Mary Boleyn

Mary Boleyn - The Other Boleyn Girl.

The Tudor Dynasty of Queen Elizabeth I - Major Figures & People in the family of Queen Elizabeth I

Short Biography and facts about the life of Mary Boleyn - Aunt of Queen Elizabeth I

The following biography information provides basic facts and information about the life Mary Boleyn:

• Nationality: English
• Lifespan: 1503 - 1543
• Family connections: Aunt of Queen Elizabeth I and the sister of Anne Boleyn

• Descendents of Mary Boleyn: Mary's daughter Catherine Carey married Sir Francis Knollys. One of their daughters, Lettice Knollys, became the second wife of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
• Religion:  
• Character of Mary Boleyn  : Kind, sweet natured, pliable, impulsive and easily manipulated - a woman of easy virtue
• Appearance of Mary Boleyn, the Other Boleyn Girl: Mary Boleyn was considered prettier than her elder sister Anne. She was fairer in complexion and hair color

Information, Facts & History about the life of Mary Boleyn -
Aunt of Queen Elizabeth I

The following are additional facts about the life and history of Mary Boleyn - Aunt of Queen Elizabeth I:

• 1503: Mary Boleyn was born at Blickling Hall, Norfolk, England
• Mary Boleyn was the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleynand Lady Elizabeth Howard. Mary was the maternal niece of the Duke of Norfolk
• Her older sister was Anne Boleynand her brother was George Boleyn
• Anne and George were always close but Mary was not as bright as her brother and sister and always an outsider
• 1505: The family home was moved to Hever Castle in Kent
• During the early years of Mary Boleyn she was taught by a French governess and was tutored at home
• As was the tradition in many noble Tudor families Mary Boleyn and her sister Anne were both sent to France in their early teens to finish their education as ladies-in-waiting at the French court
• Both Mary Boleyn and Anne Boleyn were appointed as lady-in-waiting to Queen Claude of France, who was married to King Louis XII of France
• 1519: Mary Boleyn returned to England before her sister. Mary was in disgrace. Her morals were in question and there were strong rumours that she had had affairs with members of the French court. Mary was also purported to have had an affair with the French King Francis I
• Mary Boleyn took up a position at the English royal court as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katharine of Aragon
• Mary Boleyn married Sir William Carey on February 4, 1520
• William Carey was a favourite of the king and a prominent courtier. The wedding party included King Henry VIII
• In 1525 King Henry VIII had an affair with Mary Boleyn. It was a short lived affair during which time Henry's attention was drawn towards her sister Anne Boleyn
• The Boleyn family prospered because of Mary's affair and her father, Thomas Boleyn, was made a Viscount
• On March 4 1526 Mary Boleyn gave birth to a son, called Henry - he was widely assumed to be the son of King Henry VIII although was not acknowledged as such. The reason for this was that Henry had already fallen in love with her sister Anne...
• Anne despised Mary Boleyn and had seen how her sister had been so easily discarded by the King - Anne vowed not to take the same path as her sister and refused sexual relations with the King for six years
• Mary became pregnant again in 1528 by Sir William Carey
• William Carey died on 23 June 1528 of the'sweats'
• King Henry VIII granted Anne Boleyn the wardship of her nephew (and possibly his son). The two year old son of Mary Boleyn, Henry Carey
• Mary's second child was born in 1529 and named Catherine. Both of the children of Mary Boleyn bore the surname of Carey
• 1532: Mary was one of thirty ladies who accompanied Henry and Anne on a visit to Calais in France known as 'The Field of the Cloth of Gold'
• On January 25th 1533 King Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn and Mary became sister to the Queen of England
• 1533: Mary became a lady-in-waiting to her sister the Queen
• In 1534, Mary secretly married a soldier and commoner called William Stafford, who she had met in Calais
• Her sister was absolutely furious. Mary had married without permission and below her station. Mary Boleyn was banished from the court. She loved her new husband but she and William Stafford had little money
• Mary Boleyn and her new husband, William Stafford lived in Rochford in Essex
• Mary Boleyn asked for financial help from her family, including her sister, but was initially refused
• Mary and Anne were partly reconciled when Anne sent Mary a gold cup - but the sisters were never to met again
• Mary Boleyn was apparently happy with William Stafford but her sister's marriage had reached a terrible end
• On May 15th 1536 Anne Boleyn tried for treason, adultery and incest in the Great Hall of the Tower of London
• Mary Boleyn did not visit her disgraced brother and sister whilst they were imprisoned
• George Boleyn was executed on the charge of treason and incest on May 17th 1536
• On May 19th 1536 Anne Boleyn executed on Tower Hill
• Mary Boleyn lived her life with William Stafford away from the dangers of the court. She had another son and daughter by William Stafford
• Mary Boleyn died on July 19, 1543

Famous Elizabethans - Mary Boleyn - Aunt of Queen Elizabeth I
Some interesting facts and short biography information about the History, Life & Times of Mary Boleyn. Additional details, facts, history and information about the famous Tudors and Elizabethans and important events during their times can be accessed via the Elizabethan Era Sitemap and the section detailing the life and times of Queen Elizabeth I.

The contents of www.elizabethan-era.org.uk are subject to Copyright Laws - the name of the Website Author is Linda Alchin. The referencing protocol is suggested as follows:

Alchin, L.K.
 Elizabethan Era
e.g. Retrieved May 16 2012 from www.elizabethan-era.org.uk

The content of Elizabethan Era is free but solely for educational purposes. Reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.". We would respectfully direct our visitors to our Elizabethan Era Copyright page and Elizabethan Era Privacy Statement regarding the Terms of Use of this history site, both may be accessed from the links provided at the bottom of this page.

Queen Elizabeth's Coat of Arms

Mary Boleyn

Privacy Statement

© 2017 Siteseen Ltd

Cookie Policy

By Linda Alchin