Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire

Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, KG, KB ( * 1477, † March 13, 1539 in Hever Castle, Kent, England) was the father of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, Thomas Boleyn or Bullen was the oldest of four children and was born when his mother Margaret Butler was just 12 years old. His father was Sir William Boleyn. He fought at the age of 20 years for Henry VII against the rebels from Cornwall, who were protesting against high taxes.

Thomas marriage to Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, was a perfect choice for him. The Howards had fallen out of favor since she. Richard III had fought in the Battle of Bosworth. He would not otherwise have been perceived as worthy of their position.

Thomas was defeated in 1509 at the coronation of Henry VIII knighted. He was an excellent fighter and participated in a knightly competition to celebrate the birth of Prince Henry in 1511. 1512 he was appointed Constable of Norwich Castle and Sheriff of Kent. He had a great talent for languages ​​, which is very use to him in diplomacy.

Thomas Boleyn was ambitious, intelligent and eager to learn. He worked hard and was industrious, which he soon obtained a job as a diplomat. The first task he was given, with Margaret of Austria, regent of the Netherlands to talk about the planned invasion of France. This visit was arranged that daughter Anne Boleyn should spend some time in Brussels as maid of honor of Margaret. From 1519 to 1520 was Thomas Boleyn English ambassador in France, there he took his daughter Anne with also. He accompanied Henry VIII to a meeting with Charles V at Gravelines.

Boleyn's elder daughter, Mary Boleyn, was married to Sir William Carey, a courtly man with good contacts. To marry your sister Anne, was more difficult. The negotiations for her marriage to James Butler, 9th Duke of Ormonde were unsuccessful, and their romances brought them into trouble.

Of course, Anne's affair with Henry VIII, brought her father advantages. Initially, he was taken with the appointment as Viscount Rochford in the House of Lords, and in 1529 he was raised to the Earl of Wiltshire and Earl of Ormonde. He was sent on numerous missions to soothe the relationship between Henry VIII, Charles V, Francis I and Pope Clement VII. Together with the Duke of Norfolk, Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Anne Boleyn, he was one of Henry VIII main consultants.

Thomas Boleyn was not trying to help his daughter Anne and his son George, when they fell out of favor. On the contrary, he made sure that all the accused were charged with alleged crimes. He even accused William Brereton, Sir Henry Norris, Mark Smeaton and Sir Francis Weston of adultery with Anne. They were found guilty. Even if he had not been involved in the condemnation of his children, he would have her conviction can not prevent.

After Anne's beheading of Thomas Boleyn lost his office as Lord Privy Seal and had to withdraw after Hever. He died in 1539, a year after the death of his wife. He was buried in the church of Hever.

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