By Albert Vataj
Italian scholar Eucardio Momigliano, in his book "Anna Boleyn, Queen of England," sheds light on several interesting historical facts. According to these, Anna Boleyn, one of Henry VIII’s wives (mother of Elizabeth I, the predecessor of Elizabeth II of England), has origins from Bolena in Vlora, Albania. The book, long available in Albanian translation by researcher Petrit Velaj, presents facts that align with other claims about the Albanian ancestry of this significant figure in British monarchy history.
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| Anne Boleyn in an idealized portrait made after her death. |
A Royal Encounter
That evening, Thomas (Thoma) Boleyn accompanied his daughter Anna to a celebration. As soon as he saw her, the king (Henry VIII) approached and spoke to her, even inviting her to dance. This was not surprising. Anna had long been absent from court festivities. Wolsey (the king's chief advisor and the one who governed the country) watched with satisfaction as the king was cheerful, joyful, and animated. He contemplated his political projects. At that time, the most despotic master had quietly entered the halls of the Battersea Castle. It was during the king's dance with such a young girl that the new fate of all of England began to be woven...
The King's Decision
One morning, the king summoned the cardinal. He spoke about divorcing his wife. Cold sweat covered his heart and body. Wolsey remained silent. Then the king added, telling Wolsey that he had already chosen the woman he would marry. She was the daughter of Thomas Boleyn, Anna. Wolsey seemed to collapse in the face of this unexpected blow. He stood up and suddenly threw himself at the king's feet, remaining there for a whole hour, crying and pleading. It was an absurdity and an unprecedented madness. This matter meant unleashing all the chains of hatred throughout Europe: the emperor, the pope, Luther, and all the Catholics for a single whim of love. The king listened attentively. Wolsey did not obey...
Henry VIII had fallen madly in love and was happy that Anna had told him she loved him. But for a heartthrob, for a king who captured hearts, this purely spiritual happiness was not enough. He pleaded with this woman, believing only her much-desired body could give the ultimate proof of true love... On the other hand, her response was: "Your beloved, never, never; but your wife, yes, if you wish!"
Towards the Royal Throne
The road to the English throne was slow; in short, this road had to be traveled gradually. The name Anna Boleyn until now had been synonymous with scandal and ambition, but Henry VIII had decided to take his young wife by the hand and ascend slowly into the full pleasures of royalty, just as she had desired. And the fairytale journey now began. Anna Boleyn's name emerged from the dubious secrecy of minor details and insinuations in diplomatic offices, from the Latin letters sent from Rome (the Vatican) filled with ominous warnings and divine retribution, and became part of the official history of the English monarchy. Anna, for six years, had been the woman everyone talked about and against whom no one should speak. Now Anna Boleyn presented herself to Europe with great fanfare. Henry VIII wanted to make the introduction of his fiancée personally. But above all, it was Anna herself who desired this.
Initially, Henry gave Anna the title of Marchioness of Pembroke... Over Anna's brown head, amid ceremonial luxury, through the sound of trumpets and the calls of heralds, the king placed a small crown on Anna’s head... Thus, it was the Marchioness of Pembroke who accompanied the king to Calais, France, in 1532. Calais was an English dominion on French soil, where the meeting between Henry VIII and Francis I took place.
The Marriage
The marriage took place at dawn in a hall of the palace that had once belonged to Wolsey. Present were the king and Anna, two witnesses—Norris and Henixh—and a lady friend named Anna Savage. They had summoned Roland Lee, the king’s confessor. When he arrived at the hall, which had been transformed into a chapel with an altar, he found the king and Anna there. Before approaching the altar, Roland Lee addressed the king, saying: "Sir, show me the Pope's dispensation annulling your first marriage. It must be read publicly with the signature...!" But the king, smiling, replied: "What, what, what, what?! You doubt the word of your lord, which is I?! You are my spiritual guide, you who know me and see me every day. Do you make me careless about my interests to expose myself to risks that no one knows better than I do? Trust me, here I am, giving you my word!" And Roland Lee, without further response, conducted the marriage ceremony. Anna Boleyn, Marchioness of Pembroke, was now the wife of Henry VIII.
