On 12 November 1537, a funeral service was held at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for Jane Seymour, Queen of England, who had died due to childbirth complications on 24 October, twelve days after giving birth to her only son, Edward.
Jane had been married to Henry VIII since 30 May 1536, only ten days after the proposal from the King, and eleven days since the execution of her predecessor Anne Boleyn at the Tower of London on 19 May. For years, Henry had been preoccupied with continuing his father's 'Tudor' legacy with a legitimate male heir, going to extreme lengths in this pursuit, including 'breaking' from Rome, his subsequent annulment of his twenty year marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and his marriage to Anne Boleyn, which was later deemed invalid prior to her execution (Weir, 1991). From his two previous marriages, Henry had two surviving daughters, both of whom had been deemed illegitimate and disinherited by Acts of Parliament (now being addressed as 'Lady Mary' and 'Lady Elizabeth' respectively), with his only acknowledged illegitimate male son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset dying in July 1536, and so the desire for a son was stronger than ever (Borman, 2016; Russell, 2023).
By May 1537, news of Jane's pregnancy had been announced, initially to the Privy Council, and then publicly to the Royal Court. It was greeted positively by many; Te Deums were sang, bonfires lit, and a special mass was held at St Paul's Cathedral in celebration of the news (Fraser, 1992; Whitelock, 2009). However, plans for a summer coronation for Jane to become an anointed Queen of England were put on hold, delayed until after the birth of her child (Weir, 1991).
In Late Summer of 1537, plague was prevalent in London, and so the decision was made for Jane to withdraw to Hampton Court Palace, the royal apartments having recently been refurbished and a nursery having been constructed, in preparation for the birth (Fraser, 1992; Whitelock, 2009). Due to the concerns regarding the safety of his queen and his unborn child, and possible exposure, Henry restricted the number of people visiting Hampton Court that summer. He made the decision, therefore, to move his court to nearby Esher Palace, Surrey, approximately four miles south, with Jane receiving regular visits from Royal Physicians, who confirmed the pregnancy was progressing as expected (Weir, 1991; Borman, 2016).
On 16 September, Jane entered confinement, the traditional period just prior to birth where the expectant mother removes herself from public view and male company. Windows were covered with fabric, blocking out the light, with opulent tapestries hanging at the walls. Whilst there had been no reported difficulties during her pregnancy, people were aware of the risks associated with childbirth, being aware that these did not escape royalty - Henry VIII's mother Elizabeth of York had died in childbirth with her youngest child, Princess Katherine, in 1503 (Russell, 2023). Alison Weir (1991) describes the 'chief function' of a queen was to bear her husband an heir, and that the process of pregnancy and childbirth was 'hazardous', as well as highlighting the potential significant psychological impact.
On the afternoon of 09 October, Jane went into labour; once her pains began, Henry VIII sent royal heralds into London to announce the news. However, Jane's labour process was arduous and difficult, and by 11 October, there was no sign of the child. Due to the concerns regarding this prolonged childbirth process, and the risks to mother baby, a solemn procession with prayers was held in London - a two mile march west from St Paul's Cathedral to Westminster Abbey - headed by the Lord Mayor (Weir, 1991; Fraser, 1992).
The labour process lasted a total of thirty hours, ending at two in the morning on 12 October, when Jane finally delivered her baby: a highly-anticipated son. He was named Edward, born on the eve of the Feast of St Edward the Confessor; days after his birth he was proclaimed Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carnarvon and finally Prince of Wales (Weir; 1991; Whitelock, 2009). On hearing the news of his son's birth, Henry immediately rode from Esher to Hampton Court, from where he sent out instructions to spread his good news throughout the country.. Celebrations, including pageants and parades, were held in towns and cities across England, bells were rang in churches throughout London, bonfires were lit, and a 2000 gun-salute was fired from the Tower of London (Borman, 2016; Russell, 2023).
Baby Edward was christened in a midnight ceremony held in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court on Monday 15 October, conducted by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury. Due to the ongoing risks associated with plague, attendance had been 'limited' to 300-400 attendees. Guests included the prince's godparents Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and his older half-sister, the Lady Mary. The prince's paternal uncle Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp (who would be elevated to the title of Earl Hertford a few days later) carried his other half-sister, the four year-old Lady Elizabeth into the chapel, with his brother Thomas Seymour and courtier John Dudley also present (Weir, 1991; Whitelock, 2009).
