1503: Mary Boleyn was born at Blickling Hall, Norfolk, England
Mary Boleyn was the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn and Lady Elizabeth Howard. Mary was the maternal niece of the Duke of Norfolk
Her older sister was Anne Boleyn and her brother was George Boleyn
Anne and George were always close but Mary was not as bright as her brother and sister and always an outsider
1505: The family home was moved to Hever Castle in Kent
During the early years of Mary Boleyn she was taught by a French governess and was tutored at home
As was the tradition in many noble Tudor families Mary Boleyn and her sister Anne were both sent to France in their early teens to finish their education as ladies-in-waiting at the French court
Both Mary Boleyn and Anne Boleyn were appointed as lady-in-waiting to Queen Claude of France, who was married to King Louis XII of France
1519: Mary Boleyn returned to England before her sister. Mary was in disgrace. Her morals were in question and there were strong rumours that she had had affairs with members of the French court. Mary was also purported to have had an affair with the French King Francis I
Mary Boleyn took up a position at the English royal court as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katharine of Aragon
Mary Boleyn married Sir William Carey on February 4, 1520
William Carey was a favourite of the king and a prominent courtier. The wedding party included King Henry VIII
In 1525 King Henry VIII had an affair with Mary Boleyn. It was a short lived affair during which time Henry's attention was drawn towards her sister Anne Boleyn
The Boleyn family prospered because of Mary's affair and her father, Thomas Boleyn, was made a Viscount
On March 4 1526 Mary Boleyn gave birth to a son, called Henry - he was widely assumed to be the son of King Henry VIII although was not acknowledged as such. The reason for this was that Henry had already fallen in love with her sister Anne...
Anne despised Mary Boleyn and had seen how her sister had been so easily discarded by the King - Anne vowed not to take the same path as her sister and refused sexual relations with the King for six years
Mary became pregnant again in 1528 by Sir William Carey
William Carey died on 23 June 1528 of the'sweats'
King Henry VIII granted Anne Boleyn the wardship of her nephew (and possibly his son). The two year old son of Mary Boleyn, Henry Carey
Mary's second child was born in 1529 and named Catherine. Both of the children of Mary Boleyn bore the surname of Carey
1532: Mary was one of thirty ladies who accompanied Henry and Anne on a visit to Calais in France known as 'The Field of the Cloth of Gold'
On January 25th 1533 King Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn and Mary became sister to the Queen of England
1533: Mary became a lady-in-waiting to her sister the Queen
In 1534, Mary secretly married a soldier and commoner called William Stafford, who she had met in Calais
Her sister was absolutely furious. Mary had married without permission and below her station. Mary Boleyn was banished from the court. She loved her new husband but she and William Stafford had little money
Mary Boleyn and her new husband, William Stafford lived in Rochford in Essex
Mary Boleyn asked for financial help from her family, including her sister, but was initially refused
Mary and Anne were partly reconciled when Anne sent Mary a gold cup - but the sisters were never to met again
Mary Boleyn was apparently happy with William Stafford but her sister's marriage had reached a terrible end
On May 15th 1536 Anne Boleyn tried for treason, adultery and incest in the Great Hall of the Tower of London
Mary Boleyn did not visit her disgraced brother and sister whilst they were imprisoned
George Boleyn was executed on the charge of treason and incest on May 17th 1536
On May 19th 1536 Anne Boleyn executed on Tower Hill
Mary Boleyn lived her life with William Stafford away from the dangers of the court. She had another son and daughter by William Stafford
Mary Boleyn died on July 19, 1543
