Execution of Anne Boleyn
Tower of London
What happened
Henry VIII broke with the Pope in Rome so that he could end his first marriage and marry Anne Boleyn, who was crowned queen in 1533. When Anne did not give Henry the son he wanted, the king turned against her. In May 1536 she was arrested, put on trial on charges that many historians believe were invented, and executed at the Tower of London on 19 May 1536.
Why it matters
Henry's wish to marry Anne helped lead England to break away from the Catholic Church in Rome and form the Church of England, with the king at its head. Anne's daughter, Elizabeth, grew up to become one of England's best-known rulers.
What came next
Within two weeks Henry married his third wife, Jane Seymour, who gave birth to his son Edward in 1537. Anne's daughter became Queen Elizabeth I and reigned from 1558 to 1603.
Did you know?
Anne's daughter Elizabeth became queen in 1558, and later generations came to honor Anne as a hero of the English Reformation.
Timeline
- 25 January 1533Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn marry in secret.
- 1 June 1533Anne is crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey.
- 7 September 1533Anne gives birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth I.
- 2 May 1536Anne is arrested and taken to the Tower of London.
- 19 May 1536Anne is executed at the Tower of London.