The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown

by Claire Ridgway

During the spring of 1536 in Tudor England, events conspire to bring down Anne Boleyn, the Queen of England. The coup against the Queen results in the brutal executions of six innocent people - Anne Boleyn herself, her brother, and four courtiers - and the rise of a new Queen. Drawing on sixteenth century letters, eye witness accounts and chronicles, Claire Ridgway leads the reader through the sequence of chilling events one day at a time, telling the true story of Anne Boleyn's fall. The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown is presented in a diary format, allowing readers to dip in, look up a particular date, or read from start to finish. Special features include mini biographies of those involved, a timeline of events and full referencing. Claire Ridgway, creator of The Anne Boleyn Files website and author of The Anne Boleyn Collection, continues her mission to share the real truth about Anne Boleyn.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Historical, Tudor Period, Biography, British Literature, Royalty

348 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2012

About the author

Claire Ridgway is the author of the best-selling books On This Day in Tudor History(October 2012), The Anne Boleyn Collection (Feb 2012), The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown (April 2012), The Anne Boleyn Collection II (September 2013) George Boleyn: Tudor Poet, Courtier and Diplomat (April 2014), Sweating Sickness: In an Nutshell (August 2014), Illustrated Kings and Queens of England (November 2014) and Tudor Places of Great Britain (October 2015).

Claire worked in education and freelance writing before creating The Anne Boleyn Files history website and becoming a full-time history researcher, blogger and author. The Anne Boleyn Files is known for its historical accuracy and Claire's mission to get to the truth behind Anne Boleyn's story. Her writing is easy-to-read and conversational, and readers often comment on how reading Claire's books is like having a coffee with her and chatting about history.

Claire is also the founder of The Tudor Society.

Reviews

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for free with Kindle Unlimited

(Health issues can kiss my butt, that is all)

----
3.5 stars 🌟

Bit chilling to read how Anne Boleyn and the other men came to the end they did, the factors in play, and how unfair the whole thing really was..they really had no chance :(.

It's too bad no one could come to the rescue of Anne and the men:(

Who was the driving force behind it all, we may never know for sure. The one theory the author had though I do agree with.

Would recommend 👌. Go learn something :).

[Rio (Lynne) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to learn about the actual happenings of this trial and time, this is the only book you need to read. Just like today, the press spins stories to manipulate the public and if people read it, they sadly believe it. In 1536 it was no different. The author includes The Chronicle of Calais and The Spanish Chronicle's versions of the beheadings. How different they are. Then we have Eustace Chapuys version (a man we know who was not on The Boleyn's side) and writers and some historians have taken these words as the truth. You would think people would want to compare all sides and learn what actually happened? Luckily, for us Claire has. She takes all angles and accounts and sorts them out to try to reveal the truth. As I mentioned with Claire's last book The Anne Boleyn Collection: The Real Truth about the Tudors, even if you believe you are Tudored out or can't learn anything new, I believe Claire will teach you something you don't know. A great insight to the truth. Once again thank you Claire!

The Memorial at The Tower for Anne Boleyn, Jane Grey, Catherine Howard, Margaret Pole and Lord Hastings.

Anne (I got chills just standing here)

Tower Hill (The site of the other beheadings)

View from Tower Hill looking down at The Tower of London

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit I was somewhat wary of this book. Overall, however, it is actually very good. What I particularly liked, perhaps Ridgway's tone, was the fact that she presents areas of dispute equally. In other words, she gives the evidence for each side, gives each side equal room, and then explains her conclusion.

But I have to agree with Isis - Seymour's death is wrong, I believe. This could be a typo. - See comment section below. Apparently this is going to be fixed. I must say Ridgway is a Lady and true professional.

Anyway, Ridgway's book is sectioned off by days, which actually makes the reading easier. I liked the fact she included Wyatt's poetry about Boleyn and the men. It's hard not to like this book.

