Elizabeth Boleyn Countess of Wiltshire Timeline 1480-1538

Elizabeth Boleyn was born Elizabeth Howard to Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk and his wife, Elizabeth Tilney.

Elizabeth Howard was appointed lady-in-waiting to Elizabeth of York, wife of King Henry VII.

Elizabeth married Thomas Boleyn, son of William Boleyn and Margaret Butler. The pair had met at court.

Elizabeth left court as she was pregnant with her first child.

A daughter, Mary, was born to Elizabeth and Thomas Boleyn at Blickling Hall, Norfolk.

A son, Thomas, was born to Elizabeth and Thomas Boleyn at Blickling Hall, Norfolk. He died young.

A daughter, Anne, was born to Elizabeth and Thomas Boleyn at Blickling Hall, Norfolk.

Elizabeth’s husband, Thomas Boleyn, was chosen to be part of the party to escort Margaret Tudor to Scotland where she would marry King James IV of Scotland.

A son, George, was born to Thomas and Elizabeth Boleyn at Blickling Hall, Norfolk.

Elizabeth had full control of her children’s education. She taught them the skills they would need for a life in court, singing, playing musical instruments, dancing, poetry and etiquette as well as reading and writing.

Elizabeth attended the Queen at the coronation of King Henry VIII and Queen Catherine of Aragon.

It was decided that Elizabeth Boleyn’s daughter Anne was to go to the court of Archduchess Margaret of Austria, Governor of the Netherlands.

Elizabeth’s two daughters, Mary and Anne were selected to be maids of honour to Henry VIII’s sister, Mary. The princess was going to marry King Louis XII of France.

Elizabeth Boleyn’s husband, Thomas, had risen in the service of King Henry VIII and was appointed English ambassador to France. He held the position for three years and helped to arrange the Field of the Cloth of Gold summit between Henry VIII and Francis I. During this time the family lived in France.

Elizabeth’s elder daughter, Mary, was appointed maid-of-honour to Catherine of Aragon.

Elizabeth Boleyn’s daughter, Mary, married William Carey.

Elizabeth and Thomas Boleyn were in France to celebrate the Field of the Cloth of Gold summit meeting between King Henry VIII and Francis I of France.

Elizabeth’s daughter, Mary, began an affair with King Henry VIII.

Anne Boleyn was brought back to England from France because Thomas Boleyn was negotiating a marriage between her and James Butler, Earl of Ormond. Anne was found a position as maid-of-honour to Catherine of Aragon.

King Henry VIII asked Elizabeth Boleyn’s daughter, Anne to become his mistress but she refused.

Elizabeth Boleyn’s son, George, married Jane Parker.

Elizabeth’s husband, Thomas Boleyn, was created Viscount Rochford.

King Henry VIII had maintained an interest in Anne Boleyn and seemed determined to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne. Elizabeth acted as chaperone to Anne while she was courted by the King.

With no progress being made towards securing Henry VIII a divorce, the Boleyn family began to work towards securing Thomas Wolsey’s fall from favour.

Mary Boleyn’s husband, William Carey, died from sweating sickness.

Elizabeth’s husband, Thomas Boleyn, was one of a large group that was sent to Pope Clement VII to seek support for Henry VIII to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon.

Thomas Boleyn was created Earl of Wiltshire and Earl of Ormond. Elizabeth’s son, George Boleyn, was created Viscount Rochford.

King Henry had been persuaded to make himself Head of the Church in England in order to secure his divorce. Thomas Wolsey had fallen from favour.

Thomas Boleyn was appointed Lord Privy Seal.

A warrant for Wolsey’s arrest was drawn up. It was sent to Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who was instructed to arrest Wolsey and bring him to London.

Thomas Wolsey had been taken ill on the journey south and he died at 8am at the Abbey of St Mary in Leicester.

Anne Boleyn was created Marquess of Pembroke. It was the first time a hereditary title had been given to a woman. The ceremony took place at Windsor.

