The Tragic Tale of Mark Smeaton - Anne Boleyn Week

Join me for the start of Anne Boleyn Week as I delve into the tragic story of Mark Smeaton, a court musician who found himself at the heart of Queen Anne Boleyn's downfall in May 1536.
In this video, I explore the intriguing background of Mark Smeaton, from his humble origins to his rise in favour at court as a talented musician in Cardinal Wolsey's choir and later the Chapel Royal. Discover how Mark's association with influential figures like George Boleyn and Sir Thomas Wyatt the Elder placed him in the queen's inner circle.
Learn about the pivotal encounter between Mark and Queen Anne in her presence chamber, which ultimately led to his arrest and interrogation at the hands of Thomas Cromwell. Uncover the mysteries surrounding Mark's confession and the circumstances that may have influenced his tragic fate.
I'll share my insights into Mark's plight, examining the pressures and manipulations he faced during his imprisonment and trial. Reflect on the difficult choices Mark confronted and the consequences of his confession.
Discover the poignant details of Mark Smeaton's execution on Tower Hill, marking a sombre chapter in the events that unfolded during Anne Boleyn's fall.
Don't miss this captivating introduction to Anne Boleyn Week, where I honour the memory of those who suffered in the queen's tragic story. Stay tuned for more intriguing insights into the individuals impacted by these historic events.
If you're eager to explore more about Anne Boleyn, visit claireridgway.... to get instant access to expert talks and in-depth resources in "The Fall of Anne Boleyn" and "Anne Boleyn, the Woman who Changed England. Subscribe for future updates and join me tomorrow for another instalment of Anne Boleyn Week.
#anneboleyn #henryviii #toweroflondon #anneboleynweek

[@kimc7699]

Even though the tragic end of Anne is so well known, the speed at which Anne fell remains shocking.

[@pbohearn]

There was a cadre that were all in lockstep doing the kings bidding. Very efficient.

[@ElizabethMcCormick-s2n]

@@pbohearn And at the head was Thomas Cromwell!

[@BeeKool__113]

Poor dude! Of all the men accused, I have always felt the worst for Mark. Perhaps because of his status as a commoner amongst these noble and affluent people. He probably always felt like an outsider. 😔💔🎶🎵

[@lauramason5667]

Poor, poor Mark is right. Such a cruel injustice.

[@eveywrens]

Thank you for filling in the gaps of Mark's story. I knew he had been discovered by Wolsey and sang in his choir, but I didn't know that he had served in Henry VIII's privy chamber. I didn't know he had interactions with Thomas Wyatt and George Boleyn. I read in numerous works of fiction and some history books about Mark hanging about and sulking in Queen Anne Boleyn' chamber, and that she reprimanded him, reminding Mark he wasn't a gentlemen and he sought attention above his station. I had also read Wolf Hall where Cromwell intimidated Mark, making him believe he would be tortured if he didn't confess and then locking him in a dark closet with the family's Christmas decorations where his fears led him to confess. Based on the historical sources it sounds as though we'll never really know what happened. But, since Mark was the only one who confessed it is not surprising people believed he had been tortured. Your speculation that he wanted to avoid a traitor's death seems to be the most reasonable.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you!

[@alancumming6407]

Many thanks Claire for this tribute to Mark Smeaton. A week of 'memorial' broadcasts is a fitting way to commemorate all those who lost their lives.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you!

[@orelonsidney724]

I like your idea of Mark being offered a plea bargain. It makes a lot of sense.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you! It's the only way I can make sense of it.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Thank you Claire 🌹 Interesting to hear a bit about Mark's background, not as well known or talked about. A lovely way to mark this anniversary week. You are always so gracious, kind and respectful in keeping the memory of Anne and those five unfortunate men alive. 🤗🌷

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you! I always get so emotional talking about them.

[@sixeses]

Thanks Claire. I particularly like the detail about the musical instruments Mark played.

