British historian Amanda Glover says she loves mysteries.
And there is A research paper she published in FebruaryShe may be beginning to unravel one of the greatest historical mysteries of England’s Tudor dynasty, which lasted from 1485 to 1603.
The mystery in question concerns the unfortunate Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife, who was accused of adultery by her husband and executed. While imprisoned in the Tower of London awaiting execution, Anne wrote impassioned letters to her husband in which she vehemently protested her innocence.
But after analysing the paper the letter was written on, Glover discovered that the distinctive watermark on it was only used in the early 17th century, nearly 70 years after Anne Boleyn’s execution, meaning she couldn’t have written the letter.
It is not yet clear whether the letter contains the Queen’s genuine words or is a forgery.
Who was Anne Boleyn?
Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, ascended to the English throne in 1533. However, shortly thereafter, Henry accused her of adultery and incest, and she was ultimately executed by her husband in 1536 at the age of 35.
Today, most historians believe that she Almost certainly innocent Among the accusations against her were that she had slept with five men other than Henry. The king was desperate for a male heir, and when Anne Boleyn gave birth to a daughter (now Queen Elizabeth I), the king supposedly sought a way to get rid of her and find a wife who could give him a son.
One of the few clues we have about Anne Boleyn’s state of mind during this time is her famous letter from the Tower of London, “The Lady of the Tower to the King.” Supposedly written during her imprisonment in the Tower of London on May 6, 1536, the letter was addressed to Henry VIII and proclaimed her innocence and loyalty.
read more: Could brain damage explain Henry VIII’s tyrannical behaviour?
Analyzing the Letter from the Tower
For decades, researchers have tried to verify the authenticity of Anne Boleyn’s letters using a variety of methods, from handwriting matching to analysing language style.
But when Glover set out to investigate the letters, she took a different approach: analyzing the paper they were written on.
In Tudor England, paper was made using molds, with each mold leaving a unique watermark design on the finished paper. As Glover details in an article for the Tudor Society, the molds would wear out and need replacing within a year or two. This means that by analyzing the paper used in a letter, it’s possible to pinpoint with great precision when the paper was used.
After viewing the original letter and examining the watermark on the paper, Glover found the proof: a watermark depicting a two-handed pot full of grapes.
Glover then said, Paper Memory He finally found a match on a website that gave him access to a database filled with hundreds of thousands of watermarks. The database revealed that the watermark on the letter indicated that the paper was made between 1606 and 1609, well after Anne Boleyn is said to have written or dictated the letter.
“When I first discovered that this piece of paper didn’t exist until at least 1600, my first thought, like most people, was that it was a forgery,” Glover said of his shocking discovery. “But I haven’t determined that it’s a forgery, I’ve just determined that it certainly wasn’t dictated by Anne… it could be a much later copy.”
read more: Three historic hoaxes that fooled the public, scientists, and the media
Anne Boleyn’s last words
Whether or not the letter contains Anne Boleyn’s original text, its impact on British history is undeniable. In 1824, British historian and author Henry Ellis called it “one of the greatest pieces ever written in the English language.”
In the letter, Anne details her thoughts during her time in “the miserable prison of the Tower,” and in it she strongly maintains that she is innocent of the crimes she is accused of having committed.
“Your Majesty, do not ever imagine that your poor wife will admit to a fault which she has never before considered,” the letter read, “and, to tell the truth, no prince ever had a wife more faithful in duty and true affection than Anne. [Boleyn]. ”
Anne Boleyn pleads with Henry to give her a fair trial and not to “put her sworn enemy on trial.” [her] She also asks Henry not to unjustly punish men accused of adultery.
Many historians who believe the letter is a forgery say the language used in it does not match Anne’s typical writing style, and it is much bolder than some of her other well-studied writings.
But Glover says he can’t imagine Anne Boleyn cowardly “begging for her life.”
“I can see her writing these letters. She was full of energy, and Henry loved that about her,” Glover says. “She had strong opinions. She would talk back and argue.”
Still, given Glover’s discovery, many questions remain unanswered. If the letter that exists today is a copy of Anne Boleyn’s original, how did it end up in Thomas Cromwell’s library, where it was kept for hundreds of years before being moved to its current location at Cotton Library? And if Anne herself didn’t write the letter, who did?
Uncovering the full Tower letter could be crucial in determining whether it was actually written by Anne Boleyn. Until then, Glover says he and others will keep looking for evidence.
“There are hundreds of thousands of documents in official and unofficial archives. The original letter may be out there somewhere,” she says, “but it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
read more: Cryptographer decodes Mary Queen of Scots’ letter
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