Anne Boleyn had finally surrendered to Henry and they began living openly as man and wife. Anne had her own court which included George Boleyn and his wife Jane, Lady Rochford, Sir Francis Bryan, Francis Weston, William Brereton, Sir Thomas Wyatt and other members of the Boleyn family.

Anne Boleyn told Henry VIII that she was pregnant. In order to ensure that the child was legitimate Henry knew that he had to marry Anne as soon as possible.

Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII were secretly married in the King’s chapel at Whitehall by Dr Rowland Lee, one of the royal chaplains. Elizabeth remained in her daughter’s household.

Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen consort of England in St Peter’s Abbey, Westminster. She walked in procession from Westminster Hall to the Abbey but despite the fact that people lined the streets to watch there was no cheering for the new Queen.

Elizabeth accompanied her daughter, Anne Boleyn, when she went to Hampton Court to rest in preparation for the birth of her child in September.

Elizabeth Boleyn’s daughter, Anne, gave birth to a baby girl with red hair and her mother’s features. Henry was disappointed that the child was a girl and blamed both God and Anne for denying him a son. She was named Elizabeth after Henry’s mother.

Elizabeth’s daughter, Anne announced that she was pregnant again.

Elizabeth Boleyn’s daughter, Mary, secretly married William Stafford, second son of an Essex landowner. Thomas Boleyn was furious and disowned her.

Anne Boleyn was delivered of a stillborn child. King Henry, who did not want to lose face, ordered the details be kept secret.

Anne Boleyn declared she was pregnant again.

Elizabeth’s daughter, Anne, was prematurely delivered of a stillborn child. Henry again kept the news secret because he was worried that people would say it was God’s revenge for the execution of Bishop Fisher.

Anne Boleyn discovered that she was pregnant again. She was aware that everything depended on the outcome of this pregnancy, especially since King Henry had begun to take an interest in one of her ladies, Jane Seymour.

Catherine of Aragon died. It was commonly believed that Anne Boleyn had slowly poisoned her to death. Nowadays it is believed that she died from cancer.

King Henry’s daughter, Mary, was taken very ill and it was commonly believed that she was being poisoned by Anne Boleyn.

Anne Boleyn miscarried of a son four months into her pregnancy. She blamed the miscarriage on concern following Henry’s recent fall from his horse and Henry’s interest in Jane Seymour.

Henry believed that the miscarriage of a son was God’s way of declaring that his marriage to Anne Boleyn was unlawful either because of her earlier pre-contract to James Butler or because of Henry’s affair with Anne’s sister, Mary Boleyn. He decided that he needed to find a way out of his marriage to Anne.

Thomas Cromwell began collecting evidence against Anne Boleyn.

Henry VIII signed a document authorising commissioners to enquire into any kind of treason committed by Anne Boleyn.

Elizabeth’s husband, Thomas Boleyn, was removed from his position as Privy Seal.

Elizabeth Boleyn’s daughter, Anne, was indicted before a grand jury for treason. She was charged with having committed adultery with Henry Norris, Francis Weston, William Brereton, Mark Smeaton and her brother George. She was also charged with plotting to murder the King and making fun of him in public.

Anne Boleyn was tried by 26 peers of the realm including her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, who presided over the trial. Although Anne argued her innocence she was found guilty and sentenced to death. George Boleyn was tried after Anne and was also found guilty.

Elizabeth’s son, George was executed for treason. He was beheaded at Tower Green in the Tower of London.

Anne Boleyn, was executed by beheading with a single stroke of the sword. She was buried in the choir of the royal chapel of St Peter ad Vincula.

King Henry VIII married Jame Seymour.

Following the fall of the Boleyn family and the execution of Anne and George, Elizabeth withdrew to the countryside.

Jane Seymour was delivered of a son, Edward.

Elizabeth’s husband, Thomas Boleyn, had returned to court and was present at the christening of Prince Edward.

Elizabeth, died. She was buried at St Mary’s Church, Lambeth.