Totally enjoyable, even for a long time Tudor fan. Overall, well thought out and intelligent.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 2 out of 5]

Royal reads 2024

I have no idea where or when I got this book. It may be mine? It may have been like a $2.99 sale on apple? I buy so many books on my apple app. I waste so much money I should say. And I know I need to stop. Just another evil behavior thanks to being bipolar. Realistically I know there is no way I will ever get my books read before I die. Now if I enjoyed all of my books maybe. But this book is dishwater. If I remember correctly it gives like a rundown of activity for Anne for a year or so then in comes the body of the work, so I’m reading a slightly meaty timeline. At least I don’t have to pay great attention to it because it’s the same ole same ole. Anne poor poor Anne has been written about so much I’m getting to the point I could write a book. I will say this -I finally know how to correctly pronounce “Toli me tangere “. Not sure if I spelled it correctly though. I’m almost certain I have a book with that title, but I have no idea what it’s about.

*please forgive any typos. I know it’s beginning to increase.*

[Iset · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having read Hilary Mantel’s richly detailed Bring Up the Bodies, depicting the downfall of the Boleyns from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell, I had a sudden hankering to get back to the stark, unadorned sources and facts about events. Claire Ridgway’s The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown was ideal for that purpose, presenting events in an extremely clear and useful chronological format, and cutting through the mire of myth and examining source reliability and bias as we go along. It’s the perfect introduction/reminder to the bare bones of events without diving into a chunkster of a tome – also, some historians tend to tackle Anne Boleyn’s downfall pushing their own interpretations and omitting certain discussions of the sources – I just wanted to cut to the truth of the matter without having to read several different historians’ arguments and then having to weigh them up myself to decide which historian is right. It’s true this doesn’t feel like a professional publication, and does feel more like a diary format – but, as Claire explains, that is the purpose. It is what it is – it’s not a comprehensive examination, it doesn’t feel like a professional publication, it just lays the sources out in chronological orders in a clear and useful manner – and when you want to cut straight to the basic facts of events and don’t fancy a long debate, it more than serves its purpose.

In kindle format there are a few formatting issues such as run-ons and the like, I’m not sure if the case is true of the paperback version. There are just a couple of things I’d like to bring to Claire’s attention. On page 251 the year that Catherine Howard is executed is not given, giving the impression that she was executed the year following her marriage to Henry. On page 24, 1533 is given as the year that Henry and Anne marry, and it is stated that as Katherine of Aragon’s household was broken up Jane Seymour would have returned home to Wolf Hall and that her father was dead by this time – didn’t Sir John Seymour die in 1536, not 1533?

7 out of 10

[Adrienne Dillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise and well-researched, this is a gem you don't want to miss! Whether you want just a cursory look at Anne Boleyn's fall or are interested in a day-by-day account, Ridgway's book has you covered. This book has been invaluable in my research, plus it's laid out great for reference. I had to refer back to it several times and it was a cinch to find just what I was looking for.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the small opening biographies of the "cast" and did glean a lot of information from this book, so overall I did enjoy it.

However, there were times when I was very frustrated with the author. If you are looking for excerpts of old writings and letters to collaborate theories, this is the book for you. If you just want to read a narrative of what happened (or one person's thoughts on what happened), I have a harder time recommending this. Many of the quotes and excerpts that were used were cumbersome to read due to when they were written and by whom. I would have been much happier if the author had just summarized these to keep the book as a narrative and added footnotes to guide the reader to the supporting quotes for further research.

In addition, even though the opening biographies were provided, there were still just too many people involved in the story to keep it straight for a casual reader. It might have been easier to keep up with it all if the many titles of each person were not repeatedly given because that seemed to slow down the flow. Again, for someone just wanting to read a narrative and get a better understanding of what happened, I could have done without the repetition of details that didn't add to the story. If I were reading this from a historian's perspective, this would have probably been important. From a layperson's view though, I didn't need to be constantly told that Chapuys was the Imperial Ambassador every time his name was mentioned (and ultimately I don't even know what that "title" really means).

