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Original poster

Anyone know about Jane Seymore - wife of King Henry VIII?

84 replies

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 20/01/2008 14:49

She died 12 days after giving birth to a son. I can't believe she was beheaded when she had given the King what he wanted but something clearly wasn't right.

OP posts:
WendyWeber · 20/01/2008 15:25

This is very interesting - if a bit wordy!

"The terror of the axe seems to have kept even this favoured queen in the most humiliating state of submission during the brief term of her sceptred slavery. In consonance with this assumption of submission, which was in all things to prove a contrast to her predecessor, Jane Seymour took for her motto BOUND TO OBEY AND SERVE."

It also suggests that it was Henry's fault she died, because he insisted on a long and elaborate baptism very soon after the birth instead of letting her rest.

(DG, don't be silly, I didn't think you were - just thought it was funny that we said the same thing )

Blandmum · 20/01/2008 15:25

have you read 'The other Bolyn Girl'?

Are any of you historians btw? As I'm out of my depth if you all. All I know is by reading popular stuff and watching David Starky on TV

RustyBear · 20/01/2008 15:26

Surely Dereham & Culpeper were Catherine Howard's lovers, not Anne Boleyn's? As well as Smeaton & George Boleyn, Henry Norris, Sir Francis Weston & William Brereton were accused of adultery with Anne.

Greensleeves · 20/01/2008 15:26

I did my degree in history.... wouldn't call myself a historian, but I read a lot, I've had at least 25% of my brain immersed in the early modern period since about 1983

Greensleeves · 20/01/2008 15:27

Fuckinell Rustybear, you're right

I blame my hangover

Norris, Weston and Brereton - god, can't believe I got that wrong

hunkermunker · 20/01/2008 15:29

No, I did my degree in philosophy, but I've forgotten as much of that as I ever learnt. I'm just drawn to the Tudor period in more of a way than any other - there's something really very fascinating about it all.

DumbledoresGirl · 20/01/2008 15:29

Another history graduate here. But this period is not one I have studied. TBH, I find the Tudor period rather trying. It makes me edgy just to think how mentally unstable they all were.

hunkermunker · 20/01/2008 15:30

PMSL, perhaps the mental instability is what interests me, DG

Greensleeves · 20/01/2008 15:31

I always get the impression visiting statesmen and ambassadors from other parts of Europe regarded the English court as a bit like a giant brothel

RustyBear · 20/01/2008 15:32

I remembered Norris & Weston, but I had to look up Brereton! I remember Culpeper because of Catherine's supposed speech at the block - "I die a Queen, but I would rather have died the wife of Culpeper."

Where was your history degree from Greensleeves? - mine was Exeter - but it's 30 years ago now...

Blandmum · 20/01/2008 15:32

Wasn't it a swedish princess who said (about the time they were looking for a wife after the death of JS) that 'If I had 2 heads, I would give one to the King of England?

Blandmum · 20/01/2008 15:33

But the French Court was far more risque!

DumbledoresGirl · 20/01/2008 15:33

I was not implying anything about people who like the period!

But seriously, don't you think you would have spent your entire time at court on the edge of a nervous breakdown, waiting for the moment when someone accused you of treason?

Greensleeves · 20/01/2008 15:33

RB I live in Exeter, the university is supposed to have the best history department in the country, isn't it?

I went to Oxford (for all the bloody good it did me, lol)

Greensleeves · 20/01/2008 15:34

I don't think the French court WAS more salacious, I think that's just modern prejudice

hunkermunker · 20/01/2008 15:35

DG

RustyBear · 20/01/2008 15:35

Christina, duchess of Milan, MB

suzywong · 20/01/2008 15:36

ahhhh, so this is where the Mogellers have got to ...

Greensleeves · 20/01/2008 15:40

Watch it wong!

Original poster
NAB3wishesfor2008 · 20/01/2008 15:41

We did a project on the Prince's in the Tower and I have always felt like it didn't add up. IIRC there was a programme on last year about it but I missed it.

OP posts:
WendyWeber · 20/01/2008 15:43

Ah, Richard III - now you're talking, Nab!

(Only it wasn't him, it was Henry VII of course)

Greensleeves · 20/01/2008 15:44

(I agree Wendy)

edam · 20/01/2008 16:03

Greensleeves, Anne B grew up in the French court (lady in waiting to someone) and wore French-style dresses. It was supposedly the French influence that led her astray... The Spanish court that Katherine of Aragon came from was much more upright and proper.

Greensleeves · 20/01/2008 16:17

she didn't quite grow up in the French court, she spent several years there - was it Queen Claude she was lady-in-waiting to? I can't remember. Her dress sense and mannerisms were said to have been heavily influenced by the French court, especially the French hood she popularised which was regarded as risque here, because it showed a few inches of the hair.

I think it's too easy to portray historical figures as crude cartoon characters though edam - it's not sufficient simply to say "she grew up at the French court and was a product of it, end of". Her sister Mary Boleyn was mistress of the King of France for a while, and then mistress of Henry VIII when they came to court in England. Anne's experiences in France form part of her background. There are plenty of other variables too - and I think again it's crude black and white thinking to say "The French court was much more salacious that the English, we all know what the French are like, tee hee".

Desiderata · 20/01/2008 16:24

Henry requested to be buried next to Jane Seymour. Contemporary accounts do seem to suggest that Jane's temperament was better suited to please the old bear.

He was actually quite fond of Ann of Cleeves as well, once he'd divorced her. She lived quite a comfortable life, all things considered.