3. Anne Boleyn's Royal Blood
Many people talk of the Boleyns as upstarts or commoners but, just like Henry VIII's other five wives and, indeed, Henry himself, Anne Boleyn was a descendant of Edward I and had royal blood. Both of Anne's parents were descended from ancient and noble families - Thomas Boleyn from the Butlers (as well as the Boleyns) and Elizabeth Boleyn from the Howards; and both had royal blood.
The Howard Family's Ancestry
Burke's Peerage says of the Howard family, "The Ducal and illustrious Howards stand, next to the Blood Royal, at the head of the Peerage of England"1 and it is true that they have always been one of the most important families in the history of England. The family traces its ancestry back to William Howard of East Wynch, Norfolk, who was knighted by Edward I and who served the King as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. William's son, Sir John Howard, served Edward I as a gentleman of the bedchamber and his grandson, another Sir John, served Edward III as Admiral and Captain of the King's Navy in the North.
The family carried on faithfully serving English monarchs for generations. However, the family did not win the title of Duke of Norfolk until 1483. In this year, Richard III conferred the titles of Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Marshall of England upon Yorkist John Howard. Howard was subsequently made Lord Admiral of England.2 His son, Thomas, Anne Boleyn's grandfather, was created Earl of Surrey. Unfortunately, John was killed just two years later at the Battle of Bosworth Field. In November 1485, both the dead Duke and his son, Surrey, were attainted by Henry VII's Parliament for their support of Richard III. The dukedom and earldom were forfeited, and Thomas Howard was stripped of his lands and imprisoned in the Tower of London for three years. He was restored to the earldom in May 1499 and went on to serve Henry VII as a lieutenant in the North and as Lord High Treasurer. He acted as an executor of the King's will in 1509 and as Earl Marshal at Henry VIII's coronation. Surrey was created Duke of Norfolk in 1514 after his victory leading the English troops at the Battle of Flodden. Surrey's daughter, Elizabeth Howard, is thought to have married Thomas Boleyn around 1498/1499,3 i.e., before her father had been restored to his titles and lands.
The Howard family could also trace their roots back to Edward I by two lines of descent:
1st Line4
Anne Boleyn's mother was Lady Elizabeth Howard (c.1480 – 1538), daughter of Thomas Howard (1443 – 1524), Earl of Surrey and the 2nd Duke of Norfolk from 1514, and of his first wife, Elizabeth Tilney.
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Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk was the son of John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk (1421 – 1485) and of Katherine Moleyns.
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John Howard was the son of Sir Robert Howard (1385 – 1436) and of Lady Margaret de Mowbray (1388 – 1459).
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Margaret de Mowbray was the daughter of Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk (1366 – 1399), of the first creation, and of Elizabeth Fitzalan.
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Thomas de Mowbray was the son of John de Mowbray, 4th Baron Mowbray (1340 – 1368), and of Elizabeth, Baroness Segrave (d.1375).
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Elizabeth was the daughter of John de Segrave, 4th Baron Segrave, and of Margaret Plantagenet, Duchess of Norfolk (c. 1320 – 1399).
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Margaret was the eldest daughter of Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk (1300 – 1338), and of Alice Halys.
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Thomas was a son of Edward I (1239 – 1307) and of his second wife, Margaret of France (c.1279 – 1318).
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2nd Line5
Anne Boleyn's mother was Lady Elizabeth Howard (c.1480 – 1538), the daughter of Thomas Howard (1443 – 1524), Earl of Surrey and the 2nd Duke of Norfolk from 1514, and of his first wife, Elizabeth Tilney.
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Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk was the son of John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk (1421 – 1485) and of Katherine Moleyns.
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John Howard was the son of Sir Robert Howard (1385 – 1436) and of Lady Margaret de Mowbray (1388 – 1459).
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Margaret de Mowbray was the daughter of Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk (of the first creation), (1366 – 1399), and of Elizabeth Fitzalan.
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Elizabeth Fitzalan was the daughter and co-heir of Elizabeth de Bohun and of Richard Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel and Surrey.
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Elizabeth de Bohun was the daughter of William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton (d. 1360), and of Elizabeth de Badlesmere (1313 – 1356).
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William de Bohun was the son of Elizabeth Plantagenet, also known as Elizabeth of Rhuddlan (1282 – 1316), and of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford (1276 – 1322).
