Did Anne Boleyn get sweating sickness?

Sweating sickness was a strange illness which affected England in five outbreaks between 1485 and 1551. It caused panic because of just how fast it could kill.
Anne Boleyn is often shown in fiction and on TV as suffering from this illness while Henry VIII was courting her, but did she really suffer with sweating sickness, and, if so, what exactly happened?
In today's "Questions about Anne Boleyn?" video, Claire Ridgway, founder of the Anne Boleyn Files website and author of several books on Anne Boleyn, answers this question.
You can see Claire's video "What was sweating sickness?" at • What was sweating sick...
The book is Die Liebesbriefe Heinrichs VIII an Anna Boleyn.

[@sarahna8698]

I’m a simple woman, I see a new Claire Ridgway video upload, I click

[@RiDER-RHYTHM]

Did you say this before?

[@whatfreshhellisthis8810]

Nothing simple about you.

[@laurenbee6340]

Sarah Na same 🤣🤣

[@PeachChantilly]

I love her videos and her dedication to them as well as the Tudor period! 💚

[@samanthafinn4544]

Same here 🙂

[@laureldorrance8597]

You've talked about Henry's sweating sickness letter before and its visual appearance. While I'm very familiar with the letter, having read about it many times, I never knew about its physical appearance until I watched your videos. I will never think about the letter in the same way again. That's just such a personal touch that it really makes Henry VIII real and his romance with Anne so immediate.

[@Ebyangel]

How could he go from saying such wonderful things to murdering her? I will never understand

[@aimee2234]

It seems Henry had very erratic behavior to say the least.

[@whatfreshhellisthis8810]

Ebyangel A true nutter. Chronic pain can drive you to madness.

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

Narcissism. She didn’t give him what he wanted.

[@femke6313]

I believe the jousting accident caused severe head trauma and changed his personality. His pre-frontal-cortex that is responsible quite a lot for your personality and behaviour was according to historians affected. Henry loved most of his wives but all in a different way.

[@whatfreshhellisthis8810]

Sid Vicious. Indeed. Well said.

[@michaelwright4302]

It's so moving to see the actual letter written by Henry to Anne. It really shows a human side of him

[@juliaporter5097]

You are such a brilliant hiSTORY teller. Inspirational. Humble despite your VAST knowledge. Thank you so much for sharing

[@anneboleynfiles]

Aw, thank you! I love talking Tudor and I'm glad that shines through.

[@51Saffron]

There are lots of people who dive into love and drown in passion for someone and then at some time or another it is totally switched off as if it never happened. They are the kind of people who write endless love poems, letters, wine and dine you and just as quickly want nothing to do with you. I had a male relative like that, every wife was the one, it was different this time, and we just rolled our eyes. Passion is fleeting, once the dust of love and lust has settled you may not like what you see and wonder how you didn't notice it before.

[@pippy68p65]

How very frightening living in those times. Its extremely fascinating that anyone survived at all.

[@sarahjoyful5119]

The current times of COVID-19 remind me immediately of this. You can only imagine their panic. We are at least lucky to have modern medicine but it is still scary.

[@annalisette5897]

Sweating sickness is so interesting. There is a great scholarly article I have bookmarked which shows the transmission of the disease across England. It theorises the illness started in the Midlands. Still, it did not enter Wales or Scotland. New theories say Hanta virus but that seldom spreads person to person and sweating sickness seemed to pass that way. The fatal collapse from Hanta virus diseases is frequently from lung damage and shock yet some people survived sweating sickness. The paper suggests the actual death rate from the sweat was less than from plague and a few other things.

[@lex6819]

Maybe because it was such a rapid disease, it left too many survivors too quickly, which created a "herd immunity" and it ran out of victims before it could travel very far?