The Elusive Marriage Date
Historians have sought the exact date of this marriage, overturning all archives to find a definitive date for the ceremony. However, nothing conclusive was found. Two dates were discovered: one excluded the other, and each had a significant context. The issue was this: On September 7, 1533, Anna Boleyn gave birth to a daughter named Elizabeth. Two different dates for Anna's marriage are given: November 14, 1532, and January 25, 1533. If the first date were true, then Anna’s daughter would have been conceived after the marriage, which was entirely legitimate. But if the second date were accurate, it was very likely, though physiologically uncertain, that the hurried marriage had been conducted urgently to legitimize the expected heir—a hope Henry VIII cherished, as there were clear signs indicating such an outcome. Later, fate brought Anna Boleyn's daughter to the throne, and this fortune was for the glory of England. Despite the quest, the exact date of that mysterious morning when a monk softly solemnized the marriage of Henry and Anna remains unknown.
Queenly Procession
Two days later, in the late afternoon, the queen, dressed in her royal mantle, emerged from the Tower, seated on a portable chair covered with white satin and topped with a gold canopy. She was accompanied by 12 ladies of honor on horseback, also dressed in gold damask, along with a retinue led by the Duchess of Norfolk. This procession, consisting of hundreds of ladies, cavaliers, ambassadors, and prelates, represented the nobility that accompanied the new queen in marriage, all present to witness the symbol of her triumph. The next day was Sunday.
The Tragedy
Anna Boleyn’s strange adventure came to an end. She was still queen, and outwardly, nothing had changed in her life. But since Henry VIII’s hope of having a male heir from her had failed for the second time, their fates were sealed. The king’s love for Anna had ended. The intense flame that had illuminated the history of England and Europe began to fade. Henry desired a death shrouded in disgrace for Anna, even if this disgrace touched him as a man, a husband, and a king.
That day, two more arrests were made: Weston and Brereton, Anna Boleyn’s alleged lovers, making four in total. It had been 18 days since Anna's arrest. The accusations led to a trial and then to capital punishment—six executions without any evidence to justify, even before world history, the drama of those three weeks. A cruel and cautious hand disrupted all the records.
One of the judges, George Spelman, claimed that the evidence was found. This proof came from a statement by a maid of the queen, a certain Wingfield, who had died a few days before the trial began. However, the nature of this woman's testimony is unknown, as Spelman’s declaration ends with that single phrase. After six days of imprisonment, Anna wrote a letter to the king...
Execution and Final Words of Anne Boleyn
Anne says:
"Sir, the anger of Your Majesty and my arrest have come upon me so suddenly, so unexpectedly, that even I do not know what to write or how to justify myself before you... If I must tell a single truth, it is that no prince has ever had a wife so faithful to her duties as Anne Boleyn has been to you. She would have been very content with this name and the position she held, had it not pleased God and Your Majesty otherwise."
The execution of Anne Boleyn was scheduled for May 18. At dawn on that day, she requested the presence of a priest to whom she confessed and reiterated her innocence. She then summoned the governor of the Tower and said, "Kingston! I heard you saying that I would not die before noon. I am very sorry, because I thought you would have been dead long before this hour, and you should not come at any other time!"
The next day came...
As dawn broke, tearing through the black veil of night, the executioner entered her cell unexpectedly and announced that the time for her execution had arrived.
Before the executioner carried out the sentence, Anne expressed a desire to say a few words, just two words:
"I am dying, I am dying solely to obey the law and I blame no one, not even my judges. God protect the king and grant him a long reign."
Thus, the fairy-tale adventure of Anne Boleyn came to an end: her body was quickly interred in the small Church of St. Peter in Vincula, just a few steps from the place of her execution. On her grave, nothing was inscribed except the initials of her name, specifically "A.B."
Epilogue
Anne Boleyn's life, marked by ambition, love, and tragedy, had a profound impact on English history. Her marriage to Henry VIII and the subsequent birth of their daughter, Elizabeth I, would eventually lead to one of the most significant reigns in England. Despite the controversy surrounding her life and death, Anne's legacy endures, her story echoing through the centuries as a poignant chapter in the annals of the British monarchy.