The Tudor Society

21 October – Henry VIII leaves Anne Boleyn behind in Calais

On this day in Tudor history, 21st October 1532, King Henry VIII left his sweetheart, Anne Boleyn, behind in Calais while he travelled to Boulogne to spend a few days at the French court with Francis I.

The kings were beautifully attired for their meeting and there was a bit of a bromance, with Henry calling Francis his "beloved brother" and Francis instructing his sons to be "loving always" to Henry. However, Anne Boleyn was disappointed with the situation and you can find out more in today's talk.

You can read The Maner of the tryumphe of Caleys and Bulleyn and The noble tryumphaunt coronacyon of Quene Anne, wyfe unto the most noble kynge Henry VIII online at https://archive.org/details/maneroftryumpheo00goldiala/page/n4

Also on this day in Tudor history:

  • 1449 – Birth of George, Duke of Clarence, son of Richard, Duke of York, and brother of Edward IV and Richard III, at Dublin. He was born in Ireland because his father was serving there as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Clarence was also the father of Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury.
  • 1536 - During the Pilgrimage of Grace Rebellion, Lancaster Herald arrived at Pontefract Castle, where rebel leader Robert Aske refused to let him read the proclamation he'd been instructed to read out to the people.
  • 1542 – “The 21st day of October in the xxxiiij year of the reign of our Sovereign lord King Henry the viijth., the duke of Norfolk’s grace, lieutenant to the King’s Highness, removed and camped in the borders of Barwicke”. Records show that Norfolk and his men went on to burn and pillage a number of towns in the Scottish borderlands.
  • 1554 – Death of John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick and son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, at Penshurst, the house of his brother-in-law Henry Sidney, in Kent. Dudley and his brothers, Robert and Henry, had just been released from the Tower of London after the fall of their father, brother Guildford and sister-in-law, Lady Jane Grey.

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21 October – Henry VIII leaves Anne Boleyn behind in Calais