Jane Seymour

Queen Jane, Jane Seymour (c. 1508 or 1509 – October 24, 1537) was the third wife of King Henry VIII of England. She gave him his only male heir, later Edward VI, but died shortly after his birth.

Biography

Jane was the daughter of Sir John Seymour of Wiltshire and Margaret Wentworth. Her birth date is problematic; it is usually given as 1509. However, in The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Alison Weir noted that at her funeral 29 women walked in succession. Since it was customary for the attendant company to mark every year of the deceased's life in numbers, Weir moved Jane's birth back by about eighteen months.

Related Topics:
John Seymour - Wiltshire - Alison Weir

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After serving as a lady-in-waiting to both Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, Henry's first two queens, Jane caught the king's eye. His desire to marry her made him eager to believe the false accusations of adultery against Anne. Henry married Jane on May 30, 1536 only eleven days after Anne's execution, and she quickly became pregnant.

Related Topics:
Lady-in-waiting - Catherine of Aragon - Anne Boleyn - May 30 - 1536

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As Queen, Jane was strict and formal. She was close only to her female relations, Anne Stanhope (her brother's wife) and her sister, Elizabeth Seymour. The glittering social life and extravagance of the Queen's Household, which had been masterminded by Anne Boleyn, was replaced by a strict, almost oppressive, atmosphere in Jane's time. Desperate to appear like a queen, Jane became obsessed with tiny details, such as how many pearls were sewn into each lady's skirt, and she banned the elegant French fashions introduced by Anne Boleyn. Politically, Jane was a conservative, but her only intervention into the realm of government in 1536 ended when the king brutally told her to remember the last queen, who had lost her head because she meddled in politics.

Related Topics:
Anne Stanhope - Elizabeth Seymour - French - Politically - 1536 - Lost her head

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During her pregnancy, Jane developed a craving for quail, which the King ordered for her from Calais and Flanders. She grew incredibly fat and her dresses had to be unlaced as much as possible. Jane went into seclusion in September 1537, and gave birth to a male heir, the future King Edward VI of England on October 12, 1537. However, she contracted puerperal fever and died on October 24 1537 at Hampton Court Palace. She was buried at Windsor Castle. Upon her tombstone there was for a time the following inscription:

Related Topics:
Quail - Calais - Flanders - 1537 - Edward VI of England - October 12 - Puerperal fever - October 24 - Hampton Court Palace - Windsor Castle

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:Here lieth a Phoenix, by whose death

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:Another Phoenix life gave breath:

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:It is to be lamented much

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:The world at once ne'er knew too such.

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Jane's two ambitious brothers, Thomas and Edward, used her memory to improve their own fortunes. After Henry's death, Thomas married Henry's widow, Catherine Parr, and also had designs on the future Elizabeth I. In the reign of the young King Edward VI, Edward Seymour set himself up as protector and effective ruler of the Kingdom. Both brothers eventually fell from power, and were disgraced and executed.

Related Topics:
Thomas - Edward - Catherine Parr - Elizabeth I - Edward VI

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