Mary Boleyn
Great Britain- Biography of Mary (Mary) Boleyn
- Early Life
- Life in England
- Second Marriage and Exile
- Later Life and Death
Biography of Mary (Mary) Boleyn
Mary Boleyn, the sister of English Queen Anne Boleyn, was the favorite of Henry VIII. Unlike her younger sister, she was only able to become the king's favorite. However, this allowed her to live life as she pleased, marrying twice and dying a natural death, unlike her sister who was executed by the king in order for him to marry again. She was born around 1499, but the exact date is unknown.
Early Life
Mary spent most of her childhood in England and then went to Europe to study. As a lady-in-waiting to Princess Mary Tudor, Boleyn found herself in Paris, where she stayed for a long time. It is rumored that during this time she had many romantic adventures, with one of her lovers even being King Francis I himself. Mary's parents were very concerned about her behavior and did everything they could to bring her back to England.
Life in England
Upon her return, Mary became a lady-in-waiting to Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon. At the same time, she married William Carey for the first time. The king was present at the wedding ceremony and it was then that he decided to make Mary his favorite. There is a belief that one or even both of Mary's children from her first marriage are actually Henry VIII's sons. However, this view has never been proven as Mary never claimed any rights for her sons or publicly acknowledged her relationship with the king.
Second Marriage and Exile
Mary's first husband died of fever shortly after her sister Anne ascended the throne. After some time, Mary married William Stafford in secret, as her new husband was not of noble birth. Upon learning of this marriage, Anne banished her sister from court, depriving her of all her money and privileges.
Later Life and Death
When Anne was imprisoned in the Tower, Mary never visited her. After Anne's execution, Mary inherited some of the former queen's property, allowing her to live relatively comfortably with her husband until the end of her days. Mary Boleyn died on July 19, 1543.
