Almost 500 years later, the Boleyn Girls are hot again!
Sisters Mary and Anne Boleyn were both deeply involved with King Henry VIII, and the Boleyn family was a major influence at the beginning of the Reformation in England.
These two fascinating women are in the spolight again, nearly 500 years later, thanks to Phillippa Gregory's wildly popular book of historical fiction, now made into a theatrical movie: The Other Boleyn Girl.
Mary Boleyn at a Glance
Mary Boleyn (c. 1499-July 19 1543) was a member of the Boleyn family, which enjoyed considerable influence during the reign of Henry VIII. Mary was the sister of Queen Anne Boleyn; some historians claim that she was the younger sister, but her children believed Mary was the elder sister, as do most historians today.
Mary was one of the mistresses of King Henry VIII of England and also, allegedly, of his rival, King Francis I of FranceLetters and Papers of the Reign of Henry VIII, X, no.450.. She married twice.
Anne Boleyn at a Glance
Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 ? 19 May 1536) was the Queen of England as the second wife of Henry VIII of England.
She was the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, a courtier, and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Howard, sister of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. While still a child, Anne was sent to the Netherlands for her education, and later to France; she returned to England in late 1521.
Upon her return, she was made lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine. Around 1525 or 1526, Henry became enamoured of Anne and began pursuing her. Anne parried the King's advances, refusing to become his mistress; she said she only wanted to be his wife. Thus, the King became absorbed with annulment of his marriage to Catherine so he could marry Anne. When Pope Clement VII seemed unlikely to grant the annulment, the inexorable rift between King Henry and the Roman Catholic Church began.
Sometime in late 1532, after being made Marquess of Pembroke in her own right, Anne finally gave in to Henry and quickly became pregnant. The two were secretly married on 25 January 1533. However, because the child was conceived before Anne and Henry were legitimately wed, the child was considered a bastard (as the marriage...
Author Philippa Gregory discusses Mary and Anne Boleyn
Philippa Gregory talks about The Other Boleyn Girl
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Two books about the Boleyn Girls...
The Other Boleyn Girl
One thing I can say about this book: I have hundreds of books. I've read thousands of books. Rarely in my life have I ever read a book twice. I read The Other Boleyn Girl twice in two months, and am considering reading it again!
This book piqued my interest in Tudor history. After reading this, I read 7-8 more Tudor/Boleyn books, and then was compelled to re-read this one, which was by far the best of the lot.
If you haven't read it yet, read it. Then read it again!
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The Last Boleyn: A Novel
This is another "Boleyn Girl" book told from Mary's perspective. It's different, and makes Mary, and all the characters, really, out to be very different people than The Other Boleyn Girl. And since nobody can really know for sure, I think it's fascinating to get as many different perspectives/possibilities/points-of-view as possible!
Release Date: 02/28/2006
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The Other Boleyn Girl Trailer
The Other Boleyn Girl (official trailer)
Based on the best selling novel by Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl is an engrossing and sensual tale of intrigue, romance, and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in history. Two sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) Boleyn, are driven by their ambitious Father and Uncle to advance the familys power and status by courting the affections of the King of England (Eric Bana). Leaving behind the simplicity of country life, the girls are thrust into the dangerous and thrilling world of court life and what began as a bid to help their family develops into a ruthless rivalry between Anne and Mary for the love of the King. Initially, Mary wins King Henrys favor and becomes his mistress, bearing him two illegitimate children. But Anne, clever, conniving and fearless, edges aside both her sister and Henrys wife, Queen Katherine of Aragon, in her relentless pursuit of the King. Despite Marys genuine feelings for Henry, her sister Anne has her sights set on the ultimate prize; Anne will not stop until she is Queen of England. As the Boleyn girls battle for the love of a King one driven by ambition, the other by true affection England is torn apart. Despite the dramatic consequences, the Boleyn girls ultimately find strength and loyalty in each other, and they remain forever connected by their bond as sisters. In Theatres: Feb 29th, 2008.
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Henry VIII, age 40
Movies/TV Shows Featuring the Boleyn Girls
The Other Boleyn Girl
Based on the best-selling novel The Other Boleyn G more...0 points
![The Other Boleyn Girl [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51yMXCZ24%2BL._SL75_.jpg)
The Other Boleyn Girl [Blu-ray]
Based on the best-selling novel The Other Boleyn G more...0 points
The Other Boleyn Girl (2003 BBC Version)
An extraordinary tale of sex passion and royal int more...0 points
The Tudors - The Complete First Season
The Tudors presents the rarely dramatized tumultuo more...0 points
Mary Boleyn
- Philippa Gregory's quest for the truth about Mary Boleyn
- From the Official Philippa Gregory Website: The author discusses her research on Mary Boleyn, the "other" Boleyn Girl.
- Sir Francis Knollys's Latin dictionary: New Evidence for Katherine Carey
- A wonderful essay by Sally Varlow that fills in details on Katherine Carey's life, and seems to give new evidence that she was indeed the daughter of Mary Boleyn and Henry VIII.
- Amazon Exclusive: The Mystery of Mary Boleyn
- Interview with Philippa Gregory about what makes Mary Boleyn the perfect narrator of this story.
- Mary Boleyn's History: EnglishHistory.net
- Mary Boleyn was the sister of King Henry VIII's second wife, the infamous Anne Boleyn. But she was also the king's mistress before her sister's ascendancy. She may also have given birth to Henry's son. Information about the life of Mary Boleyn is sketchy
- Mary Boleyn: The Sister who Slipped into Obscurity
- The elder sister of Anne, Mary Boleyn's relationship with the king helped spark dramatic changes in England before she disappeared from public view until today.
Mary and Henry VIII
- Genealogy.com Magazine: Mary Boleyn's Carey Children: Offspring of Henry VIII?
- Examines the chronology of Mary's affair with Henry VIII, and the birth of her two children. Although it was never publically acknowledged that Mary's two children were Henry's, it is widely thought that at least Henry Carey (later, Lord Nunston), if not both children, were begat by the King.
Boleyn Places
- Hever Castle & Gardens
- The childhood home of Mary and Anne Boleyn.
Anne Boleyn
- TudorHistory.org: Anne Boleyn
- Anne Boleyn at this site:
Anne Boleyn Portraits and Related Images
Anne Boleyn's Coronation
Anne Boleyn's Speech at the Scaffold
Anne Boleyn on the Day of Her Execution See Also:
Hever Castle
Hampton Court Palace
Tower of London
Links of Interest
Anne Boleyn's speech at the scaffold
The Tudors
- The Tudors (Showtime) Official Website
- Go behind the scenes for Season 2 and find the latest news, videos, characters, and special features for the one show you don't want to miss.
Your thoughts on the Boleyn Girls....
Did you know much about them before The Other Boleyn Girl? Do you enjoy historical fiction, or are you more of a "just the facts" type of person?
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JaguarJulie
I've not yet seen the Boleyn Girls but hope to soon as this is definitely my type of movie. Great lens! 5***** Posted September 03, 2008 |