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Elizabeth Plantagenet was the daughter of Edward I (1239 – 1307) and of his first wife, Eleanor of Castile (1241 – 1290).
The Butler Family's Ancestry
The Butlers, Thomas Boleyn's maternal family, were descended from Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler (d. 1205), who was of Norman origin. Theobald was the eldest son of Hervey (or Herveius) Walter and his wife Maud de Valoignes. Maud, also known as Matilda, was one of the daughters (and co-heiresses) of Theobald de Valoignes, who was Lord of Parham in Suffolk. Theobald and his brother, Hubert, were raised in the household of Ranulf de Glanville, Justiciar of England in the 1180s, and knew Prince John (the future King John) who also spent time there. In 1185, Theobald accompanied Prince John to Ireland when the Prince visited as Lord of Ireland and Theobald established religious houses in Wicklow, Limerick and Tipperary.
The family surname changed from Walter to Butler during the reign of Henry II. The name came from the fact that Theobald Walter was made the first Chief Butler of Ireland in 1177. This meant that he was the ceremonial cup-bearer to Prince John, the boteillier (Norman French) or "butler". He became known as Theobald Walter le Boteler (le Botiller), or as Theobald Butler, after his title and the Butler family were "born". As Butler of Ireland, he and his successors "were to attend the kings of England at their coronation, and that day present them with the first cup of wine, for which they were to have certain pieces of the king's plate".6 By the time he died in 1205, he had built up extensive landholdings in Ireland, in Munster and south Leinster.
The title of Ormond, the earldom granted to Anne Boleyn's father in 1529, also traces back to Theobald, who was granted Irish lands (including East Munster, or Ormond) by Prince John. James Butler (c.1305-1338), a descendant of Theobald and the eldest surviving son of Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick (d. 1321), and of Joan Fitzgerald, was the first Earl of Ormond; the title was created especially for him. He served as a yeoman or valettus in Edward II's household in the early 1320s, but trouble in Ireland led to him returning there in the mid-1320s. His father died in 1321; although James did not inherit the title of Earl of Carrick, he did inherit the title of Chief Butler, becoming 7th Chief Butler of Ireland. James's father had served as a justiciar when Roger Mortimer was Lieutenant of Ireland 1317-18. This relationship, along with James's loyalty to the Crown, led to Edward III making James Earl of Ormond by patent in 1328, when Mortimer became Earl of March. James was also granted a life-grant of the liberty of the county of Tipperary, which was held by the family until 1716. James was loyal to Edward III and married the King's cousin, Eleanor de Bohun. According to his biographer, Robin Frame, "inquisitions at his death show that, besides his Irish lordships, he had property in ten English counties, all held jointly with his wife",7 so we can see that he was rewarded well for his service. His son, James, was granted his lands in 1347.
The Ormond title is still with the Butler family today. In 1997, James Butler, 7th Marquess of Ormond, died childless. Thus, the marquessate became extinct and the earldom dormant, although it is likely that Piers James Richard Butler, 18th Viscount Mountgarret, will be able to claim it. The Butler family shield displays cups, symbolising the office of the Chief Butler of Ireland, and the motto is "Comme Je Trouve", meaning "As I Find". The cups and motto are used today by Kilkenny College privat
e school because it was founded in 1538 by Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond.
The seat of the Butler family in Ireland was Kilkenny Castle. The castle is in the city of Kilkenny in the province of Leinster, south-east Ireland. It was built at the beginning of the 13th century for William Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke, and was bought from Sir Hugh le Despencer, Earl of Gloucester, in 1391 by James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond. When King Richard II visited Ireland in 1394-95, Butler was made Justiciar of Ireland because the King regarded him as the premier Irish earl. Kilkenny Castle remained the main residence of the Butler family from that point until 1967 when Arthur, 6th Marquess of Ormond, gave it to the residents of Kilkenny for a payment of £50.
As well as being an ancient and noble family, the 16th century Butlers carried royal blood, being descended from Edward I by three lines of descent:
1st Line
Anne Boleyn's father, Thomas Boleyn, was the son of Sir William Boleyn (1451 – 1505) and of Lady Margaret Butler (1454 – 1539).
