What was Thomas Boleyn thinking when he was asked to inquire into allegations of sexual misconduct and witchcraft of his daughter or when his son was arrested and charged with incest? What was going through his mind in the May of 1536 as he listened when Anne was charged with "entertaining malice against the King" and having sexual relations with five men of the king's court. Did Thomas feel a sense of guilt as he sat in judgement on Anne and as he watched as her uncle, Thomas Howard, declared her guilty?
These questions cannot be answered of course, we can only wonder what was going through his mind in the days before Anne's trial. He may have wondered what would have happened if his great grandfather, Geoffrey Boleyn, the yeoman farmer from Norfolk, had discouraged his son William's move to London or talked to him about city life and how ambition could lead to greed and tragedy. History doesn't tell us Thomas Boleyn's thoughts, but it does tell us what he knew, and that was that he owed his royal favour to the fascination Henry VIII had for both is his daughters. Historians sees George, Anne and Mary Boleyn two ways, either victim or villain, but most don't write kindly of Thomas Boleyn.
Who was to blame for the way things turned out for the Boleyn family? Was Thomas Boleyn a willing participant or was he just a pawn in a greater game? Was banishment punishment enough when both his children lost their lives?
Thomas Boleyn stood to one side and let the axe come down on the necks of his two children, he had made a calculated decision, he didn't have the wool pulled over his eyes by his brother in law as is often argued. What I will say though, like many, he was blinded by the glittering golden world of the Tudor court and the charismatic bully at it head.
After the executions of Anne and George Boleyn, Boleyn lost the office of lord privy seal to Thomas Cromwell, and over the next couple of years he lost all his titles apart from his earldom, which he had no heir to inherit - justice some might say.
Who was to blame for the way things turned out for the Boleyn family? Was Thomas Boleyn a willing participant or was he just a pawn in a greater game? Was banishment punishment enough when both his children lost their lives?
Thomas Boleyn stood to one side and let the axe come down on the necks of his two children, he had made a calculated decision, he didn't have the wool pulled over his eyes by his brother in law as is often argued. What I will say though, like many, he was blinded by the glittering golden world of the Tudor court and the charismatic bully at it head.
After the executions of Anne and George Boleyn, Boleyn lost the office of lord privy seal to Thomas Cromwell, and over the next couple of years he lost all his titles apart from his earldom, which he had no heir to inherit - justice some might say.
There are so many questions left unanswered running up to the death of Thomas Boleyn. But did he die a broken man as you might expect is one that can be answered - no he didn't, his life was not in ruins, for he was not long out of favour. He was back in the royal court by the 15th October 1537 and is recorded as carrying bowls of silver and gilt at the christening of the future Edward V, the son of the woman who replaced his daughter. However, he only survived another year, his death is recorded as the 12th/13th March 1539. He is buried in the family church on the Hever estate.
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