Blog #2: Off With Her Head

When I first heard of The Tower of London, I pictured something similar to Big Ben. Don’t ask me why I thought it was just a singular tower that was built hundreds of years ago because I won’t be able to defend myself. In reality, The Tower of London is a grand fortress filled with multiple structures dating back a thousand years. As I walked through this breathtaking historic site, I couldn’t help but revert to a child-like state of absolute wonder and amazement. I was standing in actual history. Kings walked where I was walking. Queens were beheaded mere feet from where I stood. To ask me to pick my favorite part of this castle is like asking one of the Queen’s weirdly terrifying ravens not to bite the general public: impossible. The Crown Jewels were breathtaking. Seeing artifacts that I had only read about or seen in documentaries was such an indescribable pleasure. I was standing before royalty. It almost felt like the spirits of the monarchs who proudly adorned these brilliant pieces were watching me marvel at their precious jewels and crowns. Another part of the castle that filled me with a morbid curiosity was building where prisoners were held at the Tower. One of the most famous prisoners held here was Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII. Anne spent a large portion of her childhood in Henry’s court and was greatly admired. Henry himself prevented her from marrying another as he had fallen in love with her. He tried to marry her but was turned away as he was already wed. Henry then denounced the catholic church for denying him his marriage to Anne and announced himself as the head of the church, granting himself an annulment. Soon after they were married, Queen Anne gave birth to a little baby girl who would later rule England as Queen Elizabeth I. While attempting to give Henry a male heir, Anne later suffered a miscarriage and the traumatic event of the birth of a stillborn son. Unable to provide Henry with what he so desperately wanted, she became unpopular and King Henry had her imprisoned (Britannica). Anne was punished for failing to provide the king with a male heir and was charged with treason and adultery. These charges were fabricated as a result of the belief that Anne had tricked the king into entering a “cursed marriage” (Andrews). After only three years of marriage, Queen Anne Boleyn was beheaded on the 19^th of May.

Walking through the eerie rooms where people spent their last days as enemies of the crown was a humbling experience. The walls of the rooms held original messages carved by people held prisoner there. Seeing these carvings was an incredibly emotional experience. I could feel the desperation of the souls of those prisoners even 500 years later. This transferred emotion wasn’t just isolated to the prison.

All of the Tower of London held a tangible energy only found in a place deeply affected by history. From the Chapel to the memorial for those beheaded at the palace, the historic significance weighed heavy on my heart. It is easy to become engulfed in modern affairs and we often forget to look back on the lives of those who lived before us.

Sources:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. “Anne Boleyn”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anne-Boleyn. Accessed 27 May 2022.

Andrews, Evan. “6 Famous Prisoners of the Tower of London.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 11 Sept. 2012, https://www.history.com/news/6-famous-prisoners-of-the-tower-of-london.