On This Day

Anne Boleyn, second wife of English King Henry VIII, is beheaded at the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest a

Anne Boleyn, second wife of English King Henry VIII, is beheaded at the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest and treason

Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution, by beheading for treason, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that marked the start of the English Reformation.

Anne was the daughter of Thomas Boleyn (later Earl of Wiltshire), and his wife, Elizabeth Howard, and was educated in the Netherlands and France. Anne returned to England in early 1522, to marry her cousin James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond; the marriage plans were broken off, and instead, she secured a post at court as maid of honour to Henry VIII's wife, Catherine of Aragon.

Historical Significance

Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII.

Key People

Anne Boleyn

Queen of England from 1533 to 1536

Queen of England from 1533 to 1536

Henry VIII

Events Before

  1. King Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church of England

    Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547.

  2. Twelve nude Anabaptists run through the streets of Amsterdam

    Twelve nude Anabaptists run through the streets of Amsterdam

  3. Spanish Bishop of Panama Tomés de Berlanga discovers the uninhabited Galapagos Islands after his ship drifts off course

    Spanish Bishop of Panama Tomés de Berlanga discovers the uninhabited Galapagos Islands after his ship drifts off course

  4. Bloemkamp Abbey (Oldeklooster) attacked & destroyed in Friesland

    Bloemkamp Abbey (Oldeklooster) attacked & destroyed in Friesland

  5. Anabaptist commune of Münster captured and its leaders tortured and killed

    Anabaptist commune of Münster captured and its leaders tortured and killed

Events After

  1. First printing in England of the complete English-language Bible, the "Matthew's Bible," with translations by William Ty

    First printing in England of the complete English-language Bible, the "Matthew's Bible," with translations by William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale (an update of the earlier "Coverdale Bible") [exact month/day unclear] [1]

  2. Pope Paul III routes Cardinal Pole to England

    Pope Paul III routes Cardinal Pole to England

  3. French troops invade Flanders

    French troops invade Flanders

  4. Strategic city of Santa Cruz de Mompox founded on the Magdalena River (modern Colombia) by Spanish conquistadors

    Strategic city of Santa Cruz de Mompox founded on the Magdalena River (modern Colombia) by Spanish conquistadors

  5. Resistance of Bomy: French-Dutch ceasefire

    Resistance of Bomy: French-Dutch ceasefire

More from the 1530s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 19, 1536?
Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution, by beheading for treason, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that marked the start of the English Reformation. Anne was the daughter of Thomas Boleyn (later Earl of Wiltshire), and his wife, Elizabeth Howard, and was educated in the Netherlands and France.
Why is Anne Boleyn, second wife of English King Henry VIII, is beheaded at the Tower... significant?
Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII.
Who was involved in Anne Boleyn, second wife of English King Henry VIII, is beheaded at the Tower...?
Key figures include Anne Boleyn (Queen of England from 1533 to 1536), Henry VIII.

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