[@cindyrobinson3077]

Thank you for sharing about him. I really can't imagine what they went thru. Especially not having a title so you were a nobody with really no power, Even for your own life

[@SuzannahGrey-el1lp]

Notice that the ones who had titles didn’t fare any better!😥

[@cmcg9035]

What an awful end to a talented musician. May his memory be a reminder to us to always drive back tyrants. I feel most sorry for him, of all of Henry's victims in this particular case, since it was a clear case of classism, on top of everything else horrible about his treatment. May Mark Smeaton rest in peace.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, he made the perfect fall guy.

[@ElizabethMcCormick-s2n]

Mary Tudor had the nerve to hint that Mark, not Henry, was Elizabeth's father, in front of Elizabeth!

[@lindawaddell9831]

Thanks for the video, Claire.

[@thehistory_student]

Poor, poor Mark😢 What a truly awful situation to find yourself in 💔

[@robinpinkham9398]

Agreed...poor, poor Mark😥

[@chloe_speaks2384]

Wyatt's blaming of Smeaton for "caving" definitely seems classist. I agree, I don't blame Smeaton either for wanting a more merciful death. Henry would have executed the other men no matter what he said.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Possibly, but also holding him to blame for the deaths of people he cared about.

[@debrasycks1423]

Thank you again Claire your the best

[@pheart2381]

Everyone seemed to live on a knife edge at court. A word or glance out of place could mean death.

[@erikriza7165]

I believe that Mark Smeaton was lied to, lied about, and unjustly murdered. Eternal shame on henry 8

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes!

[@JaneEasterbrook-bn3ux]

Yes I agree! Hope to get my novel on Marc Smeton (as I call him) out shortly. You'll love him!!

[@erikriza7165]

@@JaneEasterbrook-bn3ux There is a novel about him? I would love to read it!!

[@wednesdayschild3627]

I remember reading that part in Hillary Matel's book made Mark look like an idiot. Locked with Christmas was supposed to mean, Mark was locked in the closet with Christmas decorations. That scared him because they looked like torture devises. Peacock feathers are bad luck. Mark Smeaton was said to be very good looking. All those men knew about Henry's sexual problems. I am wondering if queen Anne told George and the discussed it. Henry had to kill everyone who knew. It was all Henry. CROMWELL did Henry's bidding.

[@alwina2452]

Yes, that is what it meant in the book. I love those books! HM was such a fabulous writer, her writing was like jewels…. xx

[@monicacall7532]

Cromwell knew that if he didn’t orchestrate Anne and the five men’s downfall it would’ve been his head on the block. Four years later it really was his own head on the block. A few weeks later on Henry was ranting to his privy council who had engineered Cromwell’s demise that Cromwell was the only decent person who’d ever worked for and advised him! Henry’s court was definitely a “dog each dog, survival of the smartest” place probably because that meant Henry could exert complete and utter control over everyone and everything. What a horrific place to be unless you were the king!!!

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, that's what it sounded like.

[@JaneEasterbrook-bn3ux]

I love him and feel so sorry for him.

[@Modguy61]

Mark Smeaton's story certainly is a tragic one; the poor young man was in way over his head at Henry VIII's court!!

[@wednesdayschild3627]

Thank you. Musicians do not get their due. Artists dont get respect. Mozart and his family were disrespected. There was no way he was getting out of it no matter what he said. All the men killed knew about the impotence of Henry. Mark knew about it.

[@chloe_speaks2384]

Henry wasn't impotent at that point. He fathered a child later with Jane Seymour.

[@rubynibs]

Muscians have always been well respected. Smeaton's great sin, from whst I know, is that he was young and attractive, and likely the crush of many women at court.

[@mellie4174]

He was only able father very limited children. I think it's likely they were lucky he was able to get it working at that point

[@anneboleynfiles]

He was definitely suffering with problems, erectile dysfunction probably.

[@glen7318]

@@mellie4174 what are limited children?

[@Sabrinajaine]

I read somewhere that Mark named the other men as also having slept with Anne, is this true?

