What do you think?
Rate this book
The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn
The execution of Henry VIII's second queen in 1536 has traditionally been attributed to a conspiracy masterminded by Thomas Cromwell. This radical reinterpretation focuses instead on the many intrigues that pervaded Henry's court.
It looks at opinions only of Warnicke - for example, the idea that Anne Boleyn was deformed and had a sixth finger and a wen under her chin.
It looks at opinions only of Warnicke - for example, the idea that Anne Boleyn was deformed and had a sixth finger and a wen under her chin.
338 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
10 people are currently reading
1896 people want to read
About the author
Retha M. Warnicke
18 books27 followersProfessor Retha Marvine Warnicke (born 1939) American historian and Professor of History at Arizona State University. Warnicke graduated with a B.A. from Indiana University, magna cum laude, in 1961. She then moved on to Harvard University, were she earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in 1963 and 1969, respectively. During her junior year, she joined Phi Beta Kappa and in her senior year, she was granted the Listenfelt Scholarship, for outstanding Undergraduate History Major, following in 1961 with the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship.
From 1965 to 1966, Professor Warnicke was an instructor at Phoenix College. She went on to teach at Arizona State University (ASU) as a Lecturer from 1966 to 1967. She then left to pursue her Ph.D. before returning to ASU to continue as a Lecturer from 1969 to 1973. Warnicke rose through the ranks to Assistant Professor, then Associate Professor and finally Professor in 1973, 1976 and 1984, respectively. She was the Director of Graduate Studies at the History Department from 1987 - 1992, and she was Chair of the History Department from 1992-1998.
Professor Warnicke was the first woman hired in the History Department of ASU, and taught the first Women's History course ever offered there. Through her advocacy, lobbying efforts and participation in numerous search committees, the History Department began to add women and minority men to the department – and as a result, the History Department is nearly half female and has a large minority presence. In addition to her efforts in the History Department, Professor Warnicke has also devoted much of her time to affirmative action and faculty rights.
Professor Warnicke is an expert on politics and protocol at the Tudor Court, Gender Issues in the Early Modern Period (1400 - c. 1700) and Jacobean Funerary Rites for Women. She authored numerous articles, including Inventing the Wicked Women of Tudor England: Alice More, Anne Boleyn and Anne Stanhope and Sexual Heresy at the Court of Henry VIII. She is also the author of The Marrying of Anne of Cleves: Royal Protocol in Tudor England, which was published in 2000 by Cambridge. Her most recent book, Mary, Queen of Scots, which was published by Routledge in 2006, has received positive scholarly reviews.
She is most famous for her controversial theories over the life of Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. These theories were outlined in various articles in the mid-1980s; Anne Boleyn's Childhood and Adolescence and Sexual Heresy at the Court of Henry VIII. The theories were built on and elaborated in her 1989 book The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn: Family politics at the court of Henry VIII.
From 1965 to 1966, Professor Warnicke was an instructor at Phoenix College. She went on to teach at Arizona State University (ASU) as a Lecturer from 1966 to 1967. She then left to pursue her Ph.D. before returning to ASU to continue as a Lecturer from 1969 to 1973. Warnicke rose through the ranks to Assistant Professor, then Associate Professor and finally Professor in 1973, 1976 and 1984, respectively. She was the Director of Graduate Studies at the History Department from 1987 - 1992, and she was Chair of the History Department from 1992-1998.
Professor Warnicke was the first woman hired in the History Department of ASU, and taught the first Women's History course ever offered there. Through her advocacy, lobbying efforts and participation in numerous search committees, the History Department began to add women and minority men to the department – and as a result, the History Department is nearly half female and has a large minority presence. In addition to her efforts in the History Department, Professor Warnicke has also devoted much of her time to affirmative action and faculty rights.
Professor Warnicke is an expert on politics and protocol at the Tudor Court, Gender Issues in the Early Modern Period (1400 - c. 1700) and Jacobean Funerary Rites for Women. She authored numerous articles, including Inventing the Wicked Women of Tudor England: Alice More, Anne Boleyn and Anne Stanhope and Sexual Heresy at the Court of Henry VIII. She is also the author of The Marrying of Anne of Cleves: Royal Protocol in Tudor England, which was published in 2000 by Cambridge. Her most recent book, Mary, Queen of Scots, which was published by Routledge in 2006, has received positive scholarly reviews.