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Lady Margaret Butler was the daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond (1426 – 1515), and of Anne Hankford.
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Thomas Butler was the son of James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond (1392 - 1452), and of Joan de Beauchamp.
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James Butler was the son of James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond (d. 1405), and of Anne Welles.
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James Butler was the son of James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond (1331 – 1382) and of Elizabeth Darcy.
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James Butler was the son of James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond (c. 1305 - 1338) and of Eleanor de Bohun (1304 - 1363).
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Lady Eleanor de Bohun was the daughter of Elizabeth Plantagenet, also known as Elizabeth of Rhuddlan (1282 – 1316), and of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford (1276 – 1322).
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Elizabeth Plantagenet was the daughter of Edward I (1239 – 1307) and of his first wife, Eleanor of Castile (1241 – 1290).
2nd Line
Anne Boleyn's father, Thomas Boleyn, was the son of Sir William Boleyn (1451 – 1505) and of Lady Margaret Butler (1454 – 1539).
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Lady Margaret Butler was the daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond (1426 – 1515), and of Anne Hankford.
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Thomas Butler was the son of James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond (1392 - 1452), and of Joan de Beauchamp (1396 - 1430).
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Joan de Beauchamp was the daughter of William de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Bergavenny (c. 1343 - 1411) and of Lady Joan Fitzalan (1375 – 1435).
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Lady Joan Fitzalan was the daughter of Richard Fitzalan, 11th Earl of Arundel and 9th Earl of Surrey (1346 - 1397), and of his first wife Elizabeth de Bohun.
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Elizabeth de Bohun was the daughter of William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton (d. 1360), and of Elizabeth de Badlesmere (1313 – 1356)
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William de Bohun was son of Elizabeth Plantagenet, also known as Elizabeth of Rhuddlan (1282 – 1316), and of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford (1276 – 1322)
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Elizabeth Plantagenet was the daughter of Edward I (1239 – 1307) and of his first wife, Eleanor of Castile (1241 – 1290).
3rd Line
Anne Boleyn's father, Thomas Boleyn, was the son of Sir William Boleyn (1451 – 1505) and of Lady Margaret Butler (1454 – 1539).
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Lady Margaret Butler was the daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond (1426 – 1515), and of Anne Hankford (c. 1431 - 1485).
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Anne Hankford was the daughter of Sir Richard Hankford and of Anne Montagu, or Montacute, (d. 1457).
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Anne Montagu was the daughter of John Montacute, 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1350 – 1400), and of Maud Francis.
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John Montacute was the son of Sir John de Montacute, 1st Baron Montacute (d. 1390) and of Margaret de Monthermer.
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Margaret de Monthermer was the daughter of Thomas de Monthermer, 2nd Baron de Monthermer (1301 - 1340), and of Margaret Teyes.
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Thomas de Monthermer was the son of Ralph de Monthermer, 1st Baron Monthermer (c. 1270 – 1325), and of Joan of Acre, Countess of Hertford and Countess of Gloucester (1272 – 1307).
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Joan of Acre was a daughter of Edward I (1239 – 1307) and of his first wife, Eleanor of Castile (1241 – 1290).
Notes and Sources
1 Burke, A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire, 2:231.
2 Ibid., 2:232.
3 Ives, The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn, 17.
4 Brenan and Philips Statham, The House of Howard, 73.
5 Ibid.
6 Debrett, Debrett's Peerage of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Revised, Corrected and Continued by G. W. Collen, II, Scotland and Ireland:871.
7 Frame, "Butler, James, First Earl of Ormond (c. 1305 - 1338)."
4. Anne Boleyn, the Court of Margaret of Austria and the French Court
The majority of historians and authors believe that Anne Boleyn spent her formative years on the continent, first at Margaret of Austria's court in Mechelen and then in France serving Queen Claude, wife of Francis I. Thomas Boleyn was an ambitious man who believed in educating his daughters. Through his close relationship with Margaret of Austria, he was able to secure a place for his daughter, Anne, at Margaret's court, known as "the Mecca of aristocratic and princely behaviour".1 It was the ideal place to send his highly intelligent and precocious daughter; Thomas had plans for Anne to serve Margaret's sister-in-law, Catherine of Aragon, and for that she would require good French and continental manners. Eric Ives describes Margaret's court as "Europe's premier finishing school" and the cultural heart of Europe, a place where Anne Boleyn could finish her education with Margaret's Hapsburg nephews and nieces and the children of "the elite of Europe". If Margaret agreed to accept Anne, then Anne would be mixing with the future rulers of Europe in a true Renaissance Court; an amazing opportunity for a twelve year-old girl.