[@carenhughan4760]

Poor guy, I don't feel he remotely had an affair with ann Boleyn. It seems like he was bullied into a confession. All Ann did was what was expected of her, courtly love, a form of flirting. But this was expected of royalty back then. I can't understand why, because it could get you condemned to death if certain people wanted you out. Like Ann and poor mark smeeton

[@theresalaux5655]

I feel sorry for Mark Smeaton, as I do for the others! Thank you Claire.❤xo

[@miladyblue5077]

I wonder if Thomas Cromwell thought about Anne and her "lovers" during his own downfall - knowing he was innocent, but unable to stop the avalanche of malice and lies that crashed down upon him.

[@octavianpopescu4776]

I think it's very likely. I think he must have noticed the style and who's hand it was that was pushing him into an early grave. I notice some strong similarities with Stalinist repression techniques: starting with some random low level guy and then getting him to implicate more and more people until the actual targets were implicated. And then ending the waves of repression with the downfall of the administrator who did all the dirty work for plausible deniability, even promoting some (not all) right before their downfall. It happened to Yagoda and Yezhov with Stalin and it's the same pattern with Cromwell. Henry made him Earl of Essex only 2 months before killing him, a typical Stalinist move. Now, maybe I'm reading too much into this: but I see clear similarities in what's happening, albeit on a smaller scale compared to the Great Terror. During his interrogation, Genrikh Yagoda (former commander of the NKVD) was asked by the investigator if he believed in God and Yagoda gave a brilliant answer saying something like (not an exact quote, but this is the gist of it) "I broke all of God's commandments. From Stalin I deserved medals and honours for what I did, while from God I deserve the harshest punishment. See for yourself where I am and ask yourself: is there a God?" Cromwell also had a realization like this about his master saying when he was arrested: "This then is my reward for faithful service!" So... I think Cromwell did contemplate the sins he commited for Henry before dying, especially since these were religious people and it was customary before being executed to contemplate your sins and make peace with everyone you've ever offended or had any quarrel with, to leave behind any malice or enmity. Cromwell did it on the scaffold with a lord (forgot his name) that was also executed on the same day, he asked for forgiveness and granted him forgiveness. So, I think it's very likely he must have looked back with regret at what he did to Anne, even if it was too late for both of them. Now I understand why a historian (forgot who, but I heard it long ago) called Henry VIII England's Stalin.

[@anneboleynfiles]

I'm sure he would have thought back to it, yes.

[@maryadawkins9905]

Exactly, talk about KARMA!

[@luannnelson547]

Henry VIII was a plain monster.

[@rycoli]

Fantastic video ❤Poor Mark. Thank you for your view on this victim of Cromwell and Henry. 😔 I love watching videos leading up to dear Queen Anne’s tragic execution. Thank you Claire lovely to see you

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you. I always get emotional thinking about these poor men and Anne.

[@Denise-ki9ii]

I agree with you Claire. Mark was going to die regardless, the confession was the price of a less barbaric death.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yep!

[@SharonPadget]

Mark Smeaton was definitely an innocent. How very sad and unfair.

[@marypagones6073]

I just watched Anne of the Thousand Days (one of my favorite films) last night and was thinking how Gary Bond's wonderful short performance was so moving as Mark Smeaton. It sounds like the real Mark was a very talented young man. But like all artistically talented commoners, he lived (and died) on the whims of more powerful and richer people. He probably suffered more than any of the victims of the railroading of justice. I personally think Mantel's book really sanitizes what happened and deliberately makes Mark unpleasant to make Cromwell look good. (Anne of the Thousand Days uses The Spanish Chronicle). Thank you for honoring these men--injustice, no matter how long ago, should not be forgotten.

[@maryw246]

Poor Mark. An innocent caught up in the chess game by powers that saw him as less than.

[@pbohearn]

I think in these times, Mark Smeaton would’ve been called a “stooge.”

[@Lyndell-P]

🇭🇲 Very sadly 😔 I agree that Mark Smeaton was "damned if he did, and damned if he didn't" in that he was going to die (although innocent) but it depended on his testimony HOW he died. "Poor poor Mark" indeed! As indeed, how very sad for the other men, and for Queen Anne Boleyn, as well. It was very interesting hearing about Mark's life up until that time, and how he found favour at court (during the reign of King Henry VIII) even though this would bring about Mark's own death. Everything so well explained by you! "Thank you" Claire 💐 👋

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you and love to you and Bob!

