bolein - Queen of England, the lawful wife of King Henry VIIIand the mother of the future korolevy- "virgin" Elizabeth I, Thought that the ten years of life, which she spent on the way to the throne, and now come to an end so ingloriously.
"Why inglorious?" - she smiled bitterly in answer to his own thoughts. Court historians will record exactly all that is required to the British Crown youngest daughter Thomas Boleyn - the most cunning and deft negotiator, as he called him King. Being rich, but not noble, he managed to climb to the top of fame and influence, thanks to quirky mind. Thomas was so vain that personal friendly correspondence with the great philosophers of the time Erasmus
it was not enough. Boleyn bent over backwards to be indispensable for the king. And his two daughters considered not only as a commodity that can be profitable to sell ...
Thoughts deposed queen transported to two decades ago, in 1514. Then little Anna, along with her older sister Mary was sent to France as part of the suite Princess Mary TudorKing's sister: she was to be married for King Louis XII. In the six years he spent with the courtly French court, Anne not only suffered the sacraments of science and art, but also wonderfully understand the intricacies of the fashionable flirting. And in 1520, after unsuccessful negotiations with Henry VIII, King of France Francis I relations between the two countries have deteriorated completely, and Anna returned home.
For the first time his future wife crowned Anna I saw in March 1522 at a reception Henry VIIIarranged in honor of the Spanish ambassador. Lacking an outstanding beauty, the young maid of honor, however, was able to apply themselves perfectly - she was gracious as hell is charming, and the rich, matched with tasteful clothes, helped hide the obvious physical disadvantages - including, and an ugly outgrowth on his right hand, which is popularly referred to as "sixth finger the devil. "
King Henry VIII ... Anointed by God, as if he was cursed by heaven for wild nature and exuberant loving: a long-term marriage with an extremely religious Spaniard Catherine of Aragon did not bring him happiness - Queen series pregnancies interrupted whenever any time before or ended stillborn babies. The only child of the royal couple had a daughter, Maria, the future Queen of England, better known as Bloody Mary.
precarious situation Tudor dynasty Henry forced to think about the birth of his son - the heir. That is why the lost hope, and at the same time the head of the passion, the king decided to offer Anne Boleyn no place mistress, and crown of England.
However, one wishes the lovers was not enough. Holy Church in the person of Pope Clement VII He refused to cancel the union of Henry and Catherine. Enraged, the king decided to act otherwise: finally spoil relations with the Vatican, he severed all ties with Britain, the Roman Catholic Church and established his own confession - Anglican church, Proclaiming himself its head. Now that the legal path to the throne for Anna was free, her soul exulted. Especially because she knew - in her womb has conceived a new life, and she will soon give Henry and England's long-awaited heir. But, as it has shown a life, then her personal hell just begun ...
September 23, 1534, Anna gave birth to a healthy baby girl - Elizabeth. Henry received the news about the birth of his daughter without much enthusiasm, but because he still loved his queen, wisely reasoned that her daughter will certainly be followed by the sons. Christening the little princess were organized with ostentatious pomp, Anna realized that the right way of creation - what little can help her win the trust of the people, because it is still considered a woman of easy virtue, "thief" who had stolen from the rightful king wives.
However, it soon became convinced: black mouth shut impossible - bowing low and kissing his hands behind his back, people continued to gossip. This immensely depressed Anna, but she was about to give birth again (for the third time, after Elizabeth's new pregnancy It ended in miscarriage), and in the hope that this time certainly give her husband an heir, totally focused on its condition.
The terrible news came January 24, 1536. In Anna's apartment burst into one of the closest friends of the king, and said that Henry during the hunt fell from his horse and is now unconscious. Boleyn screamed, sure that her husband was dead, but the king, though with great difficulty, but recovered, and his wife prematurely delivered of - this time the dead boy. Anger Henry was the more terrible that happened again his thoughts returned to the humiliating suspicion own impotency, which he often puzzled by being married to Catherine Aragon.
In fact, from that moment for Anna started a countdown as retribution for greatness. Depressed, she often quarreled with the crowned spouse. Exhausted from the pain and consciousness that is losing ground, Anna surrounded herself with people of art - poets, painters and musicians. Around the same time, the king carried away maid of honor Jane Seymour and I decided to get rid of Anna. The young queen was accused of treason and adultery to the king, calling among lovers and her brother George, Lord Rochford. After a show trial whose verdict was known from the very beginning, the Queen of England was beheaded.
Historians are still different interpretations penalty Anne Boleyn. Someone thinks that Henry sent to the scaffold Anna deserved - it was too much of her to intrigue and tantrums. Others call Anna the victim of morally flawed king, the usurper and tyrant. Others agree that Anne and Henry each other's cost. But be that as it may, our main purpose Ann Bolein nevertheless fulfilled: presented UKheiress, strong and wise rule which went down in history under the name "Golden age".