[@annalisette5897]

@@lex6819 That would not account for it not crossing borders. (Although one of the outbreaks may have gone into the continent starting from England to Germany.) It was also called the English Sweat, Sudor Anglicus in Latin and it was said only English people could get it but that makes no scientific sense. People in Wales and Scotland would not be that different from people in England. It was said the disease showed up in Calais but only affected English people there. There seemed to be geographic barriers and that does support the idea the reservoir for the disease could have been in rodents or other wildlife. A colloquial term for the disease was Stoop Gallant because it was said the wealthy and noble classes were struck harder than the poor. Might it have been something the poor had encountered over the years? Or is this demographic correct? In the article I referred to which I will try to find and link here, the disease seemed to travel by country roads through taverns and villages. It appeared a large number of people could become infected and drop dead about the same time in the future. It appears to have been a disease with a lengthy incubation period before sudden, fatal symptoms appeared. The reason Hanta virus was recently named is because of an outbreak we had in the U.S. in our Four Corners region of the southwest. Native Americans became affected when they swept the droppings of deer mice from their residences. The mice were infected and the virus rose in the dust from sweeping. The human victims became suddenly ill with fatal swelling in the lungs. (A friend of mine was said to have had a Hanta virus infection after cleaning out mouse droppings in a building here in the Idaho/Oregon border area though the symptoms were like pneumonia that lasted for months. I think the diagnosis was only a guess by country doctors and we had another deadly enterovirus going through that year from which many people were sick for months. I had that and had partial paralysis after months of illness. Enteroviruses, in the polio virus family, are the threats of the future.) How did the boys in school--Brandon´s boys (?)--get sweating sickness? How did Anne Boleyn, her brother and father get it? It seems the movements of these known people could tell us something of transmission of the disease. Were Anne and her family hunting with the king?* Why did not Henry get it? Were the Boleyns and others in the court in a certain place where the king was not? Who carried the disease into the dwellings of noble people? Surely they did not mix with tradespeople who could have carried the disease from town or country. Palaces may or may not have been clean but Henry´s court moved frequently, partly due to his fear of disease. Was there virus in the air following a deep cleaning at a palace? If so, was there a pattern of illness among staff that did the cleaning? If the floors were strewn with rushes, where did the rushes come from? Where were they before they got sick? Was it shortly after changing residences? It seems this could be followed through original sources. *(The reason I mention hunting is because some have theorized the disease was acquired in the outdoors.) I think I figured one round of the disease must have conferred life long immunity. Researchers today theorize the disease died out when many marshlands were drained in England. When lands were less wet, perhaps an indigenous rodent retreated from human habitation or went extinct.

[@adbc1f72]

Anna Morris Deer mice?

[@annalisette5897]

@@adbc1f72 Peromyscus maniculatus . Extremely cute. Also called white footed mouse. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peromyscus

[@annalisette5897]

@@adbc1f72 I replied and hope I am not double replying at the moment. I came back to make an addition...? Deer mouse, also called white footed mouse = Peromyscus maniculatus. en.wikipedia.ord/wiki/Peromyscus I was going to add that some modern scientists have done DNA testing on continental voles and British voles. Voles have been suggested as vectors of sweating sickness. It was wondered if continental voles stowed away in Henry VIIś ships and introduced the disease to England. Much argues against the disease being brought in by Henry VII and his troops. For instance Lord Stanley held back at Bosworth with the excuse that his men had the sweat. Henry was barely in the country. (Voles are pretty much the same around the world as far as appearance and life history.) As I recall, genetic similarities between voles cross channel is that the species existed when Britain was connected to the continent via Doggerland or whatever. Other researchers have tried to compare English Sweat with milliary fever in France. For me the big issue is that milliary fever presents with rash and the sweat either did not or seldom did. The word milliary comes from the lesions being about the size and shape as a millet seed. French voles MAY vector milliary fever. This disease does not seem to be so deadly or sudden in consequences as was the English Sweat.

[@trojanette8345]

Would have been nice if you could have interviewed a medical historian, on this topic. Love the research and commentary on this one.