[@elanabethfariss117]

Thanks Claire, you always deliver the facts and really make it interesting. Poor Mark Smeaton, he didn’t stand a chance. He was forced to lie when he was going to be executed either way, he must have been terrified. Not much of a bargain.

[@danawinsor1380]

The fact that beheading was considered merciful says a lot about that era. Descriptions of other executions are so abominable that I can't bear to think about them.

[@monicacall7532]

Henry merciful? Hahaha! The scene in “Bring Up the Bodies” when Cromwell intimidated Smeaton and then locked him in his lumber room with the giant glass star and his youngest daughter’s peacock angel wings gave me nightmares for awhile afterwards. BTW I recently got “This Day in Tudor History II” and have had it all but chained about my neck! Tomorrow your “The Fall of Anne Boleyn” is arriving and I plan to read it all week in memory of Anne and those poor unfortunate men who went to the scaffold just as she did a few days later. Your books are so well written, and you give the history that you write about a “you are there” quality that immediately hooks the reader and doesn’t let go until the last word. Thank you so much!!! This is my favorite kind of history! I hope and pray that karma catches up with Henry in another life. For someone who started out his reign with such promise he soon devolved into the most narcissistic, tyrannical king of England. Even King John looks like a great guy in comparison, and that is really saying something! Do you think that he was a tyrant in embryo unleashed by kingship and wealth, or that the jousting accident in 1536 caused major brain damage and a personality disorder or both??? I’m glad that his mother didn’t live to see what he did to the kingdom and to the reputation of the Tudor dynasty. His father would’ve also been appalled considering what he’d had to do to bring peace to England after the end of the Cousins’s War at Bosworth Field. Do you ever wonder what England would’ve been like if Arthur had lived and become the king? My apologies for the long post. Your books and videos give me so much to ponder about.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Oh thank you! That's so lovely to hear. I always love getting comments about my books, it's so very encouraging.

[@carolrondou6161]

Poor Mark. He nothing more than a tool for Cromwell.

[@anneboleynfiles]

I think so.

[@hummingbirdchen]

Claire, the difference between you and Wyatt is that you value life equally, and so you empathise with Smeaton. Wyatt, by contrast, saw the commoner Smeaton as an inferior being, so Smeaton's betrayal of the "superior" noblemen was the only fact that mattered to him.

[@anneboleynfiles]

I think it was probably more that Wyatt was blaming Mark for the deaths of people he loved and for his own imprisonment. He wasn't taking on board the fact that Mark was lowly and could be threatened and tortured.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

@@anneboleynfiles Yeah some people when in grief can lash out in various ways such as Wyatt with poetry etc and don't think rationally, looking for someone to blame. Mark was an easy choice to blame.

[@rubynibs]

Claire, what a treat we have to look foreward to! I feel spoiled just thinking about a video a day. THANK YOU, TUDOR FAIRY! 💕 🎉

[@anneboleynfiles]

Aw, thank you!

[@alwina2452]

Yes indeed, poor poor Mark…… A xx

[@christinestudley3982]

It’s easy to call someone a traitor when the very people calling him that hadn’t experienced torture themselves. I miss Hillary Mantel, she had such a unique way of writing that had you just floating along for the ride. Genius . RIP Mark.

[@Justificus]

It is inconceivable that Anne could have done anything so outrageous with a trove of her ladies in waiting nearby. It is also inconceivable that Henry or Cromwell didn't co-op some of these companions and servants with threats or bribes to spy on the queen. Henry would have put an end to even the smallest of inappropriate behaviors. As such, a personal affront to his royal person. The greatest mystery is why Henry or Cromwell would have let the whole affair go public in the first place. Anne could have simply had a riding accident, a sudden outbreak of the sweating sickness, a fall down a stairway, and the deadly deed covertly done to eliminate her once and for all. No muss or fuss, and no need to pursue a public scandal that reflects so badly on the King's romantic prowess as a virile husband and lover.