[Gareth Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gripping and passionate day-by-day account of the events in 1536 that brought Anne Boleyn, and five men, to the scaffold. Ridgway is forthright in her own views and fair to others'. Those looking for a solid, well-researched and well-supported introduction to, or assessment of, the "academic trench warfare" inspired by Boleyn's final few months alive may find "The Fall of Anne Boleyn" illuminating, accessible, and sensitive.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was well written with a lot of quotes from primary sources so the author has clearly done extensive research. But it felt more like a collection of blog entries (which may very well be the case). I think it could have been edited differently to flow better rather than having short, choppy chapters that were sometimes only a page or two long.

Occasionally, I felt it was a little vague in places where I was interested in seeing more detail. For example, the author details how others have come to the conclusion that Henry’s jousting accident was the sole cause of the decline of his character and health and then states that it is “more likely a combination of factors” and that it “cannot be blamed on that one accident”. While I agree with this statement, I prepared myself for a detailed explanation as to what these other factors were and why they contributed to Henry’s physical and mental decline. But then the chapter promptly ended and jumped to a chapter on Anne’s last miscarriage and the subject was never really revisited. I realize Henry’s physical and character decline mostly occurred after Anne Boleyn’s death and outside the focal point of this book. But if it was worth going into all the detail about how other historians feel the jousting accident is the sole cause, why isn’t it worth going into detail about why the author disagrees? Don’t open a topic and then leave your readers hanging with a tantalizing, unexplained statement.

The other thing I took issue with a little bit was how the author handled the biases from various sources. In the beginning, the author points out that only primary sources can really be relied upon for accuracy and even those must be taken in with consideration to any bias from them. Very true. But the author is quick to point out these biases, however obvious they may be, when they are against Anne Boleyn while at the same time uses secondary sources to regularly quote comments in favor of Anne and her innocence, skirting the issue of any bias. For example, there are several quotes from George Wyatt in favor of Anne but the author only briefly mentions that they were written during Elizabeth I’s reign and fails to mention at all that George wasn’t even born until 14 years after Anne’s execution. Of course a writer in Elizabeth’s reign is going to write favorable things about his queen’s own mother. But this doesn’t even seem to be taken into consideration. That is not to say I disagree with the author’s attempt to rehabilitate Anne’s reputation. Just that if she wishes to be taken seriously, she should be a bit more upfront about quotes that have a clear bias in favor of her view point, not just the ones that have a bias that conflict with her personal agenda.

The subtitle of the book is “A Countdown” and it does succeed at that. It felt like a countdown or timeline of events leading up to Anne’s execution. It has an actual timeline in the beginning and short summaries of all the major players involved in the fall of Anne Boleyn, which are great for reference.

While the title does indicate a focus on the fall of Anne Boleyn, a small time period, so you might expect it to be short, Alison Weir’s similarly titled “The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn” is nearly twice it’s length (of course, Weir’s is also more than double the price). This should serve as a good reference or introduction, especially for a low price. But if you’re looking for something a bit more comprehensive, Weir’s similar biography might be a better choice (though I admit I haven't read it).

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was entertaining and informative. However, there were a lot of typos and grammatical errors and I really thought it was unprofessional when the author started saying "I think" or "in my opinion". It's one thing for a blog, but completely another where you are writing a book that (I am assuming?) you want to be taken seriously. On the plus side, Ms. Ridgway is serious about her endeavor to discover and spread the truth about a poorly understood and misremembered (I am making up my own words now) woman, and I appreciate her very much for that. I have come across many people who, when I mention Anne Boleyn (I named my puppy after her), say oh she was a tramp etc. and the amount of ignorance drives me crazy! I have decided to also make it my mission to redeem her to reputation to people who don't know and/or understand, and as part of that mission, I wear a pendant showing her signature and happily talk the ear off of anyone who will listen to me!

