Anne Executioner

 Anne Executioner

The man chosen was brought in especially from Saint-Omer because he was a skilled swordsman. He was hired by Thomas Cromwell, who had contacts and allies all over the continent. It was less to do with nobody English being up to the task and rather that it was a case of getting a known expert in to do it right first time, as it were.

Executing a noble (or anybody) with a sword was a skillful task; chopping off a head with a sword is not easy. Even with a big, heavy axe it’s not guaranteed. Henry had earlier commuted Anne’s sentence of death by burning to beheading.

As it was, the execution was a success inasmuch as the swordsman took the head off in a single blow; Anne knelt, as was the French style, and was blindfolded, so wouldn’t have seen the sword coming and, probably, didn’t feel a thing.