[@Sabrinajaine]

To have to watch each of the four other men be decapitated, knowing that was about to happen to you...I can't imagine how scared he must have been 😔 We cannot judge him for not withdrawing his confession, when he was in such an awful position.

[@britishbluecatsonwheels]

Thank you. I always think of Anne on May 19th, as it was my aunt’s birthday (called Ann)….The speed of her downfall and execution has always astounded me. Hearing more detail on those who were implicated with her is something I’m looking forward to

[@amandaglover9282]

Thank you very much Claire. It is good to learn a little more about all the poor men who also suffered, as sometimes they tend to be somewhat overlooked. I have often thought about Mark. It all happened so very quickly. Within 24 hours he was confessing and as far as I understand it, there was no sign of physical injury to him, although maybe injuries from torture could be hidden beneath clothes. I do not believe that he was guilty, and I can understand confessing to anything just under threat of torture, but what puzzles me is why he did not retract his confession actually on the scaffold. Are there any known cases when someone was about to be beheaded, literally on the scaffold, but then hanged drawn and quartered instead? Most people were deeply religious at the time, and Mark would have feared eternal damnation if he went to his death, with a lie on his lips. I wonder if there were some other threats made. Did Mark perhaps have family in this country and had Cromwell threatened harm to them? I know that his last words were supposed to have been that he deserved death, and many victims of the scaffold seemed to say that - believing that God was punishing them for something, even if they were innocent of the crime for which they were convicted. However, is there any chance at all (and probably you will say not), that he could have declared his innocence, and somehow that was suppressed, and maybe not even heard by the crowd?

[@anneboleynfiles]

It's so hard to know why he didn't retract his confession but I think he was just consumed with fear. He could well have made a very different confession to a priest, that's possible.

[@katemaloney4296]

So little is known about Mark's life before becoming part of Henry's staff, so, is it possible that he might have been an orphan? Has a genealogy ever been done to trace his family and origins?

[@anneboleynfiles]

I'm not sure how much work has been done on his ancestry, sorry!

[@mandygray764]

Thank you Claire...I always value your insight

[@jillniemczynski5517]

Thank you Claire.🌹 That poor young man 😢💔

[@lemongrabloids3103]

Poor Mark 😢

[@jackietowner7169]

An easy target for the likes of Thomas Cromwell and I think you are correct on why he did not retract but couldn't he still have done so just before he was beheaded?

[@gill8779]

He was probably threatened that if he did confess on the scaffold that he would be taken away to suffer that terrible death.

[@anneboleynfiles]

I think he was in fear of being hanged, drawn and quartered right up to the very last minute.

[@manuellubian5709]

You've done so much to educate many millions of people and viewers worldwide about the story of, Anne Boleyn. I'm just curious to know whether or not you have ever done a 'deep dive' or have ever considered interviewing any of, AB's modern day relatives about some of the pivotal aspects in her (downfall) story? When I reference her relatives I mean the people that currently use the, "Boleyn" name. For example I would be curious to know how have they been able to just navigate life down through the centuries with such an infamously 'trashed' family name. A number of years ago I remembered seeing snippets of an interview of some modern-day Boleyn Family members. I realize on one hand it may not be necessarily a pleasant subject to them. However considering how badly that woman has been maligned over the centuries part of me believes that her modern-day descendants deserve to have their own 'say', and they deserve to have their voices heard. I'm just curious to know whether or not you think that any of them might be open to participating in such an interview?

[@feliciagaffney1998]

So, it sounds like King Henry had become the guardian of this boy? Young man? How would a king have been named guardian of someone? 🤔 Would Mark have been a page?

[@avalonkerr8332]

As a performing artist: lol on Mark being the "lowliest" of the group. And yes, I understand all the other issues contributing to that, but it still gave me a giggle. That said I truly feel terrible for this person.

[@anneboleynfiles]

He certainly wasn't low in talent.

[@aprilmae274]

Yep-Mark felt it coming, and he knew he had no way out. He was going to die just for being there-super good chance he was ANGRY about having to die over people who never even saw him, really.

