The story of the Boleyn family in the 16th century and their ultimate fall from grace has been told for centuries. However, there is a more intriguing tale hidden in the Boleyn family tree. The origins of the family and how they became such a dynamic family that revolutionized the 16th century. How did this family of peasants rise through the ranks to have one of their own become the Queen of England? It is a tale of struggle, survival, and triumph that is told in Claire Martin’s debut book, “Heirs of Ambition: The Making of the Boleyns.”
I would like to thank The History Press and Claire Martin for sending me a copy of this book. I have read many books about Anne Boleyn and her family in the 16th century, but I did not know much about the medieval origins of the family. When I heard about this book, I was captivated by the concept.
Martin begins with a brief explanation of the social hierarchy of the medieval world and how the Black Death radically changed society as a whole. The story of the Boleyns begins with Nicholas Boleyn of Salle, who was arrested for thief in 1318. His son, John Boleyn, was able to expand the amount of property the Boleyns possessed in the aftermath of the Black Death. John’s son Thomas was able to increase the land holdings of the Boleyns through investments, but it was the Geoffreys who were able to make a name for the Boleyns.
Thomas’s son Geoffrey the Elder married well to Alice Bacton. Their two sons, Geoffrey and Thomas, had the future of the Boleyns in their hands. It was Geoffrey the Younger who was able to expand the Boleyns’ outlooks for the future even further as he took on an apprenticeship as a hatter and became a citizen of London. As Geoffrey learned his trade and rose through the ranks to become the mayor of London, England was facing a crisis as the beginning of what would be known as the Wars of the Roses began to rumble.
During a tumultuous time Geoffrey, his wife Anne Hoo, and his young family were able to navigate complex political situations and continue to rise in prominence. Geoffrey’s son William Boleyn would marry Margaret Butler and would witness the rise of the Tudors. It was their son Thomas Boleyn who would marry Elizabeth Howard and be the father of George, Mary, and Anne Boleyn.
As a debut book, I think Martin does an admirable job of balancing her research into the origins of the Boleyn family and a writing style that is relatively easy for readers to follow. Martin weaves a story that is fresh and new for the average fan of the Boleyns and the Tudors, which is thrilling to think about that there is always something to learn from the past. It makes me view the fall of the Boleyns in a different light. I am looking forward to what Martin will write about next. If you want to learn more about this illustrious family and their rise to power, I highly recommend you read, “Heirs of Ambition: The Making of the Boleyns” by Claire Martin.
Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII and the mother of the future Queen Elizabeth I, is one of the unique characters of the Tudor era. She was the sister of one of the king’s mistresses, Mary Boleyn, which she could have been, but Henry wanted Anne as his queen. Unfortunately, he was married to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. It is Henry’s divorce to Catherine and his relationship with Anne, the rise and fall, is what many people look at, but there is more to Anne’s story than just her life with Henry. What was Anne’s life really like and what really caused her fall? These are just a few questions that Amy Licence tackles in her latest biography, “Anne Boleyn: Adultery, Heresy, Desire.”
Adventures of a Tudor Nerd 