She is most famous for her controversial theories over the life of Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. These theories were outlined in various articles in the mid-1980s; Anne Boleyn's Childhood and Adolescence and Sexual Heresy at the Court of Henry VIII. The theories were built on and elaborated in her 1989 book The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn: Family politics at the court of Henry VIII.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Read
November 3, 2017Neither the year in which Anne Boleyn was born nor the birth order of her and her siblings can be proven beyond reasonable doubt. But you can look at facsimiles of the love letters that she and Henry wrote to each other. These are lives both very close to us and very distant from our understanding.
Warnicke's thesis is that Boleyn's second pregnancy ended in the stillbirth of a malformed male child. The malformation at worst demonstrating to Henry God's disapproval of the relationship with Anne and at best something that he needed to be distanced from. This ended in claiming that Henry was rendered impotent through witchcraft and the malformed child was the result of unnatural sexual acts between Anne and five others including her brother and therefore no reflection upon the physical and spiritual health of the controversially divorced King. To suggest that the King produced a malformed monstrous child was the same as saying that God didn't like Henry himself, not what you wanted to say in his day and age if you preferred being alive or aspired to a natural death.
Equally important, Warnicke argues is that whereas today we have a polar view of sexuality (Arctic, Antarctic and equatorial bisexuality) then the prevalent view was the slippery slope model of sexuality. At the top of the slope was a married couple, ideally they felt that sexuality was another of those burdens put on humanity by God as he kicked Adam and Eve out of Paradise, they would be certain to avoid sexual relations on the days forbidden to it (which were numerous) and would confess of any sinful activity and do penance, as one slipped down the slope the argument goes one becomes more and indiscriminately lustful, at the bottom men, women, children, animals, close relatives anything goes. In the context of such believes not only were the accusations levelled against Boleyn believable, they themselves 'proved' that Boleyn was a witch who had ensorcelled his gracious majesty good king Harry VIII. And plainly your typical witch who was indiscriminately fornicating would naturally give birth to monsters. As a bonus this also proved that there was nothing wrong with the King, his manhood, or his political leadership, simply unfortunately he was as at risk from and potential prey to witchcraft just like his humble subjects.
This provided a narrative that was consistent and allowed Boleyn and those connected to her to be removed from power without damaging the King and so the crucial factor in Warnicke's opinion is the dynamics of court life. Court politics with families scrabbling for office and reward, its protocol and ceremonial was an intricate business. This ,and the particular need, or correctly said desire, of Henry VIII for a son, was to result in the execution of Anne Boleyn.
Warnicke's thesis is that Boleyn's second pregnancy ended in the stillbirth of a malformed male child. The malformation at worst demonstrating to Henry God's disapproval of the relationship with Anne and at best something that he needed to be distanced from. This ended in claiming that Henry was rendered impotent through witchcraft and the malformed child was the result of unnatural sexual acts between Anne and five others including her brother and therefore no reflection upon the physical and spiritual health of the controversially divorced King. To suggest that the King produced a malformed monstrous child was the same as saying that God didn't like Henry himself, not what you wanted to say in his day and age if you preferred being alive or aspired to a natural death.
Equally important, Warnicke argues is that whereas today we have a polar view of sexuality (Arctic, Antarctic and equatorial bisexuality) then the prevalent view was the slippery slope model of sexuality. At the top of the slope was a married couple, ideally they felt that sexuality was another of those burdens put on humanity by God as he kicked Adam and Eve out of Paradise, they would be certain to avoid sexual relations on the days forbidden to it (which were numerous) and would confess of any sinful activity and do penance, as one slipped down the slope the argument goes one becomes more and indiscriminately lustful, at the bottom men, women, children, animals, close relatives anything goes. In the context of such believes not only were the accusations levelled against Boleyn believable, they themselves 'proved' that Boleyn was a witch who had ensorcelled his gracious majesty good king Harry VIII. And plainly your typical witch who was indiscriminately fornicating would naturally give birth to monsters. As a bonus this also proved that there was nothing wrong with the King, his manhood, or his political leadership, simply unfortunately he was as at risk from and potential prey to witchcraft just like his humble subjects.
