Lady Margaret Butler

Lady Margaret Butler (c. 1454 – 1539) was the wife of William Boleyn and the paternal grandmother of Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII of England. She was born at Kilkenny Castle in County Kilkenny, Ireland, the daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond and Anne Hankford. Her paternal grandparents were James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond and Joan de Beauchamp. Her maternal grandparents were Sir Richard Hankeford and Anne de Montagu. In... more

Lady Margaret Butler (c. 1454 – 1539) was the wife of William Boleyn and the paternal grandmother of Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII of England. She was born at Kilkenny Castle in County Kilkenny, Ireland, the daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond and Anne Hankford. Her paternal grandparents were James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond and Joan de Beauchamp. Her maternal grandparents were Sir Richard Hankeford and Anne de Montagu. In 1465 Margaret married Sir William Boleyn, and in total they had ten children. Her son, the ambitious courtier Thomas Boleyn, became the first Earl of Wiltshire and by his marriage to Elizabeth Howard, the Duke of Norfolk's daughter, was the father of Anne Boleyn, Queen consort of England. Thus, Margaret was great-grandmother to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Margaret's role in the rise and fall of the Boleyn clan is unknown, although there has been much speculation and theorizing. She was the last of the Boleyns to live in Hever Castle as it... less