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Questions about Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland

Short answers, pulled from the story.

Who was Henry Percy 6th Earl of Northumberland and why is he famous?

Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland (c. 1502-1537), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Warden of the East and West Marches. He is primarily remembered as the man secretly betrothed to Anne Boleyn around 1523, before she became involved with and later married King Henry VIII.

Did Henry Percy marry Anne Boleyn?

No. Their betrothal, formed probably in the spring of 1523, was broken up by Cardinal Wolsey and Percy's father, the 5th Earl of Northumberland. Percy was then quickly married to Lady Mary Talbot instead. In 1536, Anne reportedly confessed a precontract with Percy during her trial, hoping to save her life, but Percy denied it on oath.

Who did Henry Percy 6th Earl of Northumberland marry?

Percy married Lady Mary Talbot, daughter of George, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, by early 1524 or 1525. The marriage was deeply unhappy; by 1528 it had broken down irretrievably, and by 1536 Mary had been living at her father's house for two and a half years. She later sought a divorce and outlived Percy, dying in 1572.

What role did Henry Percy play in the trial of Anne Boleyn?

In May 1536, Percy served as one of the jury at Anne Boleyn's trial. When the verdict was delivered, he collapsed and had to be carried out of the room.

What happened to Henry Percy during the Pilgrimage of Grace?

When the Pilgrimage of Grace began in 1536, Percy remained loyal to the Crown despite his brothers and mother openly sympathising with the rebels. The rebel leader Robert Aske came to Wressle Castle, where Percy lay ill, and demanded he resign his march commands or join the uprising. Percy refused both, and Aske sent him to York for his own protection from rebel followers who wanted to behead him.

Where is Henry Percy 6th Earl of Northumberland buried?

Percy was buried in St Augustin's Church, now the site of St John at Hackney parish church. The antiquarian John Weever recorded his original epitaph in the early seventeenth century. A memorial plaque, presumed to be Victorian, was rediscovered during the 2020 refurbishment of the church and reinstalled inside.