Saint or Charlatan? | Elizabeth Barton

The Nun of Kent. The Holy Maid of Kent. And eventually...The Mad Maid of Kent. These were all nicknames for Elizabeth Barton, the young and spunky nun who supposedly was receiving prophetic messages from Gods and angels (all of whom had very big opinions about King Henry VIII and his bride-to-be Anne Boleyn). King Henry VIII wasn’t having this and needed to put an end to these treasonous prophecies about his downfall. To this day, the question still remains: Was Elizabeth the pious and prophetic nun she was made to be? Or was she a mischievous charlatan eager for attention? 

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