[@dawnschaeffer5728]

Thank you so very much for this series. I look forward every day to learn something new about the Tudors. I still can't seem to wrap my mind around why Henry VIII was so eager to disavow his deep love for Anne and even begin courting Jane Seymour while Anne was alive. Thank God for her wonderous daughter, Gloriana.

[@marionjones9868]

It’s a good thing she survived so Henry could cut off her head years later.

[@anneboleynfiles]

I think I'd choose dying of sweating sickness rather than being framed for something I didn't do and having my head taken off.

[@morganblair5127]

I love watching these videos! They’re just so interesting! Keep it up!

[@giselewilhoite6915]

I just love the info you give us thank you so much claire

[@cherylreed7523]

I love this video Claire...never seen Henry's letter to Anne before..it's amazing..you can really see how panicked & upset he was...Thankyou so much...thos one's a 'gem'... Loving all of the videos..Can't wait to see them everyday still...😁....go Claire!! 😊

[@aimee2234]

I just love watching. Thank you, Claire!

[@vickinoeske1711]

Love these videos💖

[@CherylGormanAuthor]

Thank you for another great video!

[@MsKK909]

I’m enjoying your series so much..... thank you!

[@leanie9660]

As always...enjoying your videos....thank Claire

[@samanthafinn4544]

Thank you for another interesting video Claire.

[@TheTam0613]

Claire, there's nothing more pressing in my life that is better than your videos!! Thank you again ❤️

[@buddasquirrel]

Thank you Claire! This was a nice follow up to the other sweating sickness video. Look forward to these every evening.

[@DeathCharmer359]

This era in history is so fascinating. I love your videos and look forward to the next.

[@snowpony001]

Great video. I do believe that it was your very informative video on the sweating sickness where I first discovered your channel.

[@elainenewth1285]

Thank you so much Claire for your videos. Obviously many others love them as much as I do.I could listen to you all day as you are so interesting Glad to hear that you will do these videos regularly along with the daily ones,more of you for us to enjoy.

[@becky7973]

Daily I watch your videos and it just fuels my thirst for more!!

[@almontepaolilli4909]

Interesting insight into the mind of Henry VIII and his feelings toward her at that time. Of course, things change upon being married and at court with all the intrigue therein.

[@femke6313]

No this is debunked. As people in england showed sign's before that

[@ElizabethF2222]

You have really enlightened me on Anne Boleyn. I used to think she was just vile the way she and Henry treated Katherine of Aragon and Mary, but I'm learning I was wrong and I'll admit it. I wondered if she was sick when I saw Natalie Dormer portray her in The Tudors. Was it sweating sickness like what Prince Edward had? Tuberculosis or maybe a form of plague?

[@laurenbee6340]

TexasLadyTrucker it definitely was a plague of some sort.

[@l.plantagenet]

Didn't she survive Smallpox?

[@jeanroughley1126]

@@l.plantagenet That was her daughter Elizabeth who survived smallpox.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Edward probably had a pulmonary infection. Just a year before he died, he'd suffered from measles and smallpox at the same time, which must have really ravaged his immune system, so he just couldn't fight off what killed him in 1553.

[@lashistoriasdejorge379]

I absolutely loved that episode. They portrayed the full-on panic/paranoia english people were going through very correctly, an aspect no other film/series had recounted before. Yes, Anne did in fact get get sick from the sweat. Prince Edward died much later, probably due to a respiratory infection

[@MammaCass]

Thank you Claire I really have enjoyed all your videos. Anne appears in my family ancestry and I’ve always loved the Tudor history so finding your channel has been a real gem for me. Thank you xx

[@jmac5951]

Very interesting. You are a wonderful teacher.

[@gigskogeraldo3832]

Love the way you present Tudor History!!! All the work you do to keep us aware of the truths. BLESS YOU MS CLAIRE 🙏💙😻

[@taylorfausett177]

I love you. Thank you for supporting Anne. I have a soft spot for her.

