Tom's Thoughts: Was Jane Seymour Henry VIII's "one true love?"

 Jane Seymour, workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger,  1540

Was Jane Seymour Henry VIII's "one true love?"     This notion is commonly accepted and ubiquitous among many writers and scholars.  Many attest that since the couple are buried together in the same crypt, that it must be true.  

   I propose rather that Henry's corpse ended up being buried with Jane's in St George's Chapel, Windsor, strictly by happenstance simply because his tomb was not completed at the time of his death in 1547, nor did any of his heirs ever allocate funding to complete it.  In fact, a portion of Henry's intended sarcophagus was integrated into the tomb of Horatio Nelson in St  Paul's 
(Source https://www.tudorsociety.com/a-tomb-fit-for-a-king-benedettos-candelabra-for-henry-viii/ ).  

    There are alternative accounts that seem to contradict Henry's affection for Jane.  

    By the time Edward was born, Henry was already showing signs of mental degradation; some attribute his outbursts of rage and irrational behavior could possibly stem from a head injury he sustained while jousting that rendered him unconscious for several hours in January 1536.  Many accounts describe Jane's labor during childbirth as being protracted and extremely difficult, and when the attending physicians asked Henry if they should save the mother or the child, Henry directed that all efforts should focus on saving the child because he could always find another wife!  

Henry VIII was King of England from April 21,1509 until his death. 

   There appear to be no accounts of Henry ever visiting Jane on her sickbed; this is perhaps not surprising considering his hypochondria.  On the day of the queen's death, Henry stated that he would follow through on his plans to go hunting in Asher if Jane showed signs of getting better, or "if she amend not" he was not inclined to "tarry" by her side.  (Source: http://www.kyrackramer.com/2017/10/24/the-death-of-queen-jane/ ) 

   So was Jane indeed Henry's true love?  It is certainly a topic to debate while tipping back a couple of pints... 

Tom: Why I Like Philippa Gregory's Books

Tom wrote today's Blog: 

My favorite genre of books is historical fiction, and I’m a huge fan of Philippa Gregory.  I’m currently reading an older work of hers – The Constant Princess. What I like about Gregory's storytelling is that she fills in the gaps with reasonably plausible concepts where the historical record is silent. 

Here’s an example.  When Henry Tudor won the crown to rule England at the Battle of Bosworth Field, there still survived other more legitimate claimants to the throne – one of them being Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick.  

Historical accounts seem to indicate that Warwick was a bit “slow” or touched in the head, and thus no real threat.  However, Henry Tudor made a deal with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain (yes, the same ones that funded Columbus’ expeditions to the Americas), whereby their youngest daughter, Katherine, was promised to marry his eldest son, Arthur – Prince of Wales.  But Ferdinand and Isabella would not send their daughter to England until all "threats" to the English throne were removed.  

So Henry Tudor had Warwick arrested and thrown in the Tower.  At that time, the Tower was both a palace and a prison.  Of course, Warwick thought this was grand.  He was the last surviving male in the Plantagenet line, and thought that he was getting the royal treatment he was due.  However, Warwick was put in a cell next to Perkin Warbeck and the two of them concocted a plan to escape which was overheard by a prison guard.  Warwick thought it was all a game, but attempting to escape from the Tower in those days was considered a treasonable offense.  So both Warwick and Warbeck were tried and executed in November 1499.  

With Warwick removed, Katherine was sent to England to marry Arthur.  Gregory’s novel proposes that Katherine was plagued by guilt the rest of her life over Warwick’s unnecessary death.  

Arthur dies within a year of their marriage, and Katherine marries Henry VIII, Arthur’s younger brother.  Henry and Katherine have six children, only one survived to adulthood.  Was it karma? What do you think?