George Boleyn | |
|---|---|
| Viscount Rochford | |
 Canting arms of Boleyn: Argent, a chevron gules between three bull's heads afrontée sable. George's father later adopted the arms of Theobald Walter, 1st Chief Butler of Ireland (fl. 1194), ancestor of Butler, Marquess of Ormonde[1] | |
| Born | c. 1504 Blickling Hall, Norfolk |
| Died | 17 May 1536 (aged 31–32) Tower Hill, London |
| Buried | Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London 51°30′31″N 0°04′37″W / 51.508611°N 0.076944°W |
| Noble family | Boleyn |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Father | Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire |
| Mother | Elizabeth Howard |
| Occupation | Diplomat, politician, poet |
George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford (c. 1504[2] – 17 May 1536) was an English courtier and nobleman who played a prominent role in the politics of the early 1530s as the brother of Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII. George was the maternal uncle of Queen Elizabeth I, although he died long before his niece ascended the throne. Following his father's promotion in the peerage in 1529 to Earl of Wiltshire and Earl of Ormond, he adopted his father's junior title Viscount Rochford (created in 1525) as a courtesy title.[3] He was accused of incest with his sister Anne during the period of her trial for high treason, as a result of which both were executed.
- ^ Arms of Boleyn (modern): Or, a chief indented azure, being arms of Walter (Butler (ancient)) adopted at the start of the age of heraldry by w:Theobald Walter, 1st Chief Butler of Ireland (fl. 1194). These arms are borne in the first quarter of the arms of the Butler family, Marquess of Ormonde (the "cup" arms of Butler are borne in the 2nd) reflecting that family's descent in the male line from Theobald Walter. (Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p. 864). Later adopted as "modern arms" by Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond (whose maternal grandfather was Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormonde) in lieu of his paternal arms
- ^ Lindsey 1995, p. xv Ives 2005
- ^ George was however created a baron in his own right between the period 1530 and 1533. G. E. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage (vol XI, "Rochford", p. 51 & vol. IX, appendix B ("English baronies created by Henry VIII"), p. 18 "1530, Rochford") states that he "was Lord Rochford as early as 1530 when he was the second of the barones" (Latin) "who signed the letter to the Pope", and thus "presumably had some other form of creation" prior to his writ of summons to Parliament dated 5 Feb 1532/3 (vol. IX, appendix B, p. 18) – (which automatically creates the addressee a baron in the peerage). However it appears he never dropped the style Viscount in favour of the junior rank of baron, which would have been a humiliation