This provided a narrative that was consistent and allowed Boleyn and those connected to her to be removed from power without damaging the King and so the crucial factor in Warnicke's opinion is the dynamics of court life. Court politics with families scrabbling for office and reward, its protocol and ceremonial was an intricate business. This ,and the particular need, or correctly said desire, of Henry VIII for a son, was to result in the execution of Anne Boleyn.
February 23, 2017
Since its publication in 1989, "The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn" has often been dismissed as a joke by Tudor history enthusiasts. Like 2010's "Anne Boleyn: Fatal Attractions," "Rise and Fall" has been criticised for relying far too much on unreliable anecdotal evidence from the 1530s to substantiate its claims. However, "Rise and Fall" relies on a wider range of sources, which suggests that, at the very least, it should be treated with the same seriousness as Professor Bernard's work. Thorough and admirable reviews critiquing, even de-constructing, its core arguments have been printed. It would be unfair to dismiss the entirety of the book as nonsense, because of the contents of its eighth chapter.
While Professor Warnicke's famous "deformed foetus" theory is largely unconvincing, it does not necessarily follow that all of her work is subsequently invalid. "The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn" remains an interesting and thought-provoking academic account of Boleyn's life and career. Warnicke places far more emphasis on gender and aristocratic culture and anyone interested in studying Henry VIII's second wife will appreciate at least some of its conclusions and research. This is certainly not a book for beginners, but by focusing on the entirety of Anne's life from her early-century birth to her execution in 1536, Warnicke does enough to unsettle the firmly-entrenched narrative of Anne's life. She suggests that, at the very least, there is still room for debate and that further research is required on some key areas of the period. It is not necessary to accept some of the more controversial elements of Professor Warnicke's theories in order to appreciate this book. Fascinating and thorough, even when unconvincing, it is an essential part of the modern debate over the sixteenth-century monarchy and upper-classes.
While Professor Warnicke's famous "deformed foetus" theory is largely unconvincing, it does not necessarily follow that all of her work is subsequently invalid. "The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn" remains an interesting and thought-provoking academic account of Boleyn's life and career. Warnicke places far more emphasis on gender and aristocratic culture and anyone interested in studying Henry VIII's second wife will appreciate at least some of its conclusions and research. This is certainly not a book for beginners, but by focusing on the entirety of Anne's life from her early-century birth to her execution in 1536, Warnicke does enough to unsettle the firmly-entrenched narrative of Anne's life. She suggests that, at the very least, there is still room for debate and that further research is required on some key areas of the period. It is not necessary to accept some of the more controversial elements of Professor Warnicke's theories in order to appreciate this book. Fascinating and thorough, even when unconvincing, it is an essential part of the modern debate over the sixteenth-century monarchy and upper-classes.
December 27, 2007
Well researched, well argued, and well written. Warnicke ably untangles the religious, political, legal, sexual and social issues that led to the execution of Anne Boleyn in May 1536. Her arguments are novel and very well constructed, although she relies on sheer conjecture now and again. Still, from the scarcity of clues left to us, sometimes conjecture is all we can achieve, and it is mostly forgivable in these cases. Sometimes she assumes too much prior knowledge of medieval religious and legal terminology, but it wasn't enough to keep me from understanding the bigger picture. Definitely recommended. I'm interested now in reading the views of other Tudor historians on this subject to see how they respond to Warnicke's arguments.
November 22, 2015
I thought this did a good job of explaining the circumstances of the times and the politics surrounding Anne Boleyn as consort and queen.I was particularly fascinated by the sections on the Boleyn origins and her patronage as queen.I also enjoyed the author's writing style and I liked how the book was organized.It seemed well researched right up to the point of Anne's last pregnancy and her trial where I felt the author tended to rely too much on the Spanish State Papers which are highly biased.Otherwise,I would recommend it if you are looking for something on Anne's life that isn't a biography.
November 26, 2018
There was a lot in here I didn't agree with...however, Warnicke almost fully exonerates Jane Boleyn of the hateful myths that have been repeated about her, so that counts for a lot! Definitely worth a read to get a full picture of Anne's story.
