From the other Boleyn girl to ‘interesting’ history

Today (Jan. 25) in 1533 King Henry VIII secretly married Anne Boleyn, who was eventually beheaded by the King who accused her of infidelity.  Will Durant (in the Story of Civilization) had his doubt about Anne Boleyn’s guilt, “It seems incredible that even a flighty woman should have risked her throne for a moment’s dalliance, . . . No one could be sure of her guilt, but few regretted her fall.”  This was due to “Her hot temper, her imperious tantrums, her importunate demands, wearied Henry, who contrasted her railing tongue with Catherine’s [first wife] gentleness.”

Queen Elizabeth I was Anne Boleyn’s only daughter, who was never married.  I read this in Smithsonian (in 2003?), “A recent book, Oxford: Son of Queen Elizabeth I  posits that the Earl of Oxford was not only the author of Shakespeare’s plays but also Elizabeth’s secret love child.”  If this theory were true, then that will make Shakespeare a grandson of Henry VIII.  Few historians take this ‘legend’ seriously.

The dark side of Henry VIII overshadowed his other achievements.  Without Henry’s founding of the Trinity College, we might not have Isaac Newton, and without whom, there would be no calculus (although Leibniz should get half of the credit), no classical physics, and no birth of modern science.  Without his building of the ‘Royal Navy’, British couldn’t control the sea last century, as U.S. does today, and there wouldn’t be an Empire without sunset.  There is a lengthy report of “China takes aim at U.S. Navy Might” at Wall Street Journal on 1/4/2012, reiterating the fact that who controls the sea controls the world.

I do not read the historical novel; Gore Vidal’s Lincoln was the only exception.  I got “the other Boleyn girl” (see photo) at the Half Price Books last year.  I have no intention (also no time) to read it, but at $1 to pay, I simply couldn’t resist the temptation.  The other Boleyn’s girl is Anne’s sister, Mary.  This novel is from Mary’s perspective to tell the story of Anne Boleyn.