fabulous friday...The Anne Boleyn Files

Well it's another fabulous friday here in blog land!   

 

 Be sure to check out Seleta's blog to see if she has any treats today. 

http://simplyseleta.typepad.com/simply_seleta/

On another note...anyone that knows me personally, knows that I'm a big lover of historic novels.  Not just the "romantic" novels...but the ones with the story built around some good historical facts.  A little "sexual content" added for "entertainment" is not a problem...

With that being said I want to share with you a great blog that I have on my "Google Reader"

http://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-trial-of-anne-boleyn/599/

Go check out this great blog and the beautiful jewelry they have for sale...

I'm loving the Anne Boleyn "B" pearl monogram necklace...maybe for my birthday...have to drop the hint to my DH...

http://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/products-page/anne-boleyn-b-necklace/

Also check out the essay contest that Claire is hosting in conjunction with the anniversary of Anne Boleyn's execution, this very May 19th...hurry the contest ends at midnight, May 18th, and you could win this necklace: 

http://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/win-this-anne-boleyn-necklace/509/

Below you will find the essay that I wrote because I simply find this woman to be amazing.  I hope you enjoy it all and find yourself inspired by her survival skills on this fabulous friday!

Anne Boleyn…Her Worldly Attraction

submitted by: Roberta Philbrick, 5/15/09

                                                                                   

People have been attracted to the story of Anne Boleyn and her life with King Henry VIII for centuries…I believe the draw is because she was an “empowering” woman in a time where women had no “legitimate” power in the world and because she was once the “underdog” we can all relate to.

 

In the 1500’s the people of  England and most other lands were ruled by fear.  The church governed the masses with the fear of an afterlife in damnation.  The Roman Catholic Church held their “virtual” power by keeping the public ignorant and not permitting the Bible to be translated into other languages.  The Church itself feared, and rightly so, that if the general masses could read and actually interpret the bible for themselves, then in turn they would be capable of governing their daily lives and “afterlives”.

The English Monarchy ruled with fear by determining your place or “station” in daily life.  In order to rise above your borne station or “class” in life you had to be in the favor of the “court” and the ruling monarchy.  Anyone in the “court” fiercely protected themselves and any “favor” they may have gained from King Henry VIII at the time.  Our fascination with Anne Boleyn begins here, I believe, because she was able to move herself up through the court and into the favorable eye of Henry.  As she is moving up, the “Court” supports her, for everyone loves an “underdog” and wants to come along for the ride and any favorable “scraps” they can grab.   Yet, once the “underdog” achieves its higher ground, everyone can’t wait to “knock” them back down to their “rightful” place amongst us. 

 

With education and technology our society has truly evolved, yet, even today you see the same “human” behavior.  Daily, we all “tune-in” to all forms of media to catch any hype on individuals whom achieve greatness in all avenues of life; sports, music, business, etc.  We love and encourage them all on the way “up”, admiring their glorious achievements. Then along with the paparazzi, aka the “court”, we crouch in the bushes and wait to capture their “fall” so that we no longer feel “inferior”.

 

Anne Boleyn’s second attraction was as basic as they come…her sex.  Anne was keen to the ways of the world in the “court” and in the “bedroom” after living in the French court with her sister, Mary. Unlike her sister and, the many other prior mistresses of Henry, Anne knew her only “leverage” was her “virginity”.  Anne’s existence in the French court taught her that her virtue was priceless…so long as she kept it intact.  I believe that she learned that men in power need to be “stimulated” or, they loose interest very fast.  Anne “titillated” Henry all the way to the alter and secured the future of her daughter, Elizabeth, as a legitimate heir to the thrown. 

 

Some say that Anne helped to reform the Church of England…I’m not sure if she “knowingly” did this or if she did what ever she had to do at the time, with the only “tools” she had to use to survive at this time when it was truly a man’s world.  Which to me is why I’m so fascinated with her story, she was a survivor!

 

Comments

[derdalag]

石英異なる時計{信じられないほど|はかなり|は驚​​くほど|はむしろ|が非常に}安いだけでなく、主のために{|見ている|時|というだけの理由|しばらく{で| |に関連付けられている|と|関与に関する}コストはるか| |エクストラ|もっとたくさん|}時間{一層である追加}全て{より正しい|}デザイナーの時計|ほぼすべて|毎|任意の特定|ちょうど約あらゆる}高価な機械{ピース|腕時計|異なる腕時計|ランニング腕時計。
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1974シーズンIF 上のみであった​​第一アルマーニで他の様々な個人がしかしかつて彼はすぐに開始したこのユニークな会社のこの種。
セリーヌ トート
セリーヌ 店舗
しかし、どのような有価金属|は一緒に、また一緒にが宝石時されるようになる ？約トレーニング|いいえに焦点の増加暴露が存在しない宝石、そこにあります上に文学終わる量宝石に関するソリューション、エトセトラ|へに関して|に関して|に関して|を検討する際に実際に取得している人に|ている|何について|何の。
カードケース

のCladdaghリングは値引くようにシンボリック表現感情のを扱うの話友情、恋愛関係、 依存永遠、婚約、または結婚の意向誰かがリングを提供 最愛の方へ|に|に|と|インチ
a href="http://www.saifuonlinejapan.info/"セリーヌ バッグ/a
a href="http://www.saifuonlinejapan.info/"セリーヌ 財布/a
これらは良いと華やかな、手入れの行き届いたとたてがみスタイリング。
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時計{結果|のために|から|と|の結果として{}加えて| |さらに| |脇以外から更に}すごい技術|のの内部動作を正しく、主に{任意であるため|}エリア徒歩で|で|と|の|でさえも}宇宙飛行内側が、{|から|非常インチ
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/ahttp://www.saifuonlinejapan.info/

[The Anne Boleyn Files]

A brilliant essay, Roberta! Thanks for mentioning The Anne Boleyn Files and I'm so glad you like the site. Are you dropping really heavy hints to your DH? Mine never picks up on them!