One historian famously declared that all we know for certain about Mary Boleyn could barely fill up a postcard. Truly, the mysterious “Other Boleyn Girl” will go down in history for her relation to bigger names in Tudor England. She was the sister of Anne Boleyn, the aunt of Elizabeth, and one of only two publicly acknowledged mistresses to Henry VIII. Thanks to historical fiction and interested Tudor fans, the legend of Mary Boleyn has grown to sordid prominence. How exactly did Mary “snare” a king? What scandalous act did she commit to earn her famous exile? Was she really so “promiscuous”? Unlace that bodice to these revealing facts about Mary Boleyn, the infamous “Other Boleyn Girl”.
1. Her Parents Were Power Hungry
Mary Boleyn’s parents, Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, and Lady Elizabeth Howard, were both savvy courtiers who knew a thing or two about social climbing. According to many, Thomas’s ambitions knew no bounds—and he was prepared to sacrifice almost anything to get to the top. It’s no wonder that Mary ended up in the middle of some of the Tudor court’s most shocking scandals.
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