The life and career of Thomas Boleyn (1477–1539): courtier, ambassador, and statesman

This thesis will endeavor to expand our understanding of particular aspects of the Tudor age by evaluating the life and career of Thomas Boleyn (1477–1539) in the context of his role as a courtier, ambassador and special envoy, Privy Councillor, father to Anne Boleyn, queen consort, and grandfather to Queen Elizabeth I. Despite his successful diplomatic career spanning over 20 years, and his appointments to the influential and significant political positions of Comptroller of the Household, Treasurer of the Household, and Lord Privy Seal, Thomas is not to be found in any dedicated studies but has been relegated to a negligible place in the historiography of the Tudor Court. Relying on the copious correspondence between Thomas Boleyn and other public figures of the period, the thesis aims to provide a historical evaluation of his life and relevance, offering greater insights into the machinations of the political and religious spheres in which he moved. The extant documents pertaining to Thomas Boleyn allow for an appraisal of his career, providing more than the popular epithet of a scheming manipulative father. Going beyond this image requires an emphasis on his career prior to Henry VIII’s affair with Anne Boleyn, together with an examination of Thomas’ political roles and activities, as well as an analysis of his reputation among his contemporaries, in England and abroad. Through this study, the landscape of this period of English history is then broadened in new and unexpected ways, at the same time furthering our understanding of this man and those politically and personally connected with him, including Thomas’ more famous daughter, Anne, but also Thomas Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, and Henry VIII.