July 13, 2008
The Sixth Wife by Suzannah Dunn got me interested in the Tudor court, and this book -- The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn -- was among the armful of books I subsequently checked out of the library in my quest for more information. I'd say that this author researched the subject matter well, but I couldn't really get behind most of her conclusions about the real reasons for Anne Boleyn's fall. Also, this historian came across too much as an apologist for Anne's actions. On the one hand, when it was Anne participating in the downfall of Catherine of Aragon or her daughter Mary, Anne couldn't be blamed because it was all Henry's doing, because of course she wielded no influence over him or responsibility whatsoever. But when it was *Anne's* turn to be the spurned, scorned wife -- when Henry and his courtiers were scrambling for ways to disgrace and kill her and de-legitimize the marriage -- then it was all a big tragedy. I mean, it *was* a big tragedy -- the woman was the focus of smear machine that ended in her death -- but this was also a classic example of someone thinking that she was an exception and that her husband wouldn't treat her as badly as he treated her predecessor.
Anyway. I thought this was well-researched, but I didn't always agree with the author's theories and conclusions.
Anyway. I thought this was well-researched, but I didn't always agree with the author's theories and conclusions.
May 31, 2022
The author Retha Warnicke put alot of research into this book and it contains some very interesting information suggesting other ideas and reasons for the downfall and execution of Anne Boleyn. The book was at times very intense with alot of information, but for someone who wants those facts, it would be a really good book.
June 14, 2025
Honestly not sure how to rate this as the 'malformed miscarriage' theory is WILD and it's hard to get past that to deal with anything else.
July 1, 2025
In The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn, Retha Warnicke attempts to debunk the theory (espoused by Prof. Ives in his recent biography) that Anne's downfall was a direct result of Cromwell's allying himself with the Aragonese supporters at court in an attempt to invalidate Henry's marriage to Anne and make way for Jane Seymour. Furthermore, Warnicke argues that Anne's fall from favor, which ultimately lead to her execution, was due to the social and religious norms of the Tudor period. Although Warnicke lacked evidence to solidly support the former argument, her deft examination of the social and religious standards in Henrician England made evident the fact that Anne's inability to produce a male heir is what most likely lead to her calamitous end.
Warnicke invalidates just about every disparaging story that has been perpetuated throughout history for centuries. This erroneous portrayal of Anne, initially concocted by Nicholas Sanders in his De Origine et Progressu Schismatis Anglicani, was used to besmirch her name in an effort to discredit the people and events surrounding the Henrician Reformation. Sander's counter-Reformation text primarily draws on Spanish ambassador Chapuys' account of Anne's rise and fall, which modern historians concede is openly biased and inaccurate.
The point I believe Warnicke makes most astutely is that Anne Boleyn was not the licentious and avaricious monster that history has recorded. Nor was she just another of Henry's many meaningless paramours; she clearly made a significant impression on him, politically, religiously, and intimately. Rather, Anne Boleyn was one of many unfortunate souls in Henry's inner circle who suffered a tragic fate because of his all-consuming obsession with continuing the Tudor dynasty.
On the whole, this is a great text on Anne. I look forward to reading Eric Ives' biography, in which, as mentioned, Ives' theory regarding Anne's downfall conflicts with that of Ms. Warnicke's. Also, readers should know that Warnicke's text is not a biography, but instead focuses mostly on Anne's rise and fall and the political events surrounding it. I have one nit-picky complaint about this text: Retha Warnicke SERIOUSLY overused the term "extant." I should have kept count, but I think, on average, I saw it on every other page! A silly thing to be annoyed about, I know, but I had to say something. =)
Warnicke invalidates just about every disparaging story that has been perpetuated throughout history for centuries. This erroneous portrayal of Anne, initially concocted by Nicholas Sanders in his De Origine et Progressu Schismatis Anglicani, was used to besmirch her name in an effort to discredit the people and events surrounding the Henrician Reformation. Sander's counter-Reformation text primarily draws on Spanish ambassador Chapuys' account of Anne's rise and fall, which modern historians concede is openly biased and inaccurate.
The point I believe Warnicke makes most astutely is that Anne Boleyn was not the licentious and avaricious monster that history has recorded. Nor was she just another of Henry's many meaningless paramours; she clearly made a significant impression on him, politically, religiously, and intimately. Rather, Anne Boleyn was one of many unfortunate souls in Henry's inner circle who suffered a tragic fate because of his all-consuming obsession with continuing the Tudor dynasty.