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of anything related to Anne Boleyn. I was very excited to read this book as it is part of the Amazon Prime Lending Library. Overall I really enjoyed the book as it is a chronological, day by day account of the time leading up to her execution. Unfortunately at times, this reads like a history book especially with so many excerpts of letters from that time. Because of this, the narrative was lost throughout much of the book. Also, while it was clear that the author is pro Anne, there was no a lot of insight or personal opinions only random phrases or statements at the end of each chapter. I did enjoy how the author corrected some of the historical inaccuracies that have been purported by Hollywood and popular historical fiction. I am also curious to visit the author's/book's website that she provides at the end of the book.

[Norav · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'aime toujours autant cette auteur. Ses explications sont vraiment très claires et accessibles.
Ce qui me plait par dessus tout, c'est qu'elle cite toutes ses sources. Elle ne se contente pas de nous donner son avis. Elle compare les différentes informations positives et négatives avant de donner sa propre opinion.

[Nisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good research here and told without too much spin (there is some although the author does better than most in trying to avoid it). Unfortunately, the writing style was like that of an unschooled teenager and did not appeal to me.

[Claire Ridgway]

My own book!

[Alissa Chandler · Rating 1 out of 5]

A really bad book. Tedious, boring and these were the best parts. I can't say enough negative things about this book.
I was very disappointment and this is a topic I absolutely love.

[Beverly Diehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fabulous addition to my Anne Boleyn collection. There are so many theories about when and how - and even WHO - somebody decided to take down Anne Boleyn, her brother, and many of Henry's long-time friends. Was it Cromwell? Henry himself? The Seymours?

The timeline format shows how very rushed the whole business was, and creates an impending sense of dread and doom. That the executioner from Calais, the expert swordsman, was sent for before Anne's trial points to how she was NEVER going to get a fair trial.

This would not be the only book to have on your Anne Boleyn shelf, electronic or otherwise, but it definitely needs a spot there to offer another approach to understanding the first queen to be executed in England.

[Hanna (lapetiteboleyn) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Ridgway's engaging, informal discussion-style of writing is only ever to her benefit and credit in making the facts accessible. This particular book is a comprehensive and detailed examination of the events of 1536 which ultimately led to the first Queen in English history to be executed. I wish there had been more contemporary recommendations for further reading (Sandra Vasoli's dissection of the Letter from the Tower is well worth a read, alongside Natalie Grueniger and Sarah Morris's work on Tudor palaces) but it's a wonderful example of revisionist history.

[Pemberley Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this! I'm not even particularly interested in the topic. Claire made it absolutely fascinating though. She did a great job illustrating what actually happened versus what we've been brought to believe.

[Mary Josefina Cade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queen Anne Boleyn, six fingered witch or dark eyed woman of wit and intelligence? This is an endlessly debated question and the topic of countless novels and academic books. What was Anne’s true nature? What did she look like? Did she cheat on Henry VIII? Following her execution Henry destroyed Anne’s portraits and possibly her letters and much else. Opinions vary from person to person, but I favour feisty, witty Anne, a faithful wife who captivated Henry VIII with her outspokeness, intelligence and cultivation. She also appears to have had a sense of humour and to have been ‘merry’ with the King. Was Henry her true love? If so, she was cruelly betrayed.

In her expertly researched book, ‘The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown’ Claire Ridgway sets out the timeline of Anne’s tragic end. This has extraordinary features. In a letter dated 25th April 1636 Henry VIII referred to Anne as his ‘most entirely beloved wife the Queen. ‘ On the 19th May 1636 Anne was dead, executed at the Tower of London by the 'swordsman from Calais'. It is incredibly painful to read that this swordsman had been summoned to England before Anne’s trial had even taken place. Henry had already decided that his ‘beloved wife’ was to die.

On the evidence of this book Henry’s court was a dangerous place, a quicksand that could suddenly swallow you up. For a lively opinionated woman like Anne, this remained a safe environment only if she had the favour of the king. I recognise the dynamic, as Henry’s court sounds much like modern corporate workplaces. Fortunately execution has been replaced with redundancy. Instead of axes and swords the weapons used are gagging orders, officially known in the UK as compromise agreements. Then, as now, women tend to get a bad deal in this kind of ruthless male dominated environment. Check out the gender of the board members of any major company if you doubt this.