!['The procession to the christening of Prince Edward' Unknown artist 16th century © The King's Heralds and Pursuivant of Arms [📷 taken by myself Jun 2024, whilst on display at @NPGLondon]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ed9b82_0917871b46e24f819709e7aa2fd2c7fe~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_980,h_373,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/ed9b82_0917871b46e24f819709e7aa2fd2c7fe~mv2.jpeg)
As was tradition, the baby's parents did not attend the ceremony, but rather they greeted the guests in the Queen's apartments prior to the procession to the chapel, and then following the completion of the ceremony, following which guests were served wine and wafers; a feast was hosted by the queen the following day (Weir, 1992; Russell, 2023). Jane was described as sitting in bed, dressed in crimson and gold velvet, ermine and fur, and was able to perform her duties as expected, also making her official announcement of the birth, as 'Jane the Quene' (Fraser, 1992; Starkey, 2004).
There had been initially no identified concerns for her health and wellbeing, with plans being made for her 'churching', which would normally take place four to six weeks after childbirth, marking the end of her confinement, the queen started to become unwell the following afternoon on 16 October (Starkey, 1994). Jane initially suffered from a bout of diarrhoea, although reported that she felt better as the day progressed. However, during the following night, her condition worsened, with reports of fever, nausea and 'a natural laxe' (that is heavy bleeding), with it becoming clear that she was suffering from puerperal complications (Borman, 2016; Russell, 2023). Weir (1991) speculates that this was likely as a consequence of a tear in her perineum during her prolonged and difficult delivery, although other historians have suggested that her illness has been as the result of retained placenta leading to septicaemia (Fraser, 1992; Whitelock, 2009). However, at the time, there were accusations and speculation that the queen had been 'over-indulged' by her attendants, including by the king's chief minister Thomas Cromwell who himself was present at Hampton Court, as the understanding of childbirth and the need for cleanliness, good hygiene etc. could easily be misconceived at the time (Weir, 1991; Fraser, 1992).
Last rites were initially administered to Jane by her confessor, the Bishop of Carlisle, on 17 October; however, the queen did appeared to rally. This did not last for long, with her health quickly deteriorating again, sending her into periods of unconsciousness and delirium (Weir, 1991). In response to news of her deteriorating health, another solemn procession was held at St Paul's Cathedral on 19 October, with prays said for the health of the queen (Starkey, 2004). Jane's health continued to deteriorate, and around 8 o'clock in the evening of 23 October, Henry was reportedly called to Jane's bedside for the final time, however, there is no evidence that he was actually present. Last rites were again delivered to Jane by the Bishop of Carlisle, and she passed away in the early hours of 24 October (Weir, 1991).
Immediately following Jane's death, Henry 'fled' to Windsor Castle, entering into seclusion due to his grief, whilst Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, and William Paulet, Treasurer of the Royal Household, were placed in charge of the queen's funeral and burial arrangements (Fraser, 1992). Jane's body was subsequently embalmed on 25 October, with her entrails being removed and burial within the Chapel Royal of Hampton Court Palace. Her body, dressed in golden robes and presented wearing royal jewels and a crown, lay in state in the presence chamber of Hampton Court for a week, with gentleman and ladies from her household keeping vigil. Her ladies-in-waiting at this time included Mary Brandon, Lady Monteagle (Charles Brandon's daughter from his first marriage, and elder half-sister to Frances Brandon), Anne Parr, Countess of Pembroke (younger sister of Katherine Parr), and Jane Parker, Viscountess Rochford (widow of the ill-fated George Boleyn, who had been executed on charges of high treason and incest in May 1536) (Weir, 1991). On 31 October, the Feast of All Saints , the coffin was moved into the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court, and prayers were said for the soul of the queen. Here her body remained, watched over by her ladies and priests (Fraser, 1992).
On the evening of 08 November, Jane's coffin, topped with a life-sized wax effigy, dressed in royal robes and a crown, was brought out into the courtyard of the palace. A great procession which included 200 poor men, was lighted by torches and was accompanied by 29 ladies, one for each year of her life, accompanied the coffin from Hampton Court the 15 miles north-west to Windsor; the cortege was led by the chief mourner Lady Mary, and included Jane Guildford, Lady Dudley. The coffin was received at St George's Chapel by the Dean of Windsor and Thomas Cranmer, and lay in state in the chapel (Weir, 1991).
Jane was interred on 12 November 1537 in St George's Chapel, at Windsor Castle; the service was attended by many of her household and family members, including her brothers Edward and Thomas Seymour. Her coffin was lowered into a vault in the Quire infront of the high altar of the chapel. Whilst Henry VIII was not present, as was tradition, it was his request that this was to be her final burial place. Whilst Windsor had been the place where he had initially retreated in grief following Jane's death, he now moved to Whitehall, to continue with his responsibilities, although continued to be in mourning for the next 3 months (Weir, 1991).
When Henry VIII died in January 1547, he requested to be buried with his beloved Jane at Windsor. He left directions for an elaborate tomb with matching effigies to be built, although these were not completed; however, the couple's coffins continue to rest in a vault under the Quire, which is now marked by a plaque.
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