On the whole, this is a great text on Anne. I look forward to reading Eric Ives' biography, in which, as mentioned, Ives' theory regarding Anne's downfall conflicts with that of Ms. Warnicke's. Also, readers should know that Warnicke's text is not a biography, but instead focuses mostly on Anne's rise and fall and the political events surrounding it. I have one nit-picky complaint about this text: Retha Warnicke SERIOUSLY overused the term "extant." I should have kept count, but I think, on average, I saw it on every other page! A silly thing to be annoyed about, I know, but I had to say something. =)
January 20, 2026
Warnicke does a very good job presenting evidence for the claims she is making in the book and defending them, specifically Anne Boleyn's birth year and last miscarriage, but does not properly defend them against other historians or remember that many of the sources she is taking from are completely biased against Anne. If you keep this in mind while reading, you can still got useful information and facts about her life.
July 1, 2023
One of the best biographies I’ve read. Historically accurate and carefully researched. There are a couple of surmises, which there always have to be, since even queen’s lives were principally documented by the men around them. The machinations of the court and political maneuvering are clearly laid out. Excellent.
December 28, 2023
Warnicke does a very good job presenting evidence for the claims she is making in the book and defending them, specifically Anne Boleyn's birth year and last miscarriage, but does not properly defend them against other historians or remember that many of the sources she is taking from are completely biased against Anne. If you keep this in mind while reading, you can still got useful information and facts about her life.
August 17, 2017
Just the fact clear and precise.
March 27, 2023
A sophisticated and convincing study, but the arguments surrounding Anne's miscarriage in 1536 are tenuous.
December 31, 2023
It was alright and while well-researched in most regards, the hingepoint of Warnicke's argument is based on Anne delivering a malformed fetus seems founded in sheer hearsay.
February 13, 2024
My notes from 2008:
Fascinating & helpful in dispersing many of the rumors around Boleyn's life
Fascinating & helpful in dispersing many of the rumors around Boleyn's life
May 23, 2015
I guess it goes without saying that Anne Boleyn is a contentious figure, not just in the context of Tudor history, but she's just one of 'those' characters in history that the popular mythos of her is imbued with strange supernatural and misogynistic stereotypes. I mean, it's not as if these stories and stereotypes come from nothing, however they're very easily discounted when you peer into the murky depths from which they have surfaced from.
Whether I agree with Warnicke's theories or not, for the most part they are presented with rationality and a close eye on critical source analysis (and, y'know, postmodernist concepts of 'differing truths' and all). The opinions of the envoy Chapuys are drawn on frequently as Charles V's Imperial ambassador (therefore, you can see that he might have some rather acerbic things to say about Anne) and this is used to tell us more about the legends that have surfaced about her, but occasionally one can look through the hostility and draw out motivations for what he writes.
As for Warnicke's theories themselves, I find myself convinced by some and not so much so with others. Her case for Anne's birth date being 1507 rather than the assumed 1501 is quite absorbing. It's something I'd have to cross-reference, but her arguments are highly persuasive.
However, I don't find myself agreeing with all that she writes regarding the downfall of Anne. I find there to be a lot of psychological reasoning involved, especially when writing about the men who were convicted and interrogated at the same time as the Queen. However, her arguments are never absurd and anything that I could label as being blatantly incorrect.
Also, what I found helpful and interesting were the appendices at the back which go into detail about some of the more prominent source material that information is gleaned from regarding the topic. It really helps to further explore the provenance of the primary material in depth, where it might be clunky in the main body of text. It explores the motivations behind those that wrote about her during her life and after her death, and I think that is useful when considering that all sources are produced for a reason, and these reasons need to be considered when one is engaging in sourcework.
I may not agree with all of Warnicke's theories, but I do appreciate that they not absurd to the point where they're not interesting. I find her prose to be readable on the whole, which makes for an interesting work. This book was received with some controversy, so I would recommend it to those who wish to familiarise themselves with the historiography of Anne Boleyn (or to anyone who has read/watched The Other Boleyn Girl and treated it like a respectable documentary).
Whether I agree with Warnicke's theories or not, for the most part they are presented with rationality and a close eye on critical source analysis (and, y'know, postmodernist concepts of 'differing truths' and all). The opinions of the envoy Chapuys are drawn on frequently as Charles V's Imperial ambassador (therefore, you can see that he might have some rather acerbic things to say about Anne) and this is used to tell us more about the legends that have surfaced about her, but occasionally one can look through the hostility and draw out motivations for what he writes.
