Jane Seymour Timeline 1507-1537

Jane Seymour was born to John Seymour and Margery Wentworth probably at the family residence of Wulfhall, Wiltshire. She was the couple’s fourth child, and had three elder brothers: John, Edward and Henry.

Jane’s brother, Thomas, was born to Sir John Seymour and Margery Wentworth.

Jane’s brother, John, died.

Jane’s father left for France with King Henry VIII. He was one of the commanders of the English army in France.

Jane’s father returned to England having defeated the French at Tournai.

Jane’s education was confined to non-academic subjects such as needlework and household management.

Jane’s sister, Elizabeth, was born to John Seymour and Margery Wentworth.

Jane’s father. John Seymour, was one of those that sailed to Calais for the Field of the Cloth of Gold summit meeting.

Jane may have served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Claude of France.

Jane may have served as a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon.

Jane’s younger sister, Elizabeth, married Sir Anthony Ughtred of Yorkshire.

Jane Seymour became a member of Anne Boleyn’s household.

Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen of England in St Peter’s Abbey, Westminster. She walked in procession from Westminster Hall to the Abbey but despite the fact that people lined the streets to watch there was no cheering for the new Queen.

Jane went with Anne Boleyn to Hampton Court where Anne was to rest in preparation for the birth of her child in September.

The royal court moved to Windsor and Anne took to her chamber to await the birth of her child.

A daughter, Elizabeth was born to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

Princess Elizabeth was christened and confirmed by the Bishop of London in the church of Franciscan Friars at Greenwich. Her godparents were the dowager duchess of Norfolk, the dowager marchioness of Dorset and Thomas Cranmer.

Anne Boleyn announced her second pregnancy.

Act of Succession
This act was introduced to exclude Catherine of Aragon’s daughter, Mary, from the succession and settle it instead on the children born from the marriage of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. All men, women and children had to swear an oath to support the succession of the children of Henry and Anne.

Thomas Cromwell was appointed King’s Secretary.

Jane’s sister, Elizabeth, was widowed.

Act of Supremacy
This act declared England as a sovereign state with the King as the head of both the country and the church.

Treasons Act
This act made it a treasonable offence to deny any of the King’s titles. It stated that any malicious wish, will or desire to deprive the King or Queen of title or name of their royal estates was to be deemed treason. Slanderous publication of writing or words uttered describing the King as heretic, schismatic, tyrant, infidel or usurper would also be deemed treason.

Jane’s elder brother, Edward, married Anne Stanhope, daughter of Sir Edward Stanhope.

It was suggested that since England had broken with the Pope and the monasteries owed allegiance to the Pope they should be closed and their wealth taken by the crown. It was decided that monasteries should be visited and found guilty of mismanagement and immoral living in order to give a good reason for their closure.

Thomas Cromwell was made Vicar General Vice Regent in Spirituals. This post gave him the power to visit all monasteries in England.

Anne Boleyn declared she was pregnant.

John Fisher, aged 66 years, was beheaded on Tower Hill. Fisher was the first bishop to be executed since Thomas Becket in 1170 and the people were deeply shocked.

Anne Boleyn was prematurely delivered of a stillborn child. Henry again kept the news secret because he was worried that people would say it was God’s revenge for the murder of Fisher.

Henry and Anne left London for a Summer Progress to the West Country.

Thomas More was executed by beheading. He made a short speech asking people to pray for him and saying that he died the King’s good servant but God’s first.

Royal Commissioners were visiting many religious establishments. Monks were encouraged to leave the monasteries before they were closed.

The Royal Progress visited Wulfhall in Wiltshire, Jane’s family home.

A Bad harvest meant that food prices rose and people faced a hard winter. The poor harvest was blamed on Henry’s marriage to Anne and the execution of Bishops and monks.

Henry and Anne returned to Windsor Castle

Henry had noticed Jane Seymour and was struck by her calm, quiet nature.

Anne discovered that she was pregnant again. She was aware that everything depended on the outcome of this pregnancy.

Catherine of Aragon was taken ill complaining of chest pains. She was unable to eat and was confined to her bed.

Catherine of Aragon died. It was commonly believed that Anne Boleyn had slowly poisoned her to death. Nowadays it is believed that she died from cancer

Catherine of Aragon’s daughter, Mary was taken very ill and it was commonly believed that she was being poisoned by Anne Boleyn.

Henry fell from his horse during a joust and was unconscious for two hours. The fall caused a head injury that left him more bad tempered than before and also opened up an old wound on his leg that would cause him problems for the rest of his life.

Anne Boleyn miscarried of a son four months into her pregnancy. She blamed the miscarriage on concern following Henry’s fall and Henry’s interest in Jane Seymour.

Henry believed that the miscarriage of a son was God’s way of declaring that his marriage to Anne Boleyn was unlawful either because of her earlier pre-contract to James Butler or because of Henry’s affair with Anne’s sister, Mary Boleyn. He decided that he needed to find a way out of his marriage to Anne.

Henry began to spend more time with Jane Seymour.

Jane Seymour’s brother, Edward, was appointed a Gentleman of the King’s Privy Chamber.

Closure of the Monasteries
A bill was presented to Parliament that authorised the closure of all monasteries with a revenue of less than £200 per year.

Thomas Cromwell was collecting evidence against Anne Boleyn. During the course of his investigations he heard that some members of Anne’s court were admitted to her chamber at late hours. Those named were George Boleyn, Henry Norris, Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton. Cromwell used this information to construct a case that Anne had committed adultery with all five men and that they had plotted to murder the King. The information was passed to Henry.

Jane Seymour was sent home to Wulfhall. Henry did not want her at court while a case was being made against Anne Boleyn.

