Elizabeth Seymour, Lady Cromwell

Elizabeth Seymour
Countess of Wiltshire
Baroness Cromwell
Baroness St. John
Portrait of a Lady, probably a Member of the Cromwell Family, perhaps Elizabeth Seymour, c. 1535–1540, Hans Holbein the Younger[1][2]
Bornc. 1518
Died19 March 1568[3][4] (aged 49–50)
BuriedSt. Mary's Church, Basing, Hampshire
51°16′17″N 1°02′48″W / 51.271389°N 1.046667°W / 51.271389; -1.046667
Spouse(s)
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(m. 1530; died 1534)​
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(m. 1537; died 1551)​
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(m. 1554)​
Issue
FatherSir John Seymour
MotherMargery Wentworth

Elizabeth Seymour (c. 1518[5] – 19 March 1568[3]) was a younger daughter of Sir John Seymour of Wulfhall, Wiltshire and Margery Wentworth.[6] Elizabeth and her sister Jane served in the household of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII.[7][8][9] The Seymours rose to prominence after the king's attention turned to Jane.[10] In May 1536, Anne Boleyn was accused of treason and adultery, and subsequently executed. On 30 May 1536, eleven days after Anne's execution, Henry VIII and Jane were married.[11] Elizabeth was not included in her sister's household during her brief reign, although she would serve two of Henry VIII's later wives, Anne of Cleves[12] and Catherine Howard.[13] Jane died 24 October 1537, twelve days after giving birth to a healthy son, Edward VI.[14]

Elizabeth lived under four Tudor monarchs (Lady Jane Grey is not included) and was married three times. By July 1530[15] she had married Sir Anthony Ughtred, Governor of Jersey, who died in 1534. She then married Gregory Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell, the son of Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to Henry VIII in 1537; Gregory died in 1551. She married her third and last husband, Sir John Paulet, later Lord St. John, the son of William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester in 1554.[16]

  1. ^ Strong 1995, pp. 78−81, pl. 68−70: "The portrait should by rights depict a lady of the Cromwell family aged 21 c.1535–40..."
  2. ^ "Portrait of a Lady, probably a Member of the Cromwell Family, c. 1535-40, Hans Holbein the Younger". Toledo Museum of Art. Toledo, Ohio. Retrieved 25 March 2020. "The painting belonged to the Cromwells for centuries, so she was probably a member of that prominent family. It has been suggested that she may be Elizabeth Seymour, daughter-in-law of Henry's powerful government minister Thomas Cromwell and sister of Henry's third wife, Jane Seymour."
  3. ^ a b College of Arms 2012, p. 63.
  4. ^ Carthew II 1878, p. 522.
  5. ^ MacCulloch 2018, p. 425: "Elizabeth Seymour was at the time of her second marriage a year or two older than her husband.", Plate 27: "There can be little doubt that this Holbein masterpiece, the original in Toledo, depicts Elizabeth Seymour (c.1518–1568 ..."
  6. ^ Norton 2009, p. 11.
  7. ^ Beer 2004.
  8. ^ Syvret 1832, pp. 59–61.
  9. ^ Soberton 2022, pp. 247–248.
  10. ^ Wagner & Schmid 2012, p. 1000.
  11. ^ Starkey 2004, p. 591.
  12. ^ Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, 15, 21.
  13. ^ Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, 16, 1489
    Under the heading "Rewards given on Saturday, New Year's Day at Hampton Court, anno xxxii", appearing with other ladies of the royal household, Lady Cromwell is granted 13s. 4d.
  14. ^ Starkey 2004, pp. 607–608.
  15. ^ Fitzgerald 2019.
  16. ^ Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry III 