As for Warnicke's theories themselves, I find myself convinced by some and not so much so with others. Her case for Anne's birth date being 1507 rather than the assumed 1501 is quite absorbing. It's something I'd have to cross-reference, but her arguments are highly persuasive.
However, I don't find myself agreeing with all that she writes regarding the downfall of Anne. I find there to be a lot of psychological reasoning involved, especially when writing about the men who were convicted and interrogated at the same time as the Queen. However, her arguments are never absurd and anything that I could label as being blatantly incorrect.
Also, what I found helpful and interesting were the appendices at the back which go into detail about some of the more prominent source material that information is gleaned from regarding the topic. It really helps to further explore the provenance of the primary material in depth, where it might be clunky in the main body of text. It explores the motivations behind those that wrote about her during her life and after her death, and I think that is useful when considering that all sources are produced for a reason, and these reasons need to be considered when one is engaging in sourcework.
I may not agree with all of Warnicke's theories, but I do appreciate that they not absurd to the point where they're not interesting. I find her prose to be readable on the whole, which makes for an interesting work. This book was received with some controversy, so I would recommend it to those who wish to familiarise themselves with the historiography of Anne Boleyn (or to anyone who has read/watched The Other Boleyn Girl and treated it like a respectable documentary).
June 8, 2014
I liked this book a lot because there was so much I learned from Anne Boleyn when I read it in my first year of college, but I did not like how Anne was reduced to this quasi-divine figure. I found books such as Bordo's Creation of Anne Boleyn much better because Anne was not a divine figure and it was a more of an analysis on how these portrayals tend to do her more harm than good. Anne was a formidable figure in her own right, she had a lot of good attributed but she was also human and did mistakes and had prejudices of her own that must be recognized if we want to appreciate her fully. Another book I recommend that tackles her flaws and attributes is by Alison Weir "Lady In the Tower". I do have some issues with this book too, I don't agree with all of her opinions but it is a better assessment of Anne. The best though is by Eric Ives The Life of Anne Boleyn.
There were issues like George Boleyn being homosexual due to his confession which I had a problem with, not with him being homosexual but that Retha Warnicke assumed that based on this he was, there is no evidence that he was homosexual. What is known is that he was a very learned, talented man and unlike the picture she paints of their rivals, not all of them were straight to get them or had an irrational hatred. In fact Eustace Chapuys (read Inside the Tudor Court by Lauren Mackay) formed a great friendship with Thomas Boleyn and Thomas Howard. Though he did not agree with their religious views, he tried to see eye to eye where diplomatic relations were concerned, that was his sole mission and he never called Anne Boleyn "concubine" until Katherine's condition deteriorated and she died. Even then, he did not hate her completely and wrote regarding her death that he admired her. George Boleyn and the ambassador had met when he first arrived to England and had many good things to say of George.
George Boleyn has come as a degenerate and corrupt official and in his lifetime when the charges were laid against him and his sister as an incestuous knight, but the truth is all of these stereotypes were done by enemies (local enemies) to besmirch his family name.
Retha Warnicke does her research but like with every source, you have to be careful and read other things before you come to your own conclusions or agree/disagree with her.
There were issues like George Boleyn being homosexual due to his confession which I had a problem with, not with him being homosexual but that Retha Warnicke assumed that based on this he was, there is no evidence that he was homosexual. What is known is that he was a very learned, talented man and unlike the picture she paints of their rivals, not all of them were straight to get them or had an irrational hatred. In fact Eustace Chapuys (read Inside the Tudor Court by Lauren Mackay) formed a great friendship with Thomas Boleyn and Thomas Howard. Though he did not agree with their religious views, he tried to see eye to eye where diplomatic relations were concerned, that was his sole mission and he never called Anne Boleyn "concubine" until Katherine's condition deteriorated and she died. Even then, he did not hate her completely and wrote regarding her death that he admired her. George Boleyn and the ambassador had met when he first arrived to England and had many good things to say of George.
George Boleyn has come as a degenerate and corrupt official and in his lifetime when the charges were laid against him and his sister as an incestuous knight, but the truth is all of these stereotypes were done by enemies (local enemies) to besmirch his family name.
Retha Warnicke does her research but like with every source, you have to be careful and read other things before you come to your own conclusions or agree/disagree with her.
