This Day in History January 25, 1533

While there is some discrepancy concerning the date, it appears that on this date in 1533, Anne Boleyn became King Henry XIII's second wife.  Some say this was the date of the secret marriage, and some say this was the date of the official wedding.  No matter, she was definitely pregnant by the time they married.  As you probably remember, she was the one he had beheaded for treason.  I have been to England, and the story I shall never forget is that she insisted on an expert executioner with a sharp ax.  There were issues back then with executions that went awry and people not being killed instantly due to dull axes and inept executioners.

Update:  This is a perfect example of a time that I relied on my memory rather than looking it up.  I thought for sure that when at the Tower of London that I was told she was beheaded with an ax.  And maybe that is what they said, or maybe I remembered it wrong.  But it was a sword.  Thanks for correcting me, Mel@thedailyprophecy.  It just goes to show that people actually do read what I write.

For more information:
http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/ABoleyn.html
http://www.royalpaperdolls.com/ABStory.htm
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/tudor/a/anne_boleyn.htm
http://www.historyonthenet.com/Tudors/six_wives_henry_viii.htm

This Day in History January 25, 1533

You are probably quite familiar with the two people who figure in today's featurette.  King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn were married on this date in 1533.  You might know that this was his second marriage.  His first was to Catherine of Aragon, and when she was unable to provide an heir, the king decided to do something about it.

He worked hard to divorce Catherine (didn't work too well), and so he worked to dissolve the marriage.  He started going around with Anne Boleyn, and she was found to be pregnant in 1532.  The king had to act fast so that the heir would be legitimate, and so they married in secret (even though he was still technically married).  Thankfully, his marriage to Catherine was soon considered invalid.

Anne Boleyn was the mother of Queen Elizabeth I, and you might remember that eventually this second wife of his was beheaded in 1536 for adultery.  I actually got to see the exact spot where she was beheaded.  Her one request was that the king find someone who could cleanly do the task with a sharp ax.  You see, sometimes when  head was chopped off, the person's head was not cleanly chopped off, and you can imagine the pain (I am honestly not making it up!  I visited the Tower of London more than once, and I have never forgotten that story!).

For more information, please check out these informative links:
http://www.britroyals.com/tudor.asp?id=henry8
https://wiki.creighton.edu/churchhistory/index.php/Henry_VIII
http://glo.msn.com/beauty/fabulous-royal-weddings-6065.gallery?photoId=22287
http://timelines.com/1533/1/25/king-henry-viii-marries-anne-boleyn

This Day in History October 30, 1534

"Albeit the king's Majesty justly and rightfully is and ought to be the supreme head of the Church of England,"


This text is taken from a very important act that Parliament passed on this day in 1534--the Act of Supremacy. This was the act that made King Henry VIII the "Supreme Head of the Church of England." 


I am sure that the majority of my readers are aware of the colorful life of King Henry VIII.  Remember?  He is the one who kept trying to get a male heir and either "divorced" or killed the ones who wouldn't (couldn't) give him one.  And this was a bit of a problem.  Up to this point, Catholicism was the official church.  The Pope refused to grant him a divorce so he could marry Anne Boleyn.  This was the act that required an oath of loyalty from English subjects that recognized his marriage to Anne Boleyn. And we know she didn't last long, did she?  


I was interested to discover that a new Act of Supremacy was enacted under Queen Elizabeth I (Henry's daughter!). I am so grateful that I didn't live during this time.  I could say much more, but I have to admit that it was pretty petty of the king to have a law passed so that he could marry the woman he loved (and hoped would give him a male heir).  I guess he didn't realize that it was woman's the fault.  If we want to get technical, it was Henry's fault!  He didn't give the right chromosome to make a male child!!  (Just thought I'd throw that in--I get tired of the women being blamed when all they can give is an X chromosome.)


If you are interested, check out these sites:
http://supremacyandsurvival.blogspot.com/2010/10/act-of-supremacy-1534.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/act-of-supremacy