Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond
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Monumental brass to Thomas Boleyn, St Peter's Church, Hever
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| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 1530–1536 |
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| Monarch | Henry VIII |
| Preceded by | Cuthbert Tunstall |
| Succeeded by | Sir Thomas Cromwell |
| Treasurer of the Household | |
| In office 1521–1525 |
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| Monarch | Henry VIII |
| Preceded by | Sir Edward Poynings |
| Succeeded by | Sir William FitzWilliam |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thomas Boleyn
c. 1477 Hever Castle, Hever, Kent, Kingdom of England |
| Died | 12 March 1539 (aged 61–62) |
| Resting place | St. Peter's Church, Hever, Kent, United Kingdom 51°11′02″N 0°06′41″E / 51.1838°N 0.1113°E |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Howard |
| Children | 5, including: |
| Parents |
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| Residence | Hever Castle |
| Occupation | Diplomat, politician |
Thomas Boleyn (born around 1477, died 1539) was an important English diplomat and politician. He lived at Hever Castle in Kent. He is most famous for being the father of Anne Boleyn. Anne became the second wife of King Henry VIII. This made Thomas Boleyn the grandfather of Queen Elizabeth I.
King Henry VIII gave Thomas Boleyn special titles. He became a knight of the Garter in 1523. Later, he was made Viscount Rochford in 1525. In 1529, he received even higher titles: Earl of Wiltshire and Earl of Ormond.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Thomas Boleyn was born around 1477. His birthplace was Blickling Hall in Norfolk. His father was Sir William Boleyn. His mother was Lady Margaret Butler.
His grandfather, Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, was a very rich merchant. He bought Blickling Hall. Thomas's mother, Margaret, was also from an important family. She was a daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond.
Marriage and Children
Around the year 1500, Thomas Boleyn married Elizabeth Howard. She was the oldest daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk. Thomas and Elizabeth had six children. Only three of them lived past childhood.
- Mary Boleyn (born around 1499 or 1500, died 1543).
- Thomas Boleyn the younger (died young).
- Henry Boleyn (died young).
- George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford (born around 1504, died 1536). He was the oldest son who survived. He was executed in 1536.
- Anne Boleyn (born around 1501, died 1536). She later became Queen of England.
A Career in Diplomacy
When he was young, Thomas Boleyn worked for King Henry VII. He attended important royal events. For example, he was at the wedding of Arthur, Prince of Wales and Catherine of Aragon. In 1503, he helped escort Princess Margaret Tudor to Scotland. She was going there to marry King James IV.
When Henry VIII became king in 1509, Thomas Boleyn was made a Knight of the Bath. This was a special honour.
Important Missions
Thomas Boleyn became one of King Henry VIII's top diplomats. This was thanks to his skills and his family's connections. He travelled to many countries for the King.
Here are some of his important jobs:
- In 1511 and 1517, he was the High Sheriff of Kent. This was a local government role.
- In 1512, he was one of three envoys sent to the Netherlands. An envoy is like an ambassador.
- From 1518 to 1521, he was the ambassador to France. He helped plan the "Field of Cloth of Gold" meeting in 1520. This was a huge meeting between King Henry VIII and the French King Francis I.
- In 1521 and 1523, he was sent to meet Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
- In 1527, he was part of a large group sent to France.
- In 1529, he went to a meeting with Emperor Charles V and Pope Clement VII. His job was to get support for King Henry VIII to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. After this, he went on another mission to France.
Receiving Titles
Thomas Boleyn was made a Knight of the Garter in 1523. This is a very high honour in England.
His other titles came from his mother's side of the family. His mother, Lady Margaret Butler, was a daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond.
King Henry VIII became very interested in Thomas's daughter, Anne, in 1525. As the King's interest grew, Thomas Boleyn received more titles. These rewards were not just because of Anne. They also recognized Thomas's own hard work and skills as a diplomat.
In 1525, Thomas Boleyn was made Viscount Rochford. In 1529, he was given the titles Earl of Wiltshire and Earl of Ormond.
On the same day, his only surviving son, George, was also given the title of Viscount Rochford. This was a special title given to the heir of a noble family.
Thomas Boleyn was appointed Lord Privy Seal in 1530. This was a very important job in the King's government. In 1532, his daughter Anne was made Marquess of Pembroke. She then married King Henry VIII the next year and became Queen.
After Anne and her brother George were executed in 1536, Thomas Boleyn lost his job as Lord Privy Seal. He lived quietly until his death a few years later.
Death and Burial
Thomas Boleyn died at Hever Castle on March 12, 1539. He was buried in St. Peter's Church in Hever. You can still see his detailed monumental brass there.
The brass shows him wearing his special Knight of the Garter robes. His head rests on a helmet. His feet rest on a griffin, a mythical creature. The inscription on his tomb says: "Here lieth Sir Thomas Bullen, Knight of the Order of the Garter, Erle of Wilscher and Erle or Ormunde, which decessed the 12th dai of Marche in the iere of our Lorde 1538."
Styles and Honours
- Sir Thomas Boleyn KG KB (1523–1525)
- The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Rochford KG KB (1525–1529)
- The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Wiltshire and of Ormond KG KB (8 December 1529–1539)
See also
- Palace of Beaulieu
- List of ambassadors from the Kingdom of England to France
