Anne Boleyn was raised in Belgium and France, spending seven years at the most glittering and progressive courts of Europe. Her mentors were the most brilliant and fascinating women of the sixteenth century: Margaret of Austria, Louise of Savoy, Claude of Valois and Margaret of Navarre. It is from them that Anne received a spiritual and humanistic education and learned how women could wield power and use it for greater good. When she returned to England, Anne was equipped with knowledge and Continental gloss that most of her female contemporaries lacked. In The Forgotten Years of Anne Boleyn: The Habsburg & Valois Courts, Sylvia Barbara Soberton takes you on a journey through sixteenth-century Belgium and France, showing you where Anne Boleyn spent her formative years and introducing the royal women she served. What places did she visit? Who were the women who mentored her and impacted her outlook of the world? Whom did she emulate when she became queen in 1533? All of these questions are answered in this book. _________________ "Sylvia Barbara Soberton's The Forgotten Years of Anne Boleyn: The Habsburg & Valois Courts provides fans of the queen with essential background material about the courts where she passed her adolescence. Emphasizing the religious orientation of Queen Claude, within whose household Anne spent her years at the French court, Soberton's study takes its place among the recent scholarship that questions the queen's status as seductress. Although the study relies on primary source material, it also dialogues with recent work on the queen. Like Soberton's earlier studies, this rich and interesting addition to the scholarship helps readers piece together the life of this unfortunate queen." Tracy Adams, co-author of The Creation of the French Royal Mistress: From Agnès Sorel to Madame Du Barry
_________________ "In this fascinating book, Soberton unveils a treasure trove of historical insights, shedding new light on the enigmatic figure of Anne Boleyn during her formative years. With a scholar's precision and a storyteller's flair, she unveils the hidden gems of Anne's early life, offering readers a front-row seat to the dazzling courts of sixteenth-century Europe. What sets this book apart is its ability to make history come alive. It's not just a dry recitation of facts; it's a captivating journey that immerses you in the sights, sounds, and emotions of Anne's world. The Forgotten Years of Anne Boleyn: The Habsburg & Valois Courts is