Its Notexactly Known When Henry VIII Fell For Anne Boleyn, But Its Likely To Have Happened In The Year

✧ It’s not exactly known when Henry VIII fell for Anne Boleyn, but it’s likely to have happened in the year of 1526. This love letter was sent sometime after May 1527, circa July, and reveals Henry’s great anxiety and despair, as he tries to win over Anne. The King pressures her into declaring their relationship official by writing and even attempts to set up a ‘date’ with her.

“I beseech you to give an entire answer to this my rude letter, that I may know on what and how far to depend. And if it does not please you to answer me in writing, appoint some place where I may have it by word of mouth…”

This part of courting appears to be quite similar to what still happens today. The familiar aches of the heart, waiting for a response from a love interest, and feeling desperate for some kind of reply. This is something with which almost any admirer could sympathize with. Henry VIII’s letter itself demonstrates the chivalric concept of the noble quest of a lady, and it seems to have ultimately worked for him.

Sai Bennett fancasted as Anne Boleyn

No problem! Here’s the source:

👋 On The Tudor Trail is generally a good source , but that was actually a misquote by Weir; Henry VIII said ‘by God’s Grace, boys will follow’ after the birth of Mary by Katherine of Aragon. I do agree with the general sentiment of the post, however! Eric Ives also writes about how Anne’s first pregnancy was difficult and Henry was praying that she would survive.

Ah yeah now that I looked it up I'm getting conflicting accounts about whether he said it to Anne or Katherine, I'll remove it from the the post. Thanks for letting me know!

Historiated Initial C, Digestum Vetus with glossa ordinaria, f. 245, by Justinian, France c. 1300-1310 via The British Library, Public Domain

Lily Lesser as Princess Mary Tudor in Wolf Hall

Hans Holbein, Oval pendant set with a ruby, sapphires and pearls, one of nine designs for pendant jewels, from the Jewellery Book 1532-1543 © The Trustees of the British Museum

He [God] knows my heart, which is very different from what people think

Elizabeth I of England, as recorded by the Spanish ambassador Diego Guzmán de Silva on 24 March 1565.  (via maximumphilosopheranchor)