Mary boleyn elizabeth 1 biography

Boleyn family

The elder daughter of Thomas Boleyn, later 1st Earl of Wiltshire and Ormonde and Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Thomas 2nd Duke of Norfolk, Mary Boleyn was born around 1502 at Blickling Hall in Norfolk.

She was the eldest of three siblings, a brother George, who was born around 1503, was later created Earl of Rochford and a sister Anne, born around 1507 was destined to become the second queen of King Henry VIII. Two other brothers, Henry and Thomas did not survive the perils of infancy in Tudor times and died young.

Mary Boleyn

The Boleyn family descended from merchant stock, her great-grandfather, Geoffrey Bullen, was a London mercer who rose to be Mayor of the city from 1457-8 and recieved a knighthood. Her mother, Elizabeth Howard, was of much more illustrious origins, the daughter of Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, she was descended from Edward I and a host of aristocratic families.

Mary grew up at Hever Castle near Edenbridge in the Kent cou