Depending upon her date of birth, accounts of Anne Boleyn's early years differ greatly. It would therefore be best to give the dates, and then give the different accounts.

Margaret of Austria, by Bernard van Orley. © Patrimoine des Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels. Scanned by Douglas Dowell.

In c. 1513, Anne Boleyn - not Mary, everyone now agrees - went to the court of Margaret of Austria, in Mechelen, Burgundy (now in Belgium). She stayed there until some time in 1514, at which point she either went to England, or to France to attend on Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and wife-to-be of Louis XII. Those that believe that Anne attended Mary Tudor say that Anne was either transferred to the service of Queen Claude, wife of François I (the next French king), later to be transferred to that of Marguerite d'Alençon, Duchess of Angoulême and the sister of François, or went with Mary to England in 1515. Some authors argue that Anne went to France in 1519 to attend on Queen Claude. By all accounts, she was back in England by 1521/2.

It seems probable that she did, indeed, go to France. The case that only one Mistress Boleyn was listed does not eliminate the case for her having gone there. If the Mistress Boleyn in the list was Mary Boleyn (who was in England), Anne might have travelled direct from Mechelen. On the other hand, it might have been Anne on the list - but what point would there be in going across the Channel to England - and then going back over to France? It seems, therefore, that Mary Boleyn went to France with Mary Tudor, while Anne went direct from Mechelen. On the other hand, Friedmann argues that Anne was "Mistress Boleyn". The "Cronica del Rey Enrico Otavo de Ingalaterra [sic]" says that Anne was brought up there - could that have been said if Anne came at the age of 18? De Carles, whose account was written weeks after Anne's death, states unequivocally that Anne went to France in 1514. Charles de Bourgueville also states this, who was also alive in France at the time. It seems likely, then, that Anne only returned to England in late 1521 or so.¹

According to those that believe Anne was born in 1507, she lived in a nursery with the future Charles V, his sister Eleanor and others (at Mechelen). She would then go to France and live with Renée of France (who would later, as Duchess of Ferrara, tell an English ambassador that she had a particular affection for his queen [now Elizabeth I], as her mother was one of the Duchess' childhood friends). Her last year in France would have been at court.

The 1501 school argues that Anne attended Margaret of Austria while in the Netherlands, attended Mary Tudor, Queen Claude and (some say) Marguerite d'Alençon. By all accounts, Anne was far more discreet than her sister Mary, who became the mistress of François I (who referred to her as "my hack, my mule") - and later, that of Henry VIII. Anne made a great impression at the French court - even François I was smitten by her, and wrote:

Venus était blonde, on m'a dit:
L'on voit bien, qu'elle est brunette.

(Venus was blonde, I've been told:
Now I see that she's a brunette!)

All the same, "no breath of scandal attached itself to her at the time."²

When Anne returned to England, plans were already being made to marry her to the son of Sir Piers Butler, James. The reason for this match was genealogical. Anne's paternal grandfather, Sir William Boleyn, had married one of the heiresses of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormonde - namely Margaret Butler. However, Sir Piers, a collateral and the heir-male, took the title in place of Sir Thomas Boleyn, the heir-general. Sir Thomas claimed the Earldom of Ormonde. It was planned to resolve the matter by marrying Anne off to James Butler. So far as we know, Anne played no part in its failure.³ It is possible, though, that Anne's entanglement with Percy was one of the complicating factors which persuaded Piers Butler to break off negotiations for the match with Anne in 1523.

While her marriage was arranged, Anne proceeded to enter into a precontract with Henry Percy, the son and heir of the Earl of Northumberland. He was betrothed to Lady Mary Talbot, daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury. However, the negotiations seemed to have failed. Percy was in the household of Cardinal Wolsey. Of course, Anne was no fit bride for a Percy - the family had a son, and she was only the child of a knight, whereas Percy was the heir to one of the greatest earldoms in England. Cardinal Wolsey put a stop to this affair, probably at the orders of the King (not necessarily because of any romantic feelings on his part). The Earl of Northumberland came down to London and battered his son into submission in no measured terms. Anne, meanwhile, was banished from court, and returned to Hever. According to Cavendish, Anne bore a grudge against Wolsey for this, and contrived to bring about his ruin. Others feel that Anne supported him while the King did, and then proceeded to turn on him, following the King.⁴

Notes

¹ Friedmann, p. 317

² Weir, p. 14

³ Fraser, pp. 121-122, 124

⁴ Cavendish, pp. 58-64; Fraser, pp. 124-127