Anne Boleyn and Thomas More: Faction and Faith in the Court of Henry VIII

The Event

Opposed in both religion and policy, Anne Boleyn and Thomas More have always been portrayed as bitter rivals, though they shared a fate at the hands of Henry VIII, executed less than a year apart.

Join Tudor historians Dr Estelle Paranque and Dr Joanne Paul as they discuss the relationship between these controversial Tudor figures and the parallels between their dramatic falls.

This event will take place in the Cathedral library and is in-person only. Copies of Thomas More: A Life by Dr Joanne Paul and Thorns, Lust and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn by Dr Estelle Paranque will be available to purchase on the evening and both will be happy to sign copies.

Speakers

Dr Joanne Paul is an award-winning historian, broadcaster and writer with a passion for sharing her research on Renaissance and Tudor history. She is Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Sussex and a 2017 AHRC/BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinker. Her first trade book, The House of Dudley, was hailed as a 2022 Book of the Year by The Times, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph and History Today. Her biography of Thomas More is the result of more than a decade’s research into the man and his work.

Dr Estelle Paranque is an Associate Professor in History at Northeastern University London as well as an Honorary Research Fellow within the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance at the University of Warwick. She earned a PhD in Early Modern European History from University College London in 2016. She has participated in international historical TV documentaries including BBC Two's The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family (2021) and Channel 4's The Queens Who Changed the World (2023). She appears regularly on podcasts and gives talks to prestigious history and literary festivals. She is the author and editor of six books including Thorns, Lust and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn (2024) published by Ebury Press.