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Claire | May 20, 2013
At 9am on 20th May 1536, just one day after the execution of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII became betrothed to Jane Seymour, daughter of Sir John Seymour, soldier and courtier, and of Margery Wentworth. Jane had served both of the King’s previous wives as a lady-in-waiting, having come to court in around
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Claire | May 14, 2013
At some point between Jane’s arrival at Chelsea and Anne Boleyn’s execution, Henry VIII wrote to Jane regarding some pamphlets which were being spread around London deriding their relationship. It is understandable that speculation and gossip were rife: the Queen was in the Tower awaiting trial and yet Henry VIII was having a relationship with
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Claire | May 14, 2013
On this day in 1536, while his wife was imprisoned in the Tower of London waiting to be tried for treason, King Henry VIII sent Sir Nicholas Carew to take Jane Seymour to a house in Chelsea, a property that was within a mile of his own lodgings. Until this point, the King had kept
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Claire | April 1, 2013
On the 1st April 1536, Chapuys reported to his master, Emperor Charles V, that King Henry VIII had sent Jane Seymour “a purse full of sovereigns.” He also reported Jane’s reaction, writing that on receiving the purse, Jane had kissed the letter and begged the messenger to tell the King that she could not take
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Claire | October 24, 2012
Just twelve days after giving birth to a baby boy, Prince Edward and the future Edward VI, Queen Jane Seymour died of suspected puerperal fever (childbed fever) at Hampton Court Palace. She had done her duty as queen, but it had cost her her life. Jane had seemed fine after the birth even though it
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Claire | October 12, 2012
On this day in 1537, church bells pealed, Te Deumss were sung, bonfires lit, fruit and wine given out, and two thousand rounds were fired into the sky from the Tower of London. A prince had been born and London celebrated. Yes, on 12th October 1537 at two o’clock in the morning, Jane Seymour gave
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Claire | May 30, 2012
On Tuesday 30th May 1536, just eleven days after the execution of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII married Jane Seymour in the Queen’s Closet at York Place (Whitehall), the property renovated by himself and Anne. Jane was officially proclaimed Queen at Greenwich Palace on the 4th June 1536, Whitsun. I wonder if either
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Claire | May 24, 2012
Today we have a guest post from Clare Cherry looking at the two families affected by the events of April and May 1536 and how they are viewed by people today. Thanks, Clare! The Boleyns and the Seymours The Boleyns came from humble beginnings. They were social climbers and upstarts who used their daughters to
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