Elizabeth Barton is executed for treason

Historical Context Note

Litencyc Editors (Independent Scholar - Europe)
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Elizabeth Barton, 'the Maid of Kent', is executed with five of her associates on a charge of treason. She was a poor woman who claimed to receive divine revelations, generally in support of the established Church. She gained considerable popularity during the 1520s, and even met with Cardinal Wolsey in 1528, but now, in the new religious context, these revelations were more risky. Her status as threat was compounded by the fact that she prophesied imminent death for King Henry VIII if he married Anne Boleyn, and so she was arrested and forced to confess to having fabricated her revelations.

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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Elizabeth Barton is executed for treason". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 November 2010 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=14524, accessed 19 March 2024.]

14524 Elizabeth Barton is executed for treason 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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