The Final Year of Anne Boleyn

Natalie Grueninger

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Paperback

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English

Pen and Sword
01 June 2025

Biography: royalty; History; British & Irish history; Early modern history: c 1450 to c 1700

There are few women in English history more famous or controversial than Queen Anne Boleyn. She was the second wife of Henry VIII, mother of Elizabeth I and the first English queen to be publicly executed. Much of what we think we know about her is coloured by myth and legend, and does not stand up to close scrutiny. Reinvented by each new generation, Anne is buried beneath centuries of labels: homewrecker, seductress, opportunist, witch, romantic victim, Protestant martyr, feminist. In this vivid and engaging account of the triumphant and harrowing final year of Queen Anne Boleyn's life, the author reveals a very human portrait of a brilliant, passionate and complex woman.

The last twelve months of Anne's life contained both joy and heartbreak. This telling period bore witness to one of the longest and most politically significant progresses of Henry VIII's reign, improved relations between the royal couple, and Anne's longed-for pregnancy. With the dawning of the new year, the pendulum swung. In late January 1536, Anne received news that her husband had been thrown from his horse in his tiltyard at Greenwich. Just days later, tragedy struck. As the body of Anne's predecessor, Katherine of Aragon, was being prepared for burial, Anne miscarried her son. The promise of a new beginning dashed, the months that followed were a rollercoaster of anguish and hope, marked by betrayal, brutality and rumour. What began with so much promise, ended in silent dignity, amid a whirlwind of scandal, on a scaffold at the Tower of London.

Through close examination of these intriguing events considered in their social and historical context, readers will gain a fresh perspective into the life and death of the woman behind the tantalising tale.

AUTHOR: Natalie Grueninger is a researcher, writer and educator, who lives in Australia with her husband and two children. A trip to London in her early twenties, ignited her passion for Tudor England and she's been researching the period ever since. Natalie's the author and co-author of several non-fiction books about the Tudors, including the acclaimed 'In the Footsteps' series, and runs the popular website On the Tudor Trail. She is also the host of 'Talking Tudors', a podcast for lovers of sixteenth-century England.

32 b/w illustrations

By: Natalie Grueninger
Imprint: Pen and Sword
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781399022712
ISBN 10: 1399022717
Pages: 248
Publication Date: 01 June 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Unspecified

Natalie Grueninger is a Tudor history specialist, author and podcaster, who lives in Australia with her husband and two children. In 2009 she created On the Tudor Trail, a website dedicated to teaching and promoting Tudor history. Natalie is fascinated by all aspects of life in Tudor England and has spent 15 years researching the period. She’s also passionate about amplifying women’s voices and building supportive and uplifting online communities. Her first non-fiction book, co-authored with Sarah Morris, ‘In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn’, was published by Amberley Publishing in the UK in September 2013. Book number two in the series, ‘In the Footsteps of the Six Wives of Henry VIII’, was released in the UK in March 2016. In 2017, Natalie collaborated with illustrator Kathryn Holeman to create ‘Colouring History: The Tudors’, a unique and beautifully illustrated colouring book for grown-ups that features images and scenes inspired by the ever-fascinating Tudor dynasty. The second book in the series, ‘Colouring History: Tudor Queens and Consorts’, was released in May 2018. Natalie’s first solo book, ‘Discovering Tudor London’ was published in the UK by The History Press in August 2017. Her latest book, ‘The Final Year of Anne Boleyn’, was published by Pen and Sword Books in late 2022. Natalie is the host of ‘Talking Tudors’, a podcast for lovers of Tudor history, and the founder of the Women’s History Circle, dedicated to promoting the work of women creatives with a passion for history.

Reviews for The Final Year of Anne Boleyn

""Astonishingly well-researched, The Final Year of Anne Boleyn triumphantly re-writes the fall of one of England's most famous queen consorts, shedding new light on a well-known story. A riveting and emotional read.""--Kate McCaffrey, Assistant Curator, Hever Castle ""A heart-stirring account of Anne Boleyn's last living year. Researched flawlessly, the events are revealed in a compelling read; little-known facts adding to the tension which builds toward an emotional end. A must-read for fans and students of Tudor history.""--S.V author of Anne Boleyn's Letter From the Tower: A New Assessment ""Genuinely ground-breaking, provocative yet sensitive, exquisitely well researched and fair--both to Anne's friends and enemies--Natalie Grueninger's book shows us the complexities, and the secrets, that wove together during Anne Boleyn's final twelve months as queen. This is an exciting and important book of Tudor history.""--Gareth Russell, Historian and author of The Ship of Dreams and Young and Damned and Fair ""Natalie Grueninger skilfully unravels the myths surrounding Anne Boleyn's downfall, and presents the most compelling account of her final months to date. A Triumph.""--Dr. Owen Emmerson, Historian and Assistant Curator, Hever Castle