487 years ago today on the 19th May 1536, King Henry VIII of England made history by sending his second wife, the infamous Anne Boleyn, to the chopping block, making her the first Queen in history to be executed. Since then, the life and tragic death of Queen Anne Boleyn has fascinated thousands over the centuries since her death and inspired many to investigate and highlight the truth behind her death. And today, we are going to join the conversation about the harsh reality and impact of Anne Boleyn's execution and we are delighted to welcome today's podcast guest - renown historian and Anne Boleyn expert; Elizabeth Norton!
Elizabeth Norton is known for her work on popular history magazines such as BBC History magazine, All About History magazine, History Revealed magazine as well as her television works such as Bloody Tales of the Tower (National Geographic) but she is also a respected author who has written biographies for many famous women in Tudor history! Some of her novel include The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women; The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor; Bessie Blount, Mistress to Henry VIII; and Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s Obsession.
In today's podcast, Elizabeth and I will discuss some controversial opinions and theories surrounding the execution of Anne Boleyn and the importance it holds in history. Did Henry VIII regret his decision to execute his second wife? Did Henry VIII's former mistress, Bessie Blount, who delivered a health (albeit illegitimate) son, pave the way for Anne Boleyn to become Queen? What would it have been like for Anne Boleyn, knowing that her husband was going to execute her along with five other men? What might have happened if things have gone differently for Anne - what if she had birthed a son or Henry changed his mind about executing her?
All these questions and more shall be answered in The Ill-Fated Wives of Henry VIII's latest podcast episode so please click on the link above, give it a watch and (if you liked it), like, comment and subscribe!
What topics and guests would you like for us to feature next?
Let us know in the comments below!
Until next time...
- Have a ‘Tudor-fic’ week!