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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Anne Boleyn
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(c.1507–36) Second wife of *Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I. She grew up at *Hever Castle. The king's infatuation with her (his love letters survive) coincided with his determination to divorce *Catherine of Aragon, who had failed to provide him with a male heir and was now in her forties. The couple married secretly in January 1533 and in May archbishop *Cranmer pronounced the previous marriage with Catherine invalid (a decisive step in the English *Reformation).
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The birth of a girl in September was a disappointment to Henry, compounded when Anne had a late miscarriage, probably of a male child, in January 1536. In May of that year he sent her to the Tower, accused of adultery with several men, including her own brother (it is not known whether any of the charges were true). Her reputed lovers were executed on May 17 and she was beheaded on May 19. The next day Henry was betrothed to *Jane Seymour, whom he married on May 30.
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