[@shzd3697]

Really interesting thanks C xx

[@lorettabridges7751]

Love this series.

[@sarahstudley2634]

Thank you for all the interesting history.

[@eveywrens]

Thank you for the great videos on Anne Boleyn. Have read many novels and watched different films and TV series. It's wonderful to have a historical perspective based on research. Would love to see and learn about your doll collection. I have a Peggy Nisbet Anne Boleyn doll.

[@whatfreshhellisthis8810]

Thank you.

[@rose-marieclarke6206]

Thank you so much!! I forgot how much he loved Anne before he married her! I believe that he loved her more than even Jane even though she gave him his son.

[@travislong5468]

Nice video thanks for sharing!

[@Liz-sc5dg]

Very interesting, thanks so much!

[@kathleensturgis8525]

I finally broke down and ordered your book "This Day in Tudor History." It should be arriving today!

[@Nicolesid1]

Thank you for the great videos!! I'm trying to research Perkin Warbeck. It's so hard to find information about so long ago.

[@quiltymomtrish826]

I love these videos

[@CherylGormanAuthor]

I love the dolls on the shelves behind you. 😍

[@maryannanaya905]

Very interesting.

[@EnglishVirgo]

Lust alone would not cause that amount of panic in Henry. I know how things ended, but still he must have had real love for her at that point.xx

[@CherylGormanAuthor]

That blue sweater looks good on you too!

[@mihitz100]

Very informative for Americans.

[@onemercilessming1342]

The thing about "The Tudors" is that, while much is based on recorded facts, it IS a drama, and NOT a documentary. It fits one of the definitions of fiction: a story well-told. Sadly, few people will bother to look up/research the timeline, the letters, the Vatican archives, etc. to verify the parts that are not commonly known, this in spite of the fact that there is so much well-documented resources online at one's fingertips, that there are excellent biographies available for the price of a modest meal, and that state universities in the USA will gladly share what information they have as a public service, which is part of their charters.

[@spo616]

I’m a nurse married to a physician - CurrentMedical thinking is that it was the hantavirus💚💚🎄🎄🎄

[@GrumpyKitten375]

there has to be a burial of someone, somewhere, who they know died of it. Maybe they could exhume and see if any disease evidence. They did that for some Egyptian mummies to find smallpox. However, you don't want to trigger another outbreak. A particular strain of plague? Thypoid, Cholera? Malaria? anything is possible..

[@femke6313]

They fear an outbreak. If it is this deadly why risk it. She talked about this in fully in one of her early videos.

[@shammydammy2610]

The problem with such a fast acting illness is that there isn't enough time for it to leave a lot of evidence as some diseases do. Mummies are great because of their level of preservation, we'd need to find a corpse which had been mummified, or more likely in the UK, a natural form of mummification like saponification or a bog body.

[@GrumpyKitten375]

Sid Vicious I just joined the channel so I haven’t seen it. Yes that’s entirely plausible; but as I said it’s risky if one is found it could trigger outbreak. If that disease ever reappeared again they have advanced medicine to treat it. It is odd it seems a very sporadic virulent disease.

[@GrumpyKitten375]

shammy dammy that’s true. However some burials show evidence of disease in the skeleton. This is TB, syphillis, gonorrhoea. As I said before if they did find a burial It might trigger an outbreak and the risk is high. It just seemed a sporadic and virulent disease that didn’t reoccur it seems after that era. If it does reappear then more medical treatment is available. Who knows what it was? A bad influenza? Strain of plague who knows.

[@shammydammy2610]

@@GrumpyKitten375 What I find so interesting about it is that a certain population seemed to be very susceptible to it (the English) but other Europeans seemed less so. The few outbreaks on the European mainland were harshest among English enclaves. When non English Europeans caught it, they seemed to have a much less virulent case than the English sufferers.

