Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History

A provocative exploration of the iconic Anne Boleyn, her influence on Europe’s political and religious landscape during her life, and why she matters today, from the perspective of a female priest in the Anglican Church.

In a story that has intrigued readers for generations, this Queen of England has been portrayed through many of the tropes we typically use to discuss women, including as a seductress and a power-hungry manipulator. A closer examination of her ascent to power and her reign reveals instead a complex woman who was pursued and then killed by the King and yet claimed what power she could to exert enormous influence on the English Reformation, and therefore on the political and religious landscape of Europe. As Tatarnic convincingly argues, Anne’s religious convictions are the root of everything we know about her, including why she caught the king’s eye, why her road to queenship included breaking from the Roman church, and why she died. The fact that this has been buried in the larger conversations about her life reflects the way that history has traditionally been told—through men’s stories. In this exploration of Anne’s life through this unique lens, you will examine what has been hiding in plain sight and draw connections between historical evidence and the stories we tell about Anne. You’ll meet a woman who was mentored by a unique group of female reformers, whose choices and personality continue to shape the conversation about women in history, and who remains one of the most captivating historical figures.