By Claire Ridgway’s account Anne was not compliant. She argued with the king. It is hard for anyone to know the truth of their relationship, but I imagine that, initially, he found Anne’s feisty nature charming. Henry's passion for Anne is demonstrated by the long wait to marry her, the break with Rome, the upheaval he caused to have her as his wife and to give her the honour of being crowned as queen. THEN he appeared to tire of her and arranged her execution. Henry's marriage to Jane Seymour took place on 30th May 1636, 11 days after Anne's death. No wonder Anne's daughter, Elizabeth, never married!

For me 'The Fall of Anne Boleyn ' is a compulsive read. I congratulate Claire Ridgeway on her research and her careful way of setting out the known facts. I also found her dedication to Queen Anne and the men who died with her, most touching. I'm writing this on International Women's Day in memory of Anne, a woman I believe to have been destroyed by a king who grew into a tyrant.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown to be an amazing book. Anne Boleyn was an intriguing person in English history. We all know she was beheaded. We know she was a wife of Henry VIII. We know she was not her first wife nor was she his last. And most of us know that she & King Henry VIII were the parents of Queen Elizabeth I.

I personally always felt that Anne was doomed when she met the King.

The writer, Claire Ridgeway, approaches the life of Anne Boleyn via a timeline or countdown. The writer states she spent three years researching Anne and I believe it shows in the book. Each person who touched Anne's life is shown throughout the book fitting within the timeline.

Many passages are given from writings. When the "ole English" would have been too hard to follow, Ms. Ridgeway provides a translation otherwise she shows the original text.

This is not a book that I could start and just keep reading. It's not a novel and there is an absolute TON of information provided. It's a history book but then it isn't.

One gets a feeling for Anne. What life must have been like for her after the birth of Elizabeth and especially after the premature birth of her son.

At the end of the book she provides a short synopsis of the key people involved with the murder (my word, not the author's) of Anne. Including Jane Seymour who was married to the King within a few days of Anne's death. A fascinating biographical book.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well thought out and thoroughly researched book about the last days of Anne Boleyn. I love learning about "The Tudor Era" and this book is one of the best I have read. Very historically written and it is in the form of a diary. This book makes me respect Anne Boleyn more than I have before. Most documents make her out to be snotty and irrespectable. This is a total opposite account of what she was like. I definitely recommend to those who like British history and King Henry VIII period.

[Thalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in a rather conversational tone it might make you suspect of what the author is trying to pass off. However, this book does a nice job of a condensed history of the fall of Anne Boleyn. My favourite part however, is the catalogue of historical characters, especially the "after" ones. You don't see that very often

[Sharon Reale · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shite

This is one of, if not the worst thing I have ever read.
Like a car crash it was hard to look away so,, to give the thing a chance I got to the end
As research it is less that useless and chronically, well, I find it hard to find any logic the way the events are presented.
In short, read something that a publisher has invested in, not this rubbish.

[Alexander Catt · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book seems more like a collection of blog posts discrediting other authors and their use of evidence which just makes the book boring to read and honestly makes the history incorrect considering the assumptions that things didn't happen.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read this because it was free in the Kindle Lending Library. No new information and not very well-written, but a basic layouts of the facts from original sources that allows readers to make their own decision about Anne Boleyn's fate and who sentenced her to it.

[Kilian Metcalf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complete, concise, and comprehensive account of the fall and death of Anny Boleyn. There is a bonus list of the primary actors in the case with their own eventual ends. I found it very useful for reference.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read better history papers. Full of typos and grammatical errors

[Joanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a fair few books pertaining to Anne Boleyn, and for those looking for a detailed yet not overbearing breakdown of her downfall, this is a great read. It provides a distinct timeline, providing plenty of information on the cast of characters along the way. Ridgway also generally does a good job of providing pointed details for her arguments and conclusions.