[@anna-karins1176]

We can wonder what would have happened if Anne had died from the sickness. would henry have kept Katherine as his queen then or would he still have searched for another wife. the sweating sickness apparently reached sweaden at least once.

[@laurenbee6340]

Anna-Karin Schander I always thought the same thing.

[@6falconsue]

Anna-Karin Schander I feel certain Henry would have continued his quest for a male heir with another wife (or wives).

[@anneboleynfiles]

I think he was determined to replace Catherine and find a woman who could give him a son so although it would have taken Anne out of the picture, I'm sure Henry would have found someone else.

[@lynnedelacy2841]

And indeed he did find someone else not that long after in the form of Jane Seymour

[@whitedragoness23]

Probably would of kept Catherine since he Anne refused to be his mistress

[@femke6313]

-Catherin of Aragon he loved as his perfect strong Queen that could teach him to be king. What destroyed them... the many many dead babies. And the opportunity for a child with another. -Anne he loved as his daring and smart wife a new chance for a son. Someone he had things in common with. The witty sensual anne. What broke them lies from court anne's flirtatious tongue and no son. -Jane saymour was the perfect mother he loved her so much for mending the bond between him and mary. The soft gentil mother of his son that was taken away too soon. -Anne of cleves wasnt a custom to the romantic flirtations at court and was a simple girl. Her not recognizing him at the costume ball destroyed his "manhood/confidence" -Catherine howard was pure lust. His perfect young rose without a thorn that bedded him as much as he wanted. Her bedding others and wanting to; ruined him and her neck. -Katherin parr was the mature woman he saw in his first wife. A strong but obedient and smart women.

[@peggyw172]

Lots of marriages split after the loss of children.

[@maggiew.2809]

I just can't imagine Catherine Howard at her age being lustful towards him.. I do not believe we have any accounts of her feelings.. Maybe a bit of duty but do we really know? Even Anne of Cleaves had to endure his puss filled putrid leg. Have we really taken into consideration her not fighting for her marriage and why.. Would you at that age.. I think she was "thankful" as her role was not fitting for her personality type.. She must have gone "Whew".. thank goodness ..

[@femke6313]

@@maggiew.2809 catherine howard was seen with other men before henry and was seen touched by the king more so than his wives before her. And have you ever met any teens...

[@siraksleepmastersiraksleep9814]

oh, its accurate, very..

[@jeanmckie8879]

Loved seeing the love letters to Ann from Henry. I wonder what else could be in the Vatican that we don’t know about.

[@lisakelly3849]

Hi, I wonder how Anne’s Uncle (Katherine Howard’s father) felt about being on the jury that condemned her (and his nephew). Did Anne’s parents play ant role in Queen Elizabeth’s life? Visit her. Did her Aunt Mary? LOVE your podcasts! A great part of my day, thank you.

[@jennyq4979]

What a bizarre disease - I've never heard of Sweating Sickness.before! That would be horrifying to know that if you or a loved one caught it that they might die just a few hours later. Very sad.

[@marktwain368]

Considering he wrote on parchment--not lined paper--I'd say the King was quite composed and neat in his penmanship. His letters are jumbled but uniform. I sense intelligence in the writer.

[@frightbat208]

That book is gorgeous!! Off to see if Abe books have it. Will be quite jealous if I can’t get my hands on a copy. Sweating sickness is such a fascinating disease to think about in that we don’t know what it was, it killed so quickly, and targeted mainly Englishmen, particularly young mean of a certain class. It’s a shame so DNA can be traced for scientists to investigate.

[@joanrankin2827]

Terrifying illness!

[@jillniemczynski5517]

I wonder if we'll ever know exactly what sweating sickness was. That must've been so frightening

[@megmcguirt647]

Do you know if there is an English translation of the German book you showed us, or what the title is in English?

[@pippy68p65]

He may of been crying a tad as well.

[@taylorfausett177]

Over 9,000 views...only 177 comments. Muy interestante.