March 23, 2010
In her take on the life of Anne Boleyn, Retha Warnicke makes some novel and fascinating claims. Though I did not leave the book wholly convinced by her arguments, I did emerge with a more multifaceted understanding of this important but elusive figure. Ives’ biography is still my favorite, but Warnicke’s is a perfect companion to it. While their perspectives diverge on many topics (year of birth, order of the Boleyn children, reason for her fall), both authors give sound arguments for their points of view. Warnicke is not afraid to present the opposing viewpoint and then explain why she doesn’t believe it, which is essential when analyzing the life of Anne Boleyn, who was both maligned and celebrated by her contemporaries. I found her arguments over Anne’s fall to be both particularly interesting. This book is worth a read even on this issue alone. Warnicke also knows how to include useful appendices that enhance the book’s content without feeling like missing pieces from the narrative itself.
Overall, the work by Eric Ives should be anyone first stop to research the life of Anne Boleyn, but Warnicke’s makes an excellent second work to consider.
Overall, the work by Eric Ives should be anyone first stop to research the life of Anne Boleyn, but Warnicke’s makes an excellent second work to consider.
January 22, 2009
I had some serious issues with this book.
Now, I went looking for this book after reading The Other Boleyn Girl. I really enjoyed that book, but realized it was a work of fiction. I wanted the real deal on Mrs the VIIIth, Junior.
You know what's wrong with Retha Warnicke's Anne Boleyn?
She's puuuuurfect. If we're to go by this book, Anne Boleyn was a saintly woman. She is the patron saint of adultery. Which would make her my...nevermind. She was Mother Theresa before her time.
Everything that happened to her was someone else's fault. Why, of course she married the king! He's the king, she had to! No, no, she was kind to everyone! Including her ungrateful family/kinsfolk/gossipmongers/etc/etc/etc. She was SUPER RELIGIOUS, TOO!
Hi, no. While I highly doubt she was the demon Princess that ToBG made her out to be, I don't believe she was a horribly misunderstood Goddess Among Queens. And that's what this book would have me believe.
This book was a reference for ToBG. Weird.
Now, I went looking for this book after reading The Other Boleyn Girl. I really enjoyed that book, but realized it was a work of fiction. I wanted the real deal on Mrs the VIIIth, Junior.
You know what's wrong with Retha Warnicke's Anne Boleyn?
She's puuuuurfect. If we're to go by this book, Anne Boleyn was a saintly woman. She is the patron saint of adultery. Which would make her my...nevermind. She was Mother Theresa before her time.
Everything that happened to her was someone else's fault. Why, of course she married the king! He's the king, she had to! No, no, she was kind to everyone! Including her ungrateful family/kinsfolk/gossipmongers/etc/etc/etc. She was SUPER RELIGIOUS, TOO!
Hi, no. While I highly doubt she was the demon Princess that ToBG made her out to be, I don't believe she was a horribly misunderstood Goddess Among Queens. And that's what this book would have me believe.
This book was a reference for ToBG. Weird.
April 25, 2016
It is always interesting to to find a different point of view. For the rise of Anne Boleyn Ms Warnicke relies on many sources and mainly discounts Chapuys views due to his obvious bias. When it comes to her fall however, we are suddenly relying on Chapuys reported gossip and her own opinions. A little disappointing after such meticulous research to start with.
I hoped for something a little more readable. This is not a book for those with little or no knowledge of this period as it is assumed you know a lot of what Ms Warnicke is talking about, with no introduction or background given over major historical points, especially the reformation of the church, the major issue of this period. I would have liked to hear Ms Warnicke's view on the idea of Henry VIII closure of the monasteries and need to keep much of the money going to Rome for himself.
Be prepared to read of snow white Anne.
I hoped for something a little more readable. This is not a book for those with little or no knowledge of this period as it is assumed you know a lot of what Ms Warnicke is talking about, with no introduction or background given over major historical points, especially the reformation of the church, the major issue of this period. I would have liked to hear Ms Warnicke's view on the idea of Henry VIII closure of the monasteries and need to keep much of the money going to Rome for himself.
Be prepared to read of snow white Anne.
February 26, 2014
ISBN? - 9780521406772
General Subject/s? - Tudors / History / Politics
Title? - Anne Boleyn's position was due to family politics.
