Anna Boleyn - years before Heinrich

Anna Boleyn was the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn and Lady Elizabeth Howard. Anna's mother, Lady Elizabeth, was the daughter of Thomas Howard, the second Duke of Norfolk, trusted adviser to Henry VII and Henry VIII. It so happened that Anna's family lived all the time at the English court. Mother of the ancient aristocratic family was the maid of honor of the queen, the father carried out the diplomatic assignments of the king.

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The actual date of Ann's birth is unknown. Most sources call the time roughly between 1501 and 1507 years; there are those who believe that she was born in 1499 or in 1512. Those scientists who indicated the date of 1501, quote a letter from 1514. This letter was written by her father at the time when she was still in the Netherlands. The letter came from England.

Anna's family was one of the most respected and richest aristocratic families. The family was rather big. The upbringing of children was given much attention. Anna grew up with her sister Maria and her brothers. Sisters received an excellent education, which was unusual for young girls of those times. They studied at the school, which was under the patronage of Queen Margarita of Austria. Anna Boleyn studied science, studied foreign languages, learned needlework, dances, singing, played chess, shot arrows, and practiced horse riding. In short, she was engaged in what a girl from a noble family should be able to do. Training was given to her easily, she knew how to charm, it was her gift. When she was 12 years old, Margarita of Austria invited her to the palace.

Anna's parents went to France, to Paris. Anna and Mary became part of the retinue of Princess Maria Tudor, the sister of King Henry VIII, plans to marry with the French King Louis XII. The king is not young, he dies, and the widow Maria Tudor returns to England. Anna Boleyn remains at the court of King Francis I and becomes the maid of honor of Queen Claude of France. In Paris she will live seven years. She liked French fashion, art and music. She became a true Frenchwoman.

Contemporaries talked about the beauty of Anna. They differed olive skin color, she had brown hair and unusually beautiful dark eyes and a long graceful neck. Such a bright appearance distinguished her among other ladies of the court. Anna returned to England at the end of 1521 or at the beginning of 1522. At this time, she served Queen Catherine of Aragon and was about to marry the distant Irish cousin James Butler. Anna's father was looking for a more advantageous option and did not hurry with this wedding.

Perhaps, this was one of the reasons that the negotiations failed, and the wedding never took place. Later that year Anne met with Lord Henry Percy and accepted his courtship. According to many, this was Anna's true love, the love of her life. It is known that they practically did not part, spending a lot of time together. They got engaged, but the wedding did not take place because of the parents' interference. She became the maid of honor of Catherine of Argon and returned to court. Anna never forgave her parents for their interference.

Suffering from parting with Percy, Anna was consoled by the attention of the poet Sir Thomas White. Several of his poems were dedicated to Anna. It seems that White, really was struck by Anna and would like to marry her, if it were possible. However, Anna's feelings towards him, apparently, were platonic in nature.

By 1525, Anna had firmly established herself at the court. She had a large circle of admirers among men and women friends. Possessing wit and intelligence, she was often the center of attention. She skillfully used her position and her beauty, light flirting became a part of her life. She seemed indifferent to the fact that she was not married. But one day Henry VIII noticed her, she soon became the object of his obsession, and life for Anna Boleyn will never be the same.