Anne Boleyn

[Royal Bulgaria]

I saw somewhere something like this... but nobody can prove it...It's just a hearing....

[boleynfan]

i've read that Anne had an eating disorder ( Bulima i think) is this true?

In my 30 years of reading about Anne, I have never seen this reported.

[lady]

I never heard it. Maybe it was a distorted report about her claim to eat apples at the beginning of her first pregnancy.

[tom_romanov]

I first read it in a book about Kings & Queens by Terry Deary. In it he states - " Anne Boleyn had an eating disorder. She would very often eat a meal...then be sick before she could leave the table. Her ladies-in -waiting became to this and would hold a sheet up whilst she was sick in a bowl.


Like you guys said this is the only account I've ever heard of, that mentions it

[Royal Bulgaria]

Hmm i didn't know this.... Eric what do you think?

[jehan]

I first read it in a book about Kings & Queens by Terry Deary. In it he states - " Anne Boleyn had an eating disorder. She would very often eat a meal...then be sick before she could leave the table. Her ladies-in -waiting became to this and would hold a sheet up whilst she was sick in a bowl.


Like you guys said this is the only account I've ever heard of, that mentions it

Given that Terry Deary's books, (The "Horrible Histories") , while fun to read, are not exactly scholarly or well researched, I would discount this unless you can find out his sources.  He  tends to exaggerate (And make up?)  all sorts of things to make a good story.  If one reads a fact such as this in a book, one should try to confirm the  source of it- check footnotes, bibliographies and such.  If it can't be confirmed somewhere more reliable- take it as a good story, but don't necessarily believe it.

And if the book doesn't HAVE any source notes - read it for entertainment, but not true information.  ;-)

[Kimberly]

Actually, it was part of the duties of a lady in waiting to hold a napkin up thus enabling the Queen to spit out gristle and bone discretely. I remember reading somewhere that Jacquetta Woodville was called upon to perform this  signal honour(!) for her daughter, Queen Elizabeth Woodville (much to her chagrin).

I have never read anywhere that Anne had an eating disorder and I have read practically every bio there is of her, I agree with Jehan's comments above.

[tom_romanov]

I first read it in a book about Kings & Queens by Terry Deary. In it he states - " Anne Boleyn had an eating disorder. She would very often eat a meal...then be sick before she could leave the table. Her ladies-in -waiting became to this and would hold a sheet up whilst she was sick in a bowl.


Like you guys said this is the only account I've ever heard of, that mentions it

Given that Terry Deary's books, (The "Horrible Histories") , while fun to read, are not exactly scholarly or well researched, I would discount this unless you can find out his sources.  He  tends to exaggerate (And make up?)  all sorts of things to make a good story.  If one reads a fact such as this in a book, one should try to confirm the  source of it- check footnotes, bibliographies and such.  If it can't be confirmed somewhere more reliable- take it as a good story, but don't necessarily believe it.

And if the book doesn't HAVE any source notes - read it for entertainment, but not true information.  ;-)

I totally agree with your points above. seeing I'm only 15 I still have all the books in my collection and like you said the books are fun but unreliable and this whole 'Anne's had an eating disorder' is a perfect example. I was 12 when I bought the book (Crule Kings & mean queens) and as youngsters do I believed every word of it, well now it looks silly because I made a fool of myself on this topic by believing the book. Perhaps Mr  Deary's books should include sources and them I and others who come to this forum wont waste yours/our time by posting trivia.

thanks anyway everyone,
tom

[Royal Bulgaria]

I totally agree with your points above. seeing I'm only 15 I still have all the books in my collection and like you said the books are fun but unreliable and this whole 'Anne's had an eating disorder' is a perfect example.

In my opinion people on that age 15 ( i'm on the same age ) are rare fans of The Tudors and of history at all... It's nice to see other interest in The Tudors... I want to thank you for the information Tom i didn't know that about Anne... Continue collecting books about Anne And remember from early age you begin a great historian...

[tom_romanov]

Oh it's so nice to find another person who is the same age who likes history! thank-you for your kind comments 

[Royal Bulgaria]

You are welcome It's interesting how little are the people of that age interest in history... In my country (Bulgaria ) i still can't find only older people.... What a pity....

[Kimberly]

Yes, Tom. You are very welcome here, you are a refreshing change and you are not wasting anybodys time Happy New Year too you dear boy !!!xxx

[tom_romanov]

thank-you very much Kimberly ! I think i am blushing....

[LaDuchesse]

It's too bad she didn't keep a diary. We know so little, yet she is my favorite of his harem. Elizabeth too remained silent about her mother. I don't recall ever reading anything that Elizabeth said or wrote about her mother. But I would imagine that at some point Anne did set her sights on the throne. How could she not have?

First of all Elizabeth barely remembered her mother, if she did at all.  Also, I heard on some pbs show or something like it that despite Henry's harsh treatment of her Elizabeth idolized him.  Therefore, since Henry seamed to rather dislike any mentioning of Anne, and if i'm correct prefered to act as though she'd never existed, so i believe she probably wouldn't have wanted to give her mother much thought.

[Prince_Lieven]

Elizabeth certainly enjoyed referring to herself as 'Great Harry's Daughter' while she was queen. We'll probably never know what she really thought about Anne. After Henry's death, it was in Elizabeth's interest to remind everyone that she was Henry's daughter, without mentioning Anne, who was regarded variously as a witch, an 'adventuress' and an adulteress. Being Henry's daughter was an advantage; being Anne's daughter was not, from a political point of view, something to be particularly proud of. It should be remembered though that when she became queen she treated her Boleyn relatives - particularly Catherine and Henry Carey, Mary Boleyn's children - quite well, so she must have felt some sort of familial feeling towards them.