I have only two minor qualms with the book, the first being that I felt portions of it were repetitive, particularly when pointing out who various individuals were. Although Ridgway makes a comment towards the latter stages of the book that would suggest the reader may not have read it in chronological order, and therefore provides the likely reason she is so repetitive in denoting the positions/relations of various persons, the fact that reading it in chronological order is far and way the most likely way to read the book lends itself to this repetitiveness.

Secondly - and strictly from a personal standpoint - I do feel that Anne Boleyn bears more responsibility for her downfall than the author believes. I agree that she is highly unlikely to be guilty of any of the crimes that were levied against her and the men executed along with her, but her words and attitude likely did little to help her case, especially since she should have been aware that unlike Catherine of Aragon, she wasn't born royal with various royal relatives around Europe to help protect her. Furthermore, her and Henry's actions during their initial courtship provided the perfect blueprint for Jane Seymour and her supporters to follow when the time was ripe. None of this is to say that Henry VIII, Cromwell, the Seymours, and the Catholic/conservative factions didn't all play a part - especially Henry and Cromwell - but I personally believe Anne was hardly blameless in what ultimately led to her downfall.

As with any other book about Anne Boleyn, this is sure to provide some food for thought to the reader. It is the perfect book for anyone looking to get a solid overview of the weeks leading to Anne's downfall and execution and demonstrates why she remains such an intriguing person centuries following her death.

[Jennifer Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown definitely exceeded my expectations. I went into this book thinking it would be the same that I have read throughout most Tudor books. This definitely was not the case.

There are parts and days that I knew about that it was as if I was re-reading them again. Most of the days that Claire talks about aren't as widely known. There are days about the council that show you just how much before her arrest this was all in motion.

One thing that really opened my eyes was when we see movies or tv shows that portray the rise and fall of anne boleyn you always think that it happened within a 24-48 hour period from time of conjuring up the plan about her adultery to the date of her beheading. This is definitely not the case as you see it was in motion about a week or two before the arrests actually started.

One thing that really made me change my mind about Henry VIII was the fact that I thought he wanted Anne Boleyn gone himself and had Cromwell conjure up this scheme. Claire beautifully describes how Henry even on the day that Cromwell started his investigation had made comments about how beautiful his wife was, how he loved her and how they would hopefully have a son one day. Now this was over 500 years in the past so there is no way to be sure if Henry truly knew or not about Anne predicament but I love how Claire gives you the "facts" as best she can and you can draw your own conclusion. As for me, I like to think that Henry, along with truly loving Anne, really wanted to be with his wife for the rest of his life and I believe he was truly devastated when the charges came to his knowledge.

I definitely recommend this book for any long time Tudor fans or even knew fans that I are just now diving into this 16th century world. Even though it's a timeline Claire beautifully goes day to day to show you the life and inner court. This page turner is seamless in it's ability to move from day to day without making you feel like there is an abrupt stop.

[Alyssa Jacunski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a gift from the author while on a tour in London over the summer of 2019 (it was an executed queens tour). If you're a Tudor history fan, let me know if you're interested in this tour and I can send you some information on it. Even if you're not a Tudor history fan, it was such a unique and fun tour and I want to go back and do another one.

After going on this tour, I really wanted to read more and learn more about Henry VIII's wives - specifically Anne Boleyn. This was my very first book both by the author and about Anne Boleyn, and I really enjoyed it. Ridgway uses tons and tons of facts to back up her statements, and I absolutely loved that this was told in chronological order leading up to the death of the Queen.

I had put this book down at one point because I didn't feel like reading nonfiction in that moment. However, yesterday I picked it back up and flew through 3/4 of the book to finish it. It's written in a way that is easy to read and digest. I know that I want to pick up more books in this era and also written by Ridgway.

This was a five star read for me. She did Queen Anne justice in explaining what happened to her, as well as providing some additional position on who is really to blame for her death. Again, if you're a fan of the Tudor era and Anne Boleyn, try this book!