On this day in history, the 20th March 1549, Thomas Seymour, Baron Sudeley, was executed for treason after his nephew, King Edward VI, signed the death warrant that Protector Somerset, Seymour’s brother, could not bring himself to sign.
I won’t go into any more details on Thomas Seymour’s downfall and death here, as I’ve just written about in over at The Elizabeth Files, and you can read more about him in the following articles:-
- Thomas Seymour’s Execution 20 March 1549
- The Execution of Thomas Seymour – Gives more detail on his downfall.
- Thomas Seymour Breaks into the King’s Residence
- Catherine Parr and Thomas Seymour Part One
- Catherine Parr and Thomas Seymour Part Two
- Elizabeth, Seymour and Shakespeare
P.S. Contrary to what is shown in “The Tudors”, Thomas Seymour did not sleep with Anne Stanhope, the wife of his brother, Edward Seymour, but he was in love with Catherine Parr and did marry her after Henry VIII’s death.
I posted ths over on The Elizabeth Files, so if it’s okay, I’m going to put it here as well:
It was very easy years ago to despise Thomas Seymour, thanks to the sources I had read because there seemed to be NO good in him. If even half of what we know about the incidents with Elizabeth are true, then the man does appear to be a type of predator (and at the very least an adulterer). I know that he was ambitious, but then so was his brother and the latter may have a had a good deal to do with helping to bring about Thomas’ execution. But there must have been something good about him — something that made a young widow (who then had TWO late husbands) fall in love with him…and only the “love” of her King forced her to turn aside what her heart wanted. I guess I could be cynical and say that Thomas only desired to combine his power as a Prince’s uncle and a member of the Council with that of a very wealthy (and somewhat independent) woman, but I want to think that he loved Katherine. Lord knows she loved him. And as we discussed in the past, the incident of the possible kidnapping of Edward may or may not have been accurate. All I know is that if it was necessary for the Council to fabricate evidence to make him appear even more evil, then they didn’t have much evidence in the first place!
I’m still not a Thomas Seymour fan — there’ll ALWAYS be something that gnaws at me about that whole weird summer with him, Katherine and Elizabeth. But he appears no more ambitious and occasionally duplicitous than many other important men in Tudor England…and all thanks to sister Jane catching the King’s eye (I’m still trying to sort HER out thank you very much 😀 LOL). Anyway Claire, thanks for the remembrance of the date.
I am glad that you mentioned that whole plot with Anne Stanhope was false. Tudor history is interesting enough without this kind of nonsense. This is when I want to ask the writers, what were you thinking?
I am reading Allison Weir’s novel on Elizabeth I I know it’s a novel but is that author well thought of in England? Respected?
All i know is I’ve watched the Tudors two times though and I have hated Thomas Seymour both times. Some how he shouldn’t go on, but he does. I keep hoping he ill come to some end that will make everything clean and clear . But no he’s always there like a regular character who is supposed to be seen though they have done the most awful things. I am hoping that I will find in reality that he finally came to an end that I believe he so deserved. I know I won’t see it in the series but i’m very happy to know it happens in real life.