[@dottiwatson2329]

Can you tell if there a list of name for black watch. McIntyre many diffance spelling House a Stewart.

[@AnnCee10]

Claire, I wonder if you could answer a question I have...why does the Vatican Archive have Henry’s letters to Anne? Surely they belong in England?

[@anneboleynfiles]

It is believed that a papal agent stole then from Anne to prove that Henry's quest for an annulment was to do with him having another woman, rather than his conscience. It's lucky that they were taken as if they had remained in England then I'm sure they would have been destroyed at Anne's fall in 1536. I think they belong where they are, if the UK asked for them back then what about all the things that British museums have that are from other countries? It would really start something!

[@suellensheppard9734]

Love your necklace

[@adbc1f72]

I’m just gonna go out in a limb here and state that sweating sickness was pneumonia and pleurisy together. I’ve had it and survived. You have sweat and chills. You can’t breathe and quite frankly have to do breathing visualization to focus on your heart and lungs seizing up. Yeah it’s very difficult. I don’t know why I’m alive. I mean really. I don’t. I see why people especially elderly die from this. The exhaustion and the pain of the back and chest. The muscles feeling like they’re going to rip apart internally. Biological warfare of the lungs and heart is pure hell.

[@konradvonmarburg7733]

Are there no recorded instances after 1551? I did not know the "sweating sickness" went away.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Not in England, it disappeared, but a similar illness did carry on on the Continent.

[@LaPetiteBoulin]

Does it just come off as it afflicted the nobility/wealthy the worse because we obviously hear of them more or did it really? It's so strange how it just disappeared.

[@leahnorris4876]

👍👍👍

[@robinpinkham9398]

Didn't the sweat first appear when Henry vii brought his rag tag forces from France?

[@laurenbee6340]

robin pinkham yes I believe so

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, 1485 was the first recorded outbreak in England. However, it was already in England before Henry landed as it was recorded in York in June 1485.

[@andrewmoffatt1669]

Hey Claire, my name is Andy and I'm also obsessed with Anne. I'd love to talk more about her but I'll jump to a question, or request really. One of Anne's most attractive, if troublesome gifts was her acerbic tongue. I wonder if you'd compile for us as many of those lustrous, insouciant, haughty comments as you can find in your research. Moreover -- and I think markedly out of Tudor style, but you'd have to tell me actually -- my love of Anne induced me (by witchcraft? I dunno) to write a short rap about her. If I could I'd like to email it to you. Thanks!

[@raclarke7379]

Andrew Moffatt get a life

[@onemercilessming1342]

I have a few questions: These were private letters that Henry VIII wrote. Does the Vatican have the originals or copies? If originals, why does the Vatican have them and how did they come to possess them? Why aren't these archived at Windsor?

[@RoyalSnowbird]

Dear Claire, you missed one outbreak of Sweating Sickness which occurred in 1520 (I have been keeping a record of epidemics which impacted on demographic populations for a long time now...) It was not significant in England then but did spread more on the European continent but not extensively. We do not mind it you 'ignore' us a bit ...I am certain most here would not want you to suffer from KZbin 'burnout.' Best to you !

[@anneboleynfiles]

I wanted to focus on the main outbreaks in England, but do tell me more about the 1520 outbreak! I just had a lady get a bit cross at me for liking other people's comments and answering others, but ignoring her. I really don't intentionally ignore people. Oh well!

