Bound to Obey and Serve

“Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived”

Gallery

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Fact sheet

Born: Jane’s birthdate is unknown. Elizabeth Norton in her recent biography of Jane claims she was born c. 1508-9.

Father: Sir John Seymour of Wulfhall in Wiltshire

Mother: Margery Wentworth

Spouse:

Married Henry VIII on 30 May 1536

Palace of Whitehall

Coronation: No formal coronation.

Proclamation: 4 June 1536

Reign: 30 May 1536 – 24 October 1537

Issue: Edward VI of England born on 12 October 1537

Died: 24 October 1537

Hampton Court Palace

It is generally accepted by modern historians that Jane Seymour died of puerperal fever, also known as ‘childbed fever’. Eleven years later, Jane’s sister-in-law, Catherine Parr, would suffer the same fate.

Buried: 12 November 1537

St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle

Jane was given a solemn but magnificent state funeral and ironically, after being forbidden to attend her own mother’s funeral only a year before, Princess Mary acted as her chief mourner.

Henry VIII always spoke of Jane as his ‘true wife’ and was buried next to her in 1547.

The following inscription was above her grave for a time:

Here lieth a Phoenix, by whose death

Another Phoenix life gave breath:

It is to be lamented much

The world at once ne’er knew two such.