Sir Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire
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born c. 1477 - died 12 March, 1538/9 Character's backstory: The eldest of four children, born to his mother when she was only 12 years old. Thomas entered into royal service early; he fought for Henry VII against Cornish rebels (who were protesting against heavy taxation) when he was 20, was present at Katherine of Aragon's marriage to Prince Arthur in 1501 and helped escort Princess Margaret north to Scotland in 1503 (where she was to be married to James IV). Although the prospective heir to great wealth (Boleyn & Hoo estates,half the Ormonde & Butler fortunes) in his early years Thomas had to exist on 50 pounds annuity & whatever his wife (Howard family) could bring him. Married the daughter of the second Duke of Norfolk: the Howard family's fortunes were then low, as the second Duke fought for Richard III (York), not the future Henry VII (Lancaster, founder of the Tudor dynasty), at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Only three surviving children: "she [Elizabeth Howard] brought me every year a child", for five years. Two sons died in infancy. Although not penniless, he had nowhere near the income necessary to sustain a high court profile. Since his father had died in 1505, his private fortune now looked good. By the time Henry VII died in the spring of 1509, he had risen at court to the importance rank of 'squire of the body' & he walked in the king's funeral procession. He was knighted in 1509 at the coronation of Henry VIII. He was an excellent jouster, and took part in the joust celebrating the birth of Prince Henry in 1511 (the son of Katherine of Aragon and Henry VIII; sadly, he died soon afterwards). He was also a joint constable of Norwich Castle and Sheriff of Kent in 1512. He had a talent for languages - making him useful for diplomacy. His first diplomatic mission was to Margaret of Austria, regent of the Netherlands for Charles V, to deal with the planned invasion of France. It was on this visit that it was arranged for his daughter Anne Boleyn to be educated in Brussels, then in the Netherlands, as one of Margaret's demoiselles d'honneur. He typified the accomplished, silver tongued diplomat, in the tradition of Castiglione's "The Courtier" . Cardinal Thomas Wolsey targeted him & tried to taint Thomas with disloyalty early in 1515 although nothing came of the insinuation. He was posted to Paris as the English ambassador in France from January 1519 to 1520. Anne Boleyn would have been there also. He was present & involved in the arrangement of the Field of Cloth of Gold. He also went on to meet Charles V at Gravelines with Henry VIII. This talent for languages and diplomacy may have been a family trait, handed on by Sir Thomas' great-uncle, the 6th Earl of Ormonde. He also spoke fluent Latin; Anne Boleyn inherited her father's gift of languages, being fluent in both French and English; as well as a good understanding of Latin. After sending pleas to Wolsey for favour, saying that neither he nor the King would regret it, he achieved the highly prized post of Controller of the Royal Household. In June 1525, Thomas at last achieved his peerage. Gentility: Ancestor's include Earls of Ormonde and Barons of Hoo. Position: Tudor diplomat and politician, Henry VIII's ambassador. Earl of Wiltshire and Earl of Ormonde. Personality type: Ambitious, adept, & charming. He was extremely frugal, but that was quite good in a diplomat, according to Fraser ("given the unorthodox way in which ambassadors were financed"). He was hard-working and industrious. Signature look: No known portrait of the real Thomas except for the brass on his tomb. In the series he is white haired and richly dressed. Endearing trait(s): Was extremely well educated & Erasmus considered him learned. Talented at languages and jousting. He was known as the best speaker of French in the Tudor court. He had been careful to ensure that Anne & George had the best available education. He was adept at courtly entertainments particularly the tournament..."This experience and skill, and his knowledge of other things courtly - horses, hawks, bowls, shovelboard - allowed Boleyn to pass anywhere and gave him the final accolade of the humanist, courtier, usefulness to his prince. A man of intelligence, gifts and capacity, with a loyalty only to himself (and so to the King) and a willingness to take on a heavy workload, was a courtier worth having " [E.Ives] Annoying trait(s): Ambitious, but close to his family: Anne Boleyn, upon her arrest, asked for her father and brother. Sat on the jury of the men tried with his son and daughter, but recused from the jury presiding over his children. Whereabouts unknown when the executions took place, but was not recorded as being in London, and did not witness the deaths. Most likely to have withdrawn to Hever in seclusion with his wife. Reappeared in court c. 1538 with renewed ambitions, and, as a widower, perhaps considered marriage to Margaret Douglas, Henry VIII's niece. LINKS:
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CHARACTER CONNECTIONSFamily: Mother: Margaret Butler Father: William Boleyn Maternal Grandfather: Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormonde Wife: Elizabeth Howard Daughter: Mary Boleyn Daughter: Anne Boleyn Son: George Boleyn Romance(s): Married Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk. They had at least five children, although only three survived childhood. Elizabeth Howard died in April of 1538, and is buried at the Howard aisle at Lambeth parish church, London. [It is a Myth that Elizabeth Howard died c. 1512, and Sir Thomas remarried a low born woman of local gentry - based on Agnes Strickland and a misreading of Howard family records] |
UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTER QUOTES
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This illustration is from a Brass Rubbing from Thomas Boleyn's tomb is the only authenticated likeness of him (Holbein's drawing of a man with a red cap, labelled, 'Ormonde', is no longer believed to be of Sir Thomas Boleyn) | |
tells his daughter, Anne Boleyn to get in the King's way | |
Henry bestows the Earldom of Wiltshire on Thomas Boleyn | at the jousts with Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk |
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