[@RoyalSnowbird]

@@anneboleynfiles Dear Claire, Unfortunately, there is not much else known about the 1520 epidemic. I do not recall the record source (which old document I got this from at the time - it was possibly in a French record... as I also speak French, I have the advantage of finding sources in more than one language... and I took three years to study Latin as well. . .) I made the list to help me calculate approximately how many descendants would have survived some particular noble and royal bloodlines in the path of the record of human history. Some historians for example estimated the number of descendants of one of my ancestors as being close to 6 million today - however, I beg to differ on that one as they neglected to 'factor in' the impact of some 35 epidemics where at some points more than half the population died even here in North America where one of their branch landed in 1669. I am proud to say that my list of epidemics suffered by humanity since time memorial is far more extensive than any I have seen anywhere *smile* So, my estimate is close to between 2-3 million descendants (conservative number). You cannot expect to 'please' everybody... do not fret over this... you are doing an EXCELLENT job here and I do realize how much time and energy it takes to do what you do here... - I have to laud you on this one ...I am the 'family historian' of my bloodline - and legal 'head' of my branch and have been doing history and genealogy research for over 37 years now ...trust me, I can pick out errors even in some of the best history documentaries of historians, the BBC and other presenters ...yet yours are extremely well done! BRAVO! BIG APPLAUSE from me!

[@anneboleynfiles]

@@RoyalSnowbird Thank you for the very kind words, they are much appreciated. Yes, a huge amount of work and I'm feeling a biyt under the weather at the moment, so not good! All will be good though in the end. I'm like that too with documentaries! I did French O and A Level (up to 18) so I find that useful when I'm reading French sources, but I have to get Tim's help with Latin as I don't read it. He comes in very handy! Thank you so much for your comments, this illness and its impact is so very interesting.

[@RoyalSnowbird]

@@anneboleynfiles You are most welcome Claire! Take a bit of a break... no one will fault you for it ...recharge your batteries and do things which are pleasant for you... take a moment to do the 'pamper' thing... works wonders!

[@melissaockey1346]

It killed so quickly perhaps thats why its not around now. Not much incubation so infected more ppl. Id love to know what type of bacteria it was

[@teddysmum8900]

How did the Vatican get these letters Henry sent to Anne? Did she not actually receive them?

[@sarahhardcastle2433]

They were stolen from Anne’s apartment by a spy from the Vatican.

[@omfug7148]

@@sarahhardcastle2433 I wonder if she was panicked by the fact that they were missing, surely she noticed? they weren't that salacious except for the pretty duckies part, haha

[@sarahhardcastle2433]

omfug the Vatican were I believe looking for evidence of adultery.

[@teddysmum8900]

Sarah hardcastle Very interesting. If they had not been stolen we likely would not have them today.

[@anneboleynfiles]

She received them as we know from Henry's letters that she replied to some of them. The theory is that a papal agent stole them as proof that Henry VIII was involved with another woman.

[@annalisette5897]

Claire: Someday you should make an extra video about sexual beliefs in Henry´s reign. I believe therein is the reason for the downfalls of Anne and Katherine Howard. I have a strong theory but have little information on how men understood their sexual prowess or decreasing ability with age.

[@ianslass]

Honest to Pete...whoever Pete is...Henry really was crazy in love with Anne! I always wonder how that changes. Then again...there is a fine line between love and hate. As for the Sweating Sickness...I don't think it's gone away...for women over 50...it's called Menopause. ;)

[@Corbyloc]

Wendy A. He loved no one. He couldn’t have her...and he could have whatever he wanted. Once he had her...he cut her head off. Those were words, not feelings. Narcissists fake whatever action they have to to get what they. It’s all a show that goes like this: Love- bomb, devalue, discard.

[@ianslass]

@@Corbyloc --- Hi...you have a right to your opinion, I disagree. But thanks for sharing your point of view...always willing to hear another. :)

[@Corbyloc]

Wendy A. Thank you. I’m sadly too familiar with real narcissistic personality disorder. They have predictable and obvious red flags. Like love bombing, devaluation and discard. Would a person with whom you had a genuine relationship cut your head off? It may have been an ugly and sad breakup but real love doesn’t become diabolical. It ends and there is some albeit in some cases small lingering affection. Love with a narcissist is an act. They do not love. Look how he treated each one. Love bomb, devalue, discard. Honest. I’m not speaking with forked tongue.

