Beheading of Anne Boleyn May 19th 1536

The beheading of Anne Boleyn began at 8am with her speech.

‘Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it.

I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the King and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord.

And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul.’

She was blindfolded. She knelt down, putting her neck on the block and repeated:

‘To Jesus Christ I commend my soul; Lord Jesu receive my soul.’ The French Swordsman then chopped off her head.

Recorded by Edward Hall (spelling modernized)

Henry ViiI had allowed his wife the mercy of a French expert swordsman from English Calais. According to a letter from William Kingston to Thomas Cromwell:

‘And then she said “I heard say the executioner was very good, and I have a little neck,” and put her hand about it laughing heartily.‘

For more see: https://www.hevercastle.co.uk/news/19th-may-anniversary-of-anne-boleyns-execution

Here is a slightly annoyingly American youtube feature recreating what Anne Boleyn might have looked like. (adverts may preceed it from which I derive no advantage!).

You might like to read about Queen Elizabeth I’s nicknames for her chief advisers, here.

On This Day

1649 – England declared a Commonwealth by Parliament – and stays a republic for eleven years. (see my post on the execution of Charles 1st)

1798 – Napoleon Bonaparte and his expeditionary force leave France to invade Egypt. The idea was to reduce British influence in the Eastern Mediterranean and in India. But Nelson defeated the French Navy in the Battle of the Nile and Napoleon returned to France to take over control. The British took over the booty the French had seized and the Rosetta Stone came to the British Museum.

1962 – Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday” to John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden.

Published in 2024, and revised in 2025, 2026