Why didnt Henry VIII marry Mary Boleyn when she gave him a son instead of Anne Boleyn who only gave him a daughter?

Answer 1

Well, first off Henry was already married. Secondly, it was unheard of at the time for a mistress to be elevated to the position of queen. Anne Boleyn was the exception to that rule. Both Henry and Anne thought she would be able to bear a male heir, something which did not happen due to his impotency. Henry never officially recognized either of Mary's children as his own, a fact most likely looked over due to his marriage to her sister.

This piece of information is from The Other Boleyn Girl, a fictional book. That book is historically inaccurate and I would not suggest it for informational purposes. Not much information is known about Mary's affair with the King, including when it started and when it ended. If you wanted more information on the subject I would suggest you read Anne Boleyn by Joanna Denny. It is exceptionally good, and Denny considers the bias factor in the information on Anne.

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(new answer; from iriesky)

In part, yes; at the time, usurping a queen, particularly one of Catherine's pedigree (daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand and one so well loved by the people was unheard of. Henry had many mistresses prior to Mary some who even bore him sons. One in particular he gave recognition to; as he did to Mary's son (he also is thought to have produced a daughter with her)- traditionally, for a king to recognize a bastard, he would give it the last name Fitzgerald he did in fact give it to both Bessie blount and Mary's son with him; though not the daughter; which is why it's legitimacy as Henry's is disputed. Though in reality, acknowledging a daughter brought no benefit- whereas doing so for a son cemented his ability to do so; which up until then, had been unsuccessful; save for a son he had with catharine that died shortly after birth.

To the best of my recollection, Mary was not ill; it was Anne who succumbed to some variation of the sweating sickness, early in her affair with Henry. Anne managed to replace Catherine for two reasons:

1) she abstained from sex with Henry, under the guise she wouldn't be marriageable if she did; and be little more than Left with a bastard, like her sister.

2) Anne had protestant leanings. At the time Henry began to seduce her, protestants were still being burned as heretics- Anne raised in the enlightened and more liberal courts of France felt that the traditions of Catholicism were both superstitious and oppressive. Protestants believed the blessing said over communion was a metaphorical transformation into the body and blood of Christ catholics then considered it literal. Also, catholic religious figures lived in luxury similar to the kings; had many mistresses and wives; children, and were known as somewhat lax. It was common at the time to tell peasants they had to donate what little they had to the church, or face the depths of hell- they could buy themselves redemption from sin with hefty donations as ell. They were also told to pay for the privilege to visit relics- many of which were little more than hat tricks aimed at stripping the already poor of their money.

Anne believed Protestantism was a good cause, and she was extremely spiritual. She felt the money being wasted in abbeys could be better spent on education for men of little resource wishing to be educated in the cloth; as well is in helping the poor- particularly poor young women whose families had little money to put towards their dowries- Anne felt these monies would allow them to make better marriages, and there for, better lives. She also thought the practice of catholics only permitting translations of The Bible in Latin were archaic; as most common men were not educated enough to speak it- therefor, they weren't able to read or hear the words of it without the priest's Which again, cost money.

One of the things protestants also believed was that where the catholics thought the ladder rungs went : god, pope, king; the protestants felt popes were little more than sycophantic thieves; and that the rungs was more along the lines of god; then king; representer of god on earth.

This is what finally did it for Henry- the ideal of absolute power. After the matter of his marriage to Catherine being annulled was put aside by the pope, Henry began to find appeal in the protestant belief that he could himself be god's child on earth- and in doing so, had his marriage annulled, married Anne, was excommunicated and separated form the church; beginning what was known as the church of England.

At the time, male issue was believed to be denied to Henry b/c first: he married Catherine believing she had not consummated her marriage to his brother Arthur -who died suddenly three months after they were married. However, he later decided she had, and that this was why their only son died, and she had 8 miscarriages. A punishment by god, for marrying a woman who'd lain with his brother- a sin in the bible.

Later, when Anne could not carry a child to term, he assumed many explanations that put her at fault- one of which was that he laid with her sister Mary- which is also how he declared Anne's marriage null and void; therefor, never legal; making Elizabeth a bastard. But he also claimed she used witchcraft; trickery, and slept with 100's of men.

It is now theorized that Anne may have suffered form a disease of the blood; where when th child's blood differs from the mothers, it can cause trouble- often the first child is born safely but after that, subsequent children conceived are miscarried. it's a common and easily treated condition now; but then, unknown of. We also now know that the factor determining the gender of children lies with the male- and his sperm- and has no bearing on the woman.

Mary lived out the rest of her short life in relative obscurity; married to her second husband Staffrd; avoiuding court and doing so happily.

The book and movie, the other Boleyn girl is indeed incredibly innaccurate. Though it bears some merit for having brought anne's story to light again. Eric Ives and the book mentioned above by Joanna are ecellent resources, and cover Mary as best can be done. A novle was also written about Mary's life; though it's fictional and must be taken with a garin of salt. One of the biggest myths of the story is that anne stold Henry from Mary- when in fact anne was in France during Mary's affair; which was well over by the time Henry turned his attentions to anne.

Anne had a very good education; was well spoken and intelligent- things often considered bad at the time; however, they appealed to Henry. Perhaps that's why anne managed to win his hand, as well as what caused her subsequent downfall.