Jane Seymour was the third wife of King Henry VIII, known for her even temper and conservative nature. She gave birth to the future King Edward VI but died from puerperal fever shortly after. Henry ordered an elaborate tomb for her and remained affectionate towards her, as shown in a family portrait years later.
Jane Seymour was the daughter of John Seymour, a minor noble, and became the third wife of King Henry VIII of England. Unlike her famous predecessors Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, little is known about Queen Jane. Henry VIII, though notoriously fickle, retained affection for his third wife for the rest of his life, and was buried next to her at Windsor Castle.
Jane is believed to have been born in 1508 or 1509, although records vary. Rather than receiving a classical education, Jane Seymour was educated only in subjects deemed appropriate for women, such as needlework and domestic affairs. It is believed that she could not read or write anything other than her name. At the age of 19 or 20, she Jane became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon, and later to Queen Anne Boleyn. Jane Seymour was said to be a quiet and private woman, noted for her even temper.
Evidence suggests that the king became romantically interested in Jane during 1535 or 1536, when he was a guest at her family’s Wiltshire estates. By this time, the king’s marriage to Anne Boleyn was rapidly unraveling, as the queen could not provide him with a male heir. Experts disagree about Jane’s intentional part in the subsequent trial and execution of her mistress, but within 24 hours of Anne Boleyn’s execution on May 20, 1536, Henry and Jane Seymour were betrothed. They were married ten days later.
Anne Boleyn grew up in the French court and as queen entered politics seriously. Jane Seymour, being considerably more conservative, banned the popular French fashions of her predecessor and stayed steadfastly out of the political arena. This may not have been her choice, however, as her only attempt to receive a pardon from the king on behalf of the captives was met with a brusque reminder of what had happened to the meddling Anne.
Henry’s wrath at Jane’s presumption was short-lived. On October 12, 1537, Henry’s dearest wish came true when Jane Seymour gave birth to a healthy boy. The birth of the future King Edward VI secured the line of succession by removing, in Henry’s eyes, the possibility of succession of one of his daughters from his previous wives. Edward’s birth also eased Henry’s fear that he would be cursed by God for his first marriage and doomed never to have a child.
Unfortunately, Jane Seymour did not live to join the celebrations of the arrival of Henry’s heir. Experts believe she contracted puerperal fever, a form of infection common after childbirth, and she died on October 24, 1537. Her funeral was presided over by Catherine of Aragon’s daughter, the future Queen Maria I, her friend intimate of the Queen.
The early death of Jane and the birth of Edward cemented her in King Henry’s memory with great affection. He ordered an elaborate tomb built for her at Windsor Castle, and did not remarry for three years. Several years later, Henry ordered a family portrait showing his daughters and his son beside him. Despite the fact that he had since been married three more times, the woman sitting with him was not his current queen, but Jane Seymour.
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