Jane Seymour was the third wife of King Henry VIII of England. She died of postnatal complications less than two weeks after the birth of her only child, a son who became King Edward VI. She was the only one of Henry's wives to receive a queen's funeral, and his only consort to be buried beside him in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Background
Jane was born in 1508 in Wulfhall, England. She was the eldest child of Sir John Seymour and Margaret, daughter of Sir John Wentworth. Through her maternal grandfather, she was a descendant of King Edward III's son Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence. Because of this, she and King Henry VIII were fifth cousins. She shared a great-grandmother, Elizabeth Cheney, with his second and fifth wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.
Education
Symour could read and write a little, but was much better at needlework and household management, which were considered much more necessary for women. Jane's needlework was reported to be beautiful and elaborate; some of her work survived as late as 1652, when it is recorded to have been given to the Seymour family.
Career
Jane Seymour served as a lady-in-waiting to both of her predecessors, Catherine of Aragon, beginning in 1529, and then Anne Boleyn. She was maidenly, sentimental, and fortunately inarticulate. It was not just Jane's beauty and innocence that attracted Henry, however. She also came with a handsome dowry: 104 manors in 19 counties, five castles and several chases and forests. In late January, upon hearing that Henry was knocked unconscious after falling off his horse, Anne gave birth to a stillborn boy. Henry had broken away from the Catholic Church and created the Church of England to be with Anne, and these changes had led to turbulence throughout England. For instance, a coronation was postponed for Jane, on the one hand, because of the plague in London and, equally, on the other, because of public outrage at Henry VIII's quick succession of wives. On May 19, 1536, Anne was beheaded after a farce of a trial in which the verdict had been decided from the outset. She was accused of many crimes that were false, including adultery, incest, witchcraft, and attempting to poison Henry. He and Jane wed less than two weeks after Anne's execution-May 30, 1536. Jane's portrait was painted by Hans Holbein a few months later. Henry and Jane followed a procession of barges, his lords sailing ahead, and it is reported that shots were fired in honor and celebration as they passed. That summer, "the Queen's badge" that was hung in several windows of the royal suite were changed from those of Anne Boleyn to those of Jane Seymour. Jane's badge featured a panther, conveniently placed over Anne's leopard, along with a phoenix rising from a castle. This latter symbol indeed foreshadowed Henry's return to favor with his public. Catherine's motto had been "humble and loyal, " and Anne's had been "the most happy, " both of them true enough, and at the same time bitterly ironic in the end. Jane's motto, however, had a little more gravity and far less irony about it: "bound to obey and serve. "
Jane's brothers greatly benefited from their sister's marriage to Henry. Edward was given the title Viscount Beauchamp, put on the Privy Council the following year, and the next year was named the Earl of Hertford. Edward was thus in position to serve as a leader if something should happen to the King. Thomas succeeded to the Privy Chamber after Edward. The following year, he was given the manor of Holt in Cheshire. In May 1547, he secretly wed Henry's widow, Catherine Parr.
One gift Henry gave Jane was a gold cup, weighing 65. 5 ounces, twice engraved with her motto, designed by Holbein.
Henry also gave her several medallions, with her own arms and the "crown imperial. " Another gift from Henry designed for her by Holbein was an emerald and pearl pendant.
Jane was very traditional and she used this trait to her advantage. For example, Fraser noted that she asked her ladies to wear "suitable gowns of black satin and velvet, " with high necklines. Some have surmised that this dress code had been designed to keep Henry's eyes on her.
On another level, the things she did dare to challenge Henry about were matters of tradition.
Second, she asked the King to return England's monasteries. This, she had been told, was the only way to win the King's favor, and avoid possible execution if his wrath were incited.
Jane and Henry visited Mary shortly thereafter. Jane presented Mary with a diamond ring and the Henry gave her a 1, 000 crowns. Jane and Mary continued to exchange gifts and became close confidantes.
On the subject of the monasteries however, Jane was warned to keep her opinions to herself. Henry issued a threatening reminder to her to be mindful of the fate of her predecessor.
Happier occasions were to come, however. In January 1937, it was announced that Jane was pregnant.
The celebration of the "quickening" of the unborn child was held on May 27th-"Trinity Sunday. Most important to Henry, and perhaps to the kingdom as well, Jane gave birth to a son, the long-awaited male heir. The baby was named Edward both to honor his great-grandfather, Edward III, and because he entered the world on the eve of the Feast of St. Edward. Three days later, the tiny prince was christened, with Mary serving as Edward's godmother. Two thousand guns were shot from the Tower in celebration, and the whole day long bells sounded from all the churches.
The happiness of the kingdom was short-lived, however, as the beloved Jane died shortly thereafter, on the 24th of October, from complications.
She was only 28 years old, and had served as Henry's queen for less than eighteen months.
She was buried in St. George's Chapel, Windsor.
"Everything points to the fact that Henry VIII mourned Jane Seymour with a genuine sense of loss, " wrote Fraser, "the 'entirely beloved' wife who has presented him with his heart's desire at the cost of her own life. " As Fraser noted in The Lives of the Kings & Queens of England, "When ten years later he was called to his Maker he [Henry VIII] ordered that his coffin should be laid beside hers, for Jane had given him, after twenty-eight years of ruling, the Prince he had wanted, Edward, Prince of Wales. "
Personality
Seymour is remembered as being a good, quiet and conservative wife. She was intelligent, but quiet and the very example of purity. She was known equally for her porcelain skin - despite her love of gardening and the outdoors - and her kind heart.