[@patriciahayes7315]

I can't help wondering if, while Henry was frantically writing his letters to Anne, his wife Katherine of Aragon was privately hoping that Anne would die and that Henry would come back to Katherine. I think it's a valid possibility.

[@wcfheadshots240]

Is it possible that Richard the third's son died of the sweat?

[@crazyfathamsta2701]

Do you feel the "The Other Boleyn Girl" was an accurate account of the Tudor dynasty?

[@dmgib5239]

Imagine if Queen Catherine had died of the sweating sickness....the entire history of Britain would be different. Would there have still been a Protestant reformation?

[@puckdefellow2987]

I think Henry would have looked for another wife and would have still fallen in love with Anne, but there would not have been such a radical break from Rome

[@dmgib5239]

@puckde fellow- Even though he was already in love with Anne, you still think he would have found another wife? I think he would have been free to marry Anne immediately after his mourning period was done. You're right though. There would have been no need for a break from Rome. The pope probably would have blessed them. Anne may even have been liked by the British populace if things had gone this way.

[@puckdefellow2987]

@@dmgib5239 I meant that he would have married Anne, I just did not make it clear enough I guess. With another wife I meant Anne.

[@sharleenwolfe9301]

What colour clothes did Anne like

[@anneboleynfiles]

If we look at her expenses, there are entries for tawny (an orange brown), black, orange, white, russet, green, crimson, yellow, red, and purple fabrics.

[@sharleenwolfe9301]

The Anne Boleyn Files and Tudor Society thank you 😊

[@omfug7148]

How did the Vatican get Henry's letters? Clearly there was a mole in Anne's quarters, pity that we don't have her letters to Henry (he must have had a better hiding place, LOL.)

[@sarahhardcastle2433]

Apparently he burned them probably as a security measure

[@anneboleynfiles]

It's thought that a papal agent stole them as evidence that Henry had another woman. Thank goodness they did, otherwise I think they would have been destroyed in 1536.

[@texasgeeg5972]

omfug, I had that very same question! And it is sometimes theatrically portrayed that Anne had some sort of pox or pick marks on her face and neck after the sweating sickness. Will definitely go watch the linked video to see if that question is answered!

[@melissaockey1346]

Or could it have been a type of meningitis?

[@cathryncavaney5070]

What a shame AB didn't succumb to the "sweating sickness" ...

[@anneboleynfiles]

It certainly would have been better than being framed for something she didn't do and being executed, but then there wouldn't have been Elizabeth I.

[@ericwortman3180]

What is known about the fate of the daughter of Katherine Parr and Thomas Seymore, Mary?

[@pippy68p65]

Could it of been malaria? Hmm very interesting. I've got a sweating sickness called horrid menapause😁😲

[@ElinorMahoney]

This reminds me a lot of Covid-19, though I don’t think Covid-19 is as bad in some ways since from what I’ve heard you don’t just die in 2-3 hours.

[@sandranevins2144]

A real mystery. Sweating sickness, has modern day been able to come up a reasonable explanation? I.e. Ergot mold in rye, plaque fleas on rodents. Weather patterns, migration of people or livestock.

[@sheilalopez3100]

Henry's love and ten bucks'll buy you a latte.

[@lemongrabloids3103]

How clever were Tudor doctors? What treatments did they use on people and did any treatments actually work? Leeches? I know we use leeches now so maybe they weren’t stupid?

[@flowermeerkat6827]

I love you presentations except that you are emotionally invested in an Anne & Henry romance. I think it distorts your judgement. Other than that, I think you are a good scholar and a great presenter.

[@anneboleynfiles]

What makes you say that? It is clear from Henry's letter when you look at it and compare it to the others that the king was panicked. It is a mess. It is also clear from his letters, and we know he didn't usually like writing letters, that he was in love with Anne. I'm not emotionally invested in a Henry and Anne romance, I don't think it was a romance.

[@darlenefarmer5921]

Thank you.