Jane Seymour took up residence at Beddington Park in Surrey so that Henry could visit her in secret.

Henry moved to Hampton Court and began making preparations for his marriage to Jane Seymour.

The trial of those accused of committing adultery with the Queen took place. The Duke of Norfolk presided over the trial which found all men guilty. They were sentenced to death.

Anne Boleyn was tried by 26 peers of the realm including her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, who presided over the trial. Although Anne argued her innocence she was found guilty and sentenced to die by burning or beheading whichever the King chose.

Thomas Cranmer found that Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn was null and void due to Henry’s earlier affair with Mary Boleyn.

Anne Boleyn was executed by beheading with a single stroke of the sword. She was buried in the choir of the royal chapel of St Peter ad Vincula.

Henry VIII was formally betrothed to Jane Seymour at Hampton Court.

Princess Elizabeth was taken from Greenwich to Hatfield House where she was to be cared for by Lady Margaret Bryan.

Henry’s daughter, Mary, was told that if she would take the Oath of Supremacy then she would be welcomed back to court.

Henry VIII married Jane Seymour in the Queen’s Closet at Whitehall.

Jane Seymour was proclaimed Queen of England at a ceremony at Greenwich.

Jane’s brother, Edward, was created Viscount Beauchamp.

Queen Jane made her official state entry into London accompanied by Henry. Crowds of people lined the streets and many cheered as she went past.

Act of Succession
This act cancelled the two previous acts of succession and registered the invalidity of Henry’s first two marriages. Elizabeth was now given the same status as Mary and the succession was settled on the children of Henry and Jane Seymour.

Henry’s daughter, Mary joined the court in London.

Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond, Henry VIII’s illegitimate son, died from tuberculosis. He was 17 years old.

Henry began to be concerned that Jane Seymour was not yet pregnant.

The court moved to Windsor to escape an outbreak of the plague.

The closure of the monasteries was not well received by the common people. The monasteries had provided food, shelter and a basic education for the people as well as a place for travellers to stay. Many traditional religious festivals were now forbidden and people were angry. However, they blamed Cromwell rather than the King for this.

Pilgrimage of Grace
This rebellion against the closure of the monasteries began in Louth where people were concerned by the news that commissioners would be arriving to investigate their church.

Pilgrimage of Grace
Robert Aske, leader of those rebelling against the closure of the monasteries, issued a set of grievances which he sent to the King.

Jane begged Henry to restore some of the monasteries saying that the riot may have been allowed by God as a punishment for the deliberate desecration of so many churches. Henry was furious and ordered Jane to occupy her mind with other things.

Pilgrimage of Grace
Henry sent an envoy to Yorkshire to invite Aske and 300 ‘pilgrims’ to meet Norfolk at Doncaster for further discussions.

Pilgrimage of Grace
The rebels were offered, on the King’s behalf a general pardon if they would put down their weapons and disperse. Aske was summoned to court and issued with a safe pass which was valid to 5th January 1537.

Henry’s daughter, Mary, arrived at Windsor for the Christmas festivities.

Jane Seymour’s father died at Wulfhall.

The river Thames was frozen and so Henry, Jane and Mary rode through the streets of London to Greenwich. The people turned out to see the royal party.

Pilgrimage of Grace
Robert Aske was present at court and spoke with the King. Henry told him that he would visit Yorkshire in the summer and hold a parliament to pass any legislation necessary to satisfy their demands. However, Henry had other ideas.

Pilgrimage of Grace
Norfolk presided over a Great Assize and sentenced around 50 mostly monks and priors to be executed. Due to the large number of nobles that had taken part in the uprising it was deemed counter productive to execute them all so they were divided into those to be executed and those to be pardoned. Those to be pardoned included Archbishop Lee, Lord Scrope, Lord Latimer and Robert Bowes while those to be executed included Lord D’Arcy, Robert Aske and Hugh Bigod.

Jane Seymour announced that she was pregnant and that she believed the baby would be born in the middle of October.

Robert Aske was found guilty of treason.

Celebrations were held to mark the fact that Jane had felt her child move in her womb.

An outbreak of plague in London meant that the court moved to Windsor. Henry was anxious to keep Jane away from any illness.

Despite protestations that he had been pardoned by the King, Robert Aske was chained to a scaffold and left to die from exposure and starvation.

The Court moved to Hampton Court to await the birth of Jane’s baby.

Jane’s sister, Elizabeth, married Thomas Cromwell’s son, Gregory.

Henry’s niece, Frances Brandon, gave birth to a baby girl. She was named Jane Grey.

After a very difficult labour Jane was delivered of a baby boy. Henry was overjoyed and named the child Edward and created him Duke of Cornwall. Heralds were despatched to every part of the country with the news.

Prince Edward was christened at midnight at Hampton Court. His godparents were the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Cranmer and Lady Mary.

Jane was taken ill with diarrhoea and sickness.

Jane died. It is traditionally thought that she died from puerperal fever which was a common cause of death after pregnancy and is caused by lack of antiseptic conditions. However, the cause of her death may have been food poisoning since she was well for four days after the birth of Edward, or blood poisoning if she had been cut during the birth and the wound had become infected.

Jane’s body was embalmed and dressed in gold tissue. A golden crown was placed on her head. Her body was taken to the presence chamber of Hampton Court where it lay in state.

Jane’s body was taken to the Chapel Royal at Windsor where it continued to lay in state.

Jane’s coffin was carried to St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle for the funeral service. As was the custom Henry did not attend the funeral so Lady Mary was chief mourner. After the service her body continued to lay in state.

Queen Jane’s body was laid to rest in a vault before the high altar of St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The Bells of London tolled for six hours to mark the event. Henry declared that it was his wish to be buried next to Jane.