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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
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| May 11 2008, 10:02 AM EDT | MsSquirrly | 88 words added, 3 photos added, 3 photos deleted |
| May 11 2008, 9:59 AM EDT | MsSquirrly | 64 words added, 62 words deleted |
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| born July 19, 1512 - executed May 17, 1536 by order of Henry VIII Character's backstory: Smeaton's origins are mysterious, although it is thought that he originally came from Flanders by his Flemish last name. The first notice of Smeaton was when he joined Cardinal Wolsey's choir. At some point, either when his voice broke or Wolsey fell from power, Smeaton transfered to the King's Chapel Royal, where he was noticed by Anne Boleyn. She established him as a court musician and as Groom of the Privy Chamber in 1532. A triple threat, Smeaton was a talented dancer, singer, and musician. He was also said to have composed music (in the Franco-Flemish style that his patroness enjoyed since her time as a fille d'honneur at the court of Margaret of Austria), including various pieces he wrote in honor of his patroness' coronation. The compilation was said to have the image of a falcon (symbol of Anne Boleyn) violently thrashing at a pomegranate (symbol of Katherine of Aragon) with its talons. Although he was never part of the inner circle of courtiers who were personally close of Anne, his patroness rewarded his work with gifts of fine clothes and money (which wasn't atypical of Renaissance patrons). Gentility: commoner, Flemish background Position: court musician, Groom of the Privy Chamber, music tutor to Princess Elizabeth Personality type: Moody Signature look: youthful and handsome Endearing trait(s): Annoying trait(s): prone to arrogance, envy, and ambitious social climbing Musical Instruments played: Virginals,spinet & organ. *in the series, he plays the violin* |  Mark Smeaton A verse from Sir Thomas Wyatt's eulogy poem to those executed along with Queen Anne Boleyn: "Ah! Mark, what moan should I for thee make more, Since that thy death thou hast deserved best, Save only that mine eye is forced sore With piteous plaint to moan thee with the rest? A time thou haddest above thy poor degree, The fall whereof thy friends may well bemoan: A rotten twig upon so high a tree Hath slipped thy hold, and thou art dead and gone." |
CHARACTER CONNECTIONSFamily members: said to be the son of a seamstress and a carpenter. Romance(s): one of five men accused of adultery with Anne Boleyn and charged with high treason along with George Boleyn, William Brereton, Sir Henry Norris, and Sir Francis Weston. Friends: Anne Boleyn George Boleyn Thomas Wyatt (the Elder) Enemies: Thomas Cromwell | Arrest & Execution: On April 30, 1536, Mark Smeaton became entangled in the plot to incriminate Queen Anne and remove her from the throne. On that day he was lured away from the protection of the court, arrested, and taken to Cromwell's residence at Stepney. Since Smeaton was a commoner, it is highly probable that he was tortured into granting a false confession - that he slept with the queen and would name others who visited her bed. He confessed that Henry Norris and George Boleyn were guilty of adultery with the queen and conspiracy to murder King Henry. On May 2nd, Anne was arrested and taken by boat to the Tower of London. On May 4th, Francis Weston and William Brereton would join her. Thomas Wyatt was arrested on May 8th and imprisoned in the Tower, but later released for lack of evidence he was part of the conspiracy. The four men, Smeaton, Norris, Brereton, and Weston, were tried in Westminster Hall and found guilty May 12th. During the trial, Smeaton was found guilty on evidence that he admitted that he was in love with the queen and she had given him money. In retrospect, if Smeaton was in love with Anne, there is no evidence that she returned his affection much less had sex with him. The four men were sentenced to be hung, cut down while alive, disembowelled, castrated, and finally quartered. Anne and George were tried on May 15th, their sentence was to be burned or beheaded at the King's pleasure (he choose beheading). On May 17, the five men were executed on Tower Hill. Smeaton's last words were an apology for his "misdoings". Smeaton and Brereton were the only two out of the five that were drawn and quartered and they were buried together in a common grave. Incidentally, the same day the men were put to death, Henry and Anne's marriage was ruled annulled on the grounds of Henry's prior intimate relations with Anne's sister Mary, which made Princess Elizabeth illegitimate. Anne Boleyn was executed two days later. |
UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTER QUOTES
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DEFINING EPISODES | MEMORABLE SCENES
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PHOTOS
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 |  Mark Smeaton and his patroness, Anne Boleyn |
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 Mark makes flirtatious overtures to George Boleyn |   |
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