Jane Seymour

For the actress, see Jane Seymour (actress).

Jane Seymour (17 July 1509 – 24 October 1537) was the third wife of King Henry VIII of England and queen consort from 1536 until 1537. She was the mother of Edward VI of England, who died at the age of 15. Edward was the only male child of King Henry VIII to survive infancy.

Jane Seymour
Portrait by Hans Holbein, c. 1532 - 1536
Queen Consort of England
Tenure	30 May 1536 – 24 October 1537
Coronation	4 June 1536 (Proclamation) 21 October 1537
Predecessor	Anne Boleyn (17 May 1536)
Successor	Anne of Cleves (1540)
Born	17 July 1509
Died	24 October 1537(1537-10-24) (aged 28) Hampton Court Palace, England
Spouse	Henry VIII of England (m. 1536)
Issue	Edward VI of England
Father	Sir John Seymour
Mother	Margery Wentworth
Religion	Catholic
Signature

Biography

Jane Seymour was the child of John Seymour and Margery Wentworth. She was not educated as much as King Henry's wives before her, for example, Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn. She could read and write a little, but was much better at needlework and managing the house. These were considered much more necessary for women. Jane's needlework was said to be beautiful and complex. Some of her work was kept until 1652, where it is recorded to have been given to the Seymour family. After her death, it was noted that Henry was an "enthusiastic embroiderer".

She was a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII. When Henry divorced his first wife and married Anne Boleyn, Jane continued to be a lady-in-waiting. Henry VIII noticed Jane at court and had already fallen in love with her by the time Anne Boleyn was executed. He became engaged to Jane on the day after the execution, and they were married ten days later, on May 30, 1536. When Jane became queen, she ran the royal court in a strict and formal way, and her only close friends were Anne Stanhope and Elizabeth Seymour.

Pregnancy and death

Sometime in December 1536, Jane gave birth to a stillborn child.

In early 1537, Jane became pregnant and developed a craving for quail. On October 12, 1537, she gave birth to the son that Henry VIII wanted so much. They named him Edward, and he was later to be King Edward VI of England. Soon, Jane became very ill with fever, and she died on October 24, 1537. Jane never had a coronation, and was married to Henry for only a year and a half before she died (May 30, 1536 - October 24, 1537). Henry had loved Jane the most of all his wives, because she was the one who gave him a son. Even though he was married another three times after Jane's death, he always grieved for her. Before Henry died, he asked to be buried next to Jane.

Children

Jane had two children, of which only one survived infancy.

• stillborn child (December 1536)
• Edward VI of England (12 October 1537 - 10 July 1553)