General Analysis? - Retha Warnicke's work on Anne Boleyn is one of the best known because she puts forward some of the most substantial and absurd claims in the history of writing on Anne. There is no evidence of Anne ever having given birth to a deformed child, or of her having dabbled in witchcraft. Some of Warnicke's other claims have a lot more evidence to support them, and other historians have supported them since she wrote this book. It is an entertaining read, to say the least, though most of Warnicke's wilder claims can be safely dismissed.
Recommend? – Yes, some debatable historiography.
General Subject/s? - Tudors / History / Politics
Title? - Anne Boleyn's position was due to family politics.
General Analysis? - Retha Warnicke's work on Anne Boleyn is one of the best known because she puts forward some of the most substantial and absurd claims in the history of writing on Anne. There is no evidence of Anne ever having given birth to a deformed child, or of her having dabbled in witchcraft. Some of Warnicke's other claims have a lot more evidence to support them, and other historians have supported them since she wrote this book. It is an entertaining read, to say the least, though most of Warnicke's wilder claims can be safely dismissed.
Recommend? – Yes, some debatable historiography.
June 24, 2023
Interestingly in the beginning of the book, Warnicke dismisses, out of hand, Ambassador Chapuys correspondence and then goes on to take huge leaps in speculating about George Boleyn's homosexuality without an iota of real historical evidence. This has now been used in both "The Other Boleyn Girl" and "The Tudors" ....meaning that this now it has become fact to a lot of people. Along with the myth of the deformed foetus as 'proof' that Henry believed her to be a witch. In fact it seems she has special insight into what Henry was thinking unlike most historians. (sarcasm) If you only want to read one book on Anne....this is not the one to read. However, as a counterpoint to other books on Anne, its an interesting if rather dryly written book.
July 24, 2008
Politically, it was a very well researched book, however, that is the only angle it took throughout. When reading the title, I imagined "family politics at the court of Henry VIII" and just that. This barely touched the scope of political dealings within the court and the families that ruled said court and dealt more with the politics everywhere else outside of it. It dragged and dragged as a college text tends to do, but I did finish it, learning no more than what I've already learned on the subject through various other works of fiction and non-fiction, too numerous to mention.
January 7, 2016
Mrs. Warnicke presents her own peculiar views on the life and death of Anne Boleyn in this work. As a student, I didn't particularly enjoy neither her writing nor her weird conclusions regarding some of the events. Who knows what happened back then and what Cromwell and Henry VIII thought at the time but Mrs. Warnicke stands rather alone with her deductions in opposition to numerous modern scholars. It is nevertheless interesting to see what are the views on the subject and Mrs. Warnicke's work is definitely part of the references.
August 5, 2014
This book is really only of interest to Tudor England enthusiasts as most others won't care about this book.
But for people who are interested in the topic, this is an interesting read. It's hard for everyone to agree with, because Warnicke looks at the topic from some rather esoteric and unusual perspectives. While I didn't agree with everything, I did learn a lot I didn't know before from reading this book.
But for people who are interested in the topic, this is an interesting read. It's hard for everyone to agree with, because Warnicke looks at the topic from some rather esoteric and unusual perspectives. While I didn't agree with everything, I did learn a lot I didn't know before from reading this book.
March 9, 2007
This book would probably be so boring to anyone not interested in Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII or Tudor England politics but I love Anne Boleyn so I'll read any and everything about her. My well read copy of this book has post-its sticking out of it every where with pencil notes in the margins. If I were ever to write a non-fiction book it would most definitely be a biography of Anne Boleyn.
Read
April 7, 2013Couldn't even finish this book, barely made it through the first few chapters. The writing style is horrible, it feels like there are too many facts and not enough story. The political situation surrounding Anne is not as interesting as the story of Anne herself.
I can't help but wonder why Retha made some of her conclusions, such as Heney & Anne only starting a relationship in 1527.
I can't help but wonder why Retha made some of her conclusions, such as Heney & Anne only starting a relationship in 1527.
April 15, 2014
I read this for a Tudor history course in Fall 2010 for an undergrad course. I wasn't used to academic writing yet, so I found it dry. It would probably be easier now that I'm done with graduate school.
October 4, 2009
This book is the basis for the fiction work The Other Boleyn Girl. It's supposed to be non-fiction, but I think it skirts the edge. Some parts of this book are well-researched, and others just.....out there on a ledge eating cherry pie.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews