Mary Boleyn: Biography, Portrait, Facts & Information
Mary Boleyn: Biography, Portrait, Facts & Information Mary Boleyn was the sister of King Henry VIII’s second wife, the infamous Anne Boleyn. But she was also the king’s mistress before her sister’s ascendancy. She may also have given birth to his son. Information about the life of Mary Boleyn is sketchy at best. Before her sister’s ascendancy, Mary was the most famous member of her family, a dubious honor since it was based upon her adulterous affair with King Henry VIII. There has been great debate over the exact year of her birth, with many researchers unable to agree on which Boleyn sister was older. Some speculate Anne was born in 1501 or 1502; others place it at 1507. The most recent scholarship supports 1507 as the year of Anne’s birth. Mary was born a year later, in 1508. Their only surviving sibling was an older brother George, born in 1503. Mary was born at Hever Castle, the family seat. She was named after Princess Mary Tudor, the youngest child of Henr...