May 19th 1536: Anne Boleyn beheaded

On this day in 1536, the second wife of King Henry VIII of England was beheaded. Henry and Anne married in 1533 after the King divorced his first wife Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne, his mistress. When he tried to seek divorce, the Catholic Church protested, and thus the King split with the Church and assumed authority over religious matters. Many did not recognise the legitimacy of his second marriage. When Anne failed to produce a male heir Henry had her executed, using dubious charges of treason, adultery and incest. Henry soon after married Jane Seymour, who died in 1537.