Blood Well Spent: Anne Boleyn's Triumph

There is a classic scene in Anne of the Thousand Days (Jarrott, 1969) where Anne Boleyn (Genevieve Bujold) looks Henry VIII (Richard Burton) in the eye and proclaims 'My Elizabeth shall be queen! And my blood will have been well spent!'

Blood well spent: Anne of the Thousand Days

There is no proof that such an exchange ever took place between the pair but it is a powerful and prophetic moment that tells the viewer that Anne's blood was indeed well spent, and her words prove true as Elizabeth, her daughter, became possibly the greatest ruler England ever had. How she eventually came to be queen is nothing short of a miracle, the 'bastard' daughter of King Henry VIII, who became renowned as the Virgin Queen.

Elizabeth was the daughter of King Henry VIII, infamous for his six wives and establishing the Church of England. A church established in order to divorce his first wife Katherine of Aragon so that he could then marry his second wife, Anne Boleyn.

The Queen's Mother: Anne Boleyn

Anne won Henry's heart through her passionate personality and her many refusals of being his mistress. Once married it wasn't long before Anne was pregnant. Unfortunately, she did not deliver the son Henry so desperately wanted but a girl who she named Elizabeth. After this Anne failed to produce another living child and was eventually disgraced and executed on charges of adultery, witchcraft and treason on 19th May 1536. Elizabeth was only two years old.

Henry married a further four times and did manage to have the son he desired with his third wife Jane Seymour, and Elizabeth was overlooked for the majority of her young life in favour of her brother. However, she was eventually restored to the succession with help from Henry's sixth wife, Katherine Parr, who took a kinder incentive towards Elizabeth, providing for her education and establishing her own belief in the Protestant faith. Katherine had even been left as regent of the kingdom when Henry went to war with France, showing Elizabeth that it was possible for a woman to rule in her own right.

The Lady Elizabeth Tudor

When Henry died in January 1547 Elizabeth went to live with her stepmother and her fourth husband Thomas Seymour. During this time there is much speculation about the conduct of Seymour in his affection towards his ward, attempting to seduce her and besmirching her honour. Eventually she was established in her own household and never saw Katherine Parr again. During her brother's reign, Edward VI, she lived quietly but was under suspicion when Seymour devised a plot to kidnap the king, for which she was found innocent.

Edward died in July 1553, which made her sister, Mary Tudor, Queen of England - the first Sovereign Queen in England's history. When Mary entered the city of London Elizabeth was with her, following her sister who triumphed over rebellions to prevent her ascension to the throne. Mary's reign began with a positive outlook, even with the sisters looking to heal old wounds. Unfortunately this did not last. After time questions of religion plagued Mary's reign, and completely destroyed any relationship the sisters once had when Elizabeth was placed in the tower and rigorously questioned in connection with rebellions by Thomas Wyatt, accusations which again had no basis of proof. The relationship between them never recovered and Mary died alone in 1558, defeated and loathed by the people.

Upon her death Elizabeth became the Queen of England. Her reign began with much upheaval and religious persecution that was eventually outlawed, with Elizabeth being more accepting of both Catholic and Protestant faiths, unlike her siblings. Over time Elizabeth established England as a powerful nation in its own right, her reign remembered as a golden age in English history. Elizabeth never married or produced an heir to carry on the Tudor name, she became known as The Virgin Queen; an icon and a mother to her people. England prospered under her rule, which is why she is admired to this day. Even in the face of adversity  she proved her mettle; such as the Spanish Inquisition that looked to 'cleanse' England of heresy, an invasion that was unsuccessful despite the odds being in Spain's favour. Elizabeth I is remembered by many names - Good Queen Bess, Gloriana, The Virgin Queen. She overcame the odds to become the best loved of the Tudor Sovereigns.

Elizabeth became Anne's greatest triumph. As the prophetic and poignant scene proves, Anne's blood was indeed well spent.