The Court of Margaret of Austria
Margaret of Austria was born in 1480 and was the daughter of Maximilian of Austria (Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor) and of Mary of Burgundy. In 1482, when she was just two, Margaret's father made the Treaty of Arras with France, and Margaret, his only daughter, was promised in marriage to the Dauphin, Louis XI's son Charles. To prepare her for being the Queen Consort of France, Margaret was sent to be educated in France. The marriage never took place, with Charles choosing to marry Anne of Brittany instead. In 1497, Margaret went on to marry John, Prince of Asturias, the only son of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. John died after just six months of marriage and the pregnant Margaret gave birth to a stillborn daughter two months after his death. In 1501, Margaret married Philibert II, Duke of Savoy, but he died three years later. Margaret vowed never to marry again and spent the rest of her life in mourning, wearing black.
In 1507, Margaret's father appointed her as Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, the regent for her six year-old nephew, Charles, the future Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Although Charles did rebel against her when he came of age in 1515, and removed her title of governor for four years, he reappointed her as governor in 1519 when he realised what an asset she was. In this position, Margaret was one of the most powerful women in Europe.
Spending the formative years of her life in France had not only made Margaret fluent in the language but also very French in her ways. She was also highly educated and accomplished at music and poetry. Belgian historian Ghislain de Boom, described her palace at Mechelen ("Malines" in French) as "un école d'éducation princière et un centre de haute civilisation"; "a princely school and a centre of high culture/advanced civilisation", and so it was.2 Her court was visited by the likes of Erasmus, and other well-known Humanists, and was known for its superb library which contained poetry, missals and historical work. It also
held work by authors such as Christine de Pizan, who was known for challenging misogyny and the stereotypical views of women. In addition, the library contained the works of Boccaccio, Aesop, Ovid, Boethius and Aristotle. Margaret was a patron of the arts and her court was also known for her collections of illuminated manuscripts, music books and paintings by masters such as Jan van Eyck. She surrounded herself with men of letters, poets and painters. Margaret also enjoyed the tradition of courtly love, which was "an integral element in chivalry, the complex of attitudes and institutions which was central to the life of the Tudor court and elite".3
What better place to send your daughter to finish her education than the court of the most powerful and influential women of Europe, a court known for its culture? Thomas Boleyn took advantage of his close relationship with Margaret and asked if it was possible to send his daughter to her. Although places at Margaret's court were highly sought after, and Anne was no European princess, Margaret agreed, and Anne Boleyn was dispatched to the Low Countries in the summer of 1513. At the time, as Hugh Paget points out, it appeared that Thomas Boleyn would be sent back to the Habsburg Court, but this did not happen. Margaret assigned Anne a tutor, Symonnet, to help her improve her French and Anne would also have learned many other skills, such as deportment, conversation, dance and music. Hugh Paget quotes Jane de Longh (author of Margaret of Austria, Regent of the Netherlands), as saying of Margaret's court:
"The nobles and ladies of her court reflected the influence of the taste and preferences of their mistress. They made music, wrote poetry, composed and recited at this little court in the quiet and seclusion of Malines."4
Figure 4 - Statue of Margaret of Austria in Mechelen
Margaret of Austria's Influence on Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn's love of fine art, music, poetry and her love of illuminated manuscripts obviously had its beginning at Margaret's court. Margaret had many examples of the new style of Flemish illumination, as well as older masterpieces. She also had a vast collection of chanson, masses and motets by composers who Anne was later known to have loved. In addition, Margaret's palace was full of colourful tapestries and beautiful fabric. Eric Ives writes of how "in later life Anne was excited by fabric and colour";5 this love surely started in the Netherlands. Furthermore, Anne became the patron of artist Hans Holbein the Younger, just as Margaret was patron to top artists on the continent.
The Anne Boleyn Collection II: Anne Boleyn & the Boleyn Family Page 3