Anne Boleyn.

[Danustouch]

This week, in 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed. To read more about this woman...former Queen of England, read here:

http://tudorhistory.org/boleyn/

[Cinnamon Girl]

Thanks for the link, Danustouch - very interesting!

I've been fascinated by Anne Boleyn since I was a little kid (I remember using her name when playing 'house' and 'school' - strange, I know!). Anyone know of a really good biography of her? For a fictional account, I would recommend 'The Lady in the Tower' by Jean Plaidy.

[Mnemosyne]

Thanks for the link, Danustouch. I knew a little about Anne Boleyn. For some reason, when I hear "Anne Boleyn," I immediately recall a teacher telling me that she had an extra finger. Quite sad, her supposed extra finger is the first bit of information that pops in my head. At least, I know a little more now.

[Autumn]

In Alison Weir's book "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" she made an interesting speculation...That Anne Boleyn was Rh- She bore one live child, Elizabeth I from her first pregnancy. She seems to have lost each succeeding pregnancy at an earlier stage, a pattern consistant with an Rh negative woman and an Rh positive man. We have only known about Rh factor since 1945, I am not sure when they came up with Rhogam, the substance that prevents this nowadays...But I found that facinating...And sad, Had Henry been Rh negative or Anne Rh positive she might well have given him the coveted male heir, changing the course of English history and Anne from an early unjust death...

[Danustouch]

Wow...that is really interesting, Autumn. Thank you! It blows the mind to think of how the course of history would have changed in so many circumstances if people knew then, what we know now...

The bubonic plague, Tuberculosis Plagues, so many things...

[Cinnamon Girl]

This is kind of a tangent but I just wanted to let others know that there's a great new historical fiction novel out in paperback - it's called 'The Other Boleyn Girl' and focuses on Anne's sister, Mary. I'm reading it right now, and while it doesn't cast Anne in the most favorable light, it makes for great reading! :D

[Autumn]

Anne was a tough cookie, she HAD to be, otherwise she would have been less then a historical footnote...also England would have missed out on Elizabeth I.

HenryVIII would have been quite happy to maintain the status quo, had Anne for a mistress and that would have been that. Anne wanted more...she held out and she wasa queen for a while.

Some writers potray her poorly and I haven't a doubt that she was a b*tch on four wheels, otherwise she wouldn't have been queen...