Myth vs. Reality
Over the years, I have encountered a lot of misconceptions about Anne Boleyn, mostly from uninformed sources, but sometimes even from so-called 'knowledgeable' sources. After years of researching Anne Boleyn only to encounter the same false information and stereotyping over and over again, I feel the need to debunk the rumors and set the record straight on this maligned Queen of England.

Myth: Henry VIII killed his wives
Reality: Henry VIII did not kill any of his wives. He divorced two wives (or annulled the marriages), one wife died in childbirth and two were executed after standing trial for adultery (and other charges). The only wife you can truly claim he 'killed' was Anne Boleyn, as there is evidence that the charges against her were false and that Henry and Cromwell were really trying to get rid of her by bringing her to trial. But to jump from falsely accusing one wife to killing all of his wives is a huge leap.

Myth: Anne Boleyn was a whore
Reality: Anne Boleyn was no saint, but she was not a whore. Some of her contemporary critics liked to call her 'The Great Whore', but it was based mostly upon the fact that she had enough power over the King to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and because she did not strictly adhere to the beliefs of Catholicism. In the Tudor era, it was assumed that the only power a woman could have over a man was sexual, so it was only natural for such a powerful woman as Anne Boleyn to have this nickname, because it was assumed that she was using sexual favors to curry favor in court. It is unlikely that she was a virgin when she married Henry VIII, having spent a long period of time at the French court and at the Tudor court. But, unlike her sister, she had not developed a reputation for being 'loose' and had probably had limited sexual experience before her courtship with Henry began. The charges against her of adultery were more than likely false, and there is little to no evidence to suggest that she was unfaithful to Henry during their marriage or even courtship. So while not the most virtuous woman on earth, she was not a whore or even wantonly sexual.

Myth: Anne Boleyn had six fingers on one hand and many growths (moles) on her body
Reality: It is highly unlikely that this is true. Any deformation in the Tudor era was seen as a mark of disease or even God's disfavor, and Henry VIII would not have wanted the mother of his children to be thus marred. There is some evidence that there was an irregularity on one of her fingers, but even if this is true it is very far from having a sixth finger. This myth, present even during her lifetime, was probably spread by those who wanted to find evidence of her witchcraft or ties with Satan.

Myth: Anne Boleyn was a witch
Reality: In the Tudor era, any woman with power and unorthodox religious beliefs was thought to be a witch. There is absolutely no evidence that Anne Boleyn had dealings with the occult, though during her lifetime there were many people who thought she was a witch. These were probably the same people who wanted to believe that Henry VIII would never willingly break with the Catholic Church unless he was bewitched by the great whore, Anne Boleyn. On the day of her death, there were reports of 'hares running', which was considered a sign of witchcraft in those times. These rumors and accusations were spread mostly among the peasantry, and very few educated people ever believed this myth. (see Trivia)