[@megmcguirt647]

Do you think that Anne Boleyn and Mark Smeaton knew each other well because of the men he hung around? Or do you think not? I feel confused on that point. I don't know why else he would say she was in love with him, because he obviously was in a bit of trouble at the time (meaning no time for jests), but the exchange between them you talked about definitely makes it seem like they didn't know each other well. What do you think? I do not believe at all there is any chance that any of the allegations were true by the way. I only mean to ask if you think maybe they didn't even know each other well, and he was only framed/questioned bc of his low status but access to the queen?

[@laurabrowning7973]

And he was beheaded with an axe dulled by the previous executions of 4 men...Those poor men and their families...Thank you, Claire.

[@ellen5165]

Is there any evidence Mark was romantically involved with George Boleyn or was that just used for some dramatic impact in The Tudors? I haven't seen all your videos so if explained elsewhere let me know and I will watch.

[@imonherenow3673]

It must have been such a challenging time to live. Being called an “inferior person “ because you may have been having a bad day or sulking. Mark didn’t deserve his end.

[@ElizabethMcCormick-s2n]

Poor guy, he didn't deserve to die the way he did, and he certainly didn't deserve to be tortured the way he was!

[@fionakinlyside]

I have always felt sorry for mark smeaton wrong place wrong time

[@JJMarie3509]

I agree that this is a wonderful way to commemorate the victims.❤🥀

[@charlottehackett6389]

Thank you, Claire!

[@MisterSplendy]

Great little series about overlooked people in this tragedy!

[@jol4342]

Thank you Claire. Poor Mark Smeaton.

[@MarySneyd]

what is padded or padded?

[@anneboleynfiles]

I'm not sure what you mean.

[@erikriza7165]

Anne Bolyn had no business putting anyone "in his place". She was lower than nothing.

[@octavianpopescu4776]

Jeez... First of all, no, she wasn't "lower than nothing". She may have been a flawed person, but she wasn't some plotting, scheming, devious monster. Also, he was addressing the Queen of England. Why does this matter? If there are some things I learned about people back then, reading a bunch of books is that status and rank mattered a lot and I cannot emphasize this enough: A LOT to these people, from the lowest to the highest, everyone was sensitive to social rank. You know those curtsies and bowing they did? It was less about politeness and more about... frankly fear. If you didn't remove your hat quick enough before a social superior, literal knives could be out. People would fight, even at court at times (it was illegal, but it still happened), over what we'd consider today insignificant slights. Everyone had to know their place and act according to their social rank and this was enforced, including through law (e.g. sumptuary laws, you couldn't just wear whatever clothes you wanted) and violence (e.g. at one point in the Middle Ages a noble beat a peasant to death because he didn't get out of his way on the road fast enough). Whenever you hear them talk about honour... they're not talking about what we call honour (as in being true to your word), but about pride and prestige. That's what they called honour. And it wasn't just nobles who were like this, this culture of "honour" went all the way down including among commoners. It was all one long chain. You didn't doff your cap because you felt deep reverence, you did it because someone with a sword was feeling extra-touchy and probably itching for a reason to feel insulted (some were ready and willing to cause some trouble, bored, young, wealthy, armed men looking for a reason to start some s**t: Edward I of England ran with a group like that in his youth, going from tournament to tournament with his buddies, causing trouble along the way). Look up all the ridiculous, in our mind, reasons people would duel over in the past.

[@mellie4174]

Troll

[@erikriza7165]

@@octavianpopescu4776 That is all very interesting. I knew kids like that in High School. It was the British class system, but it also a bit of human nature. My thought was that Ann was not in HER rightful place. She was in Queen Catherine's place. She was not henry's true wife. She was not a rightful Queen.

[@anneboleynfiles]

No, she was queen, and before that she was very privileged. Her paternal great-grandfather was one of the wealthiest and most influential me in Ireland and a royal favourite and her maternal relatives were the premier family in England.

[@erikriza7165]

@@anneboleynfiles i believe her union with henry 8 was adulterous. I do not believe she was rightfully Queen. Henry's true wife was Catherine of Aragon. Catherine was the Queen of England. And if anyone from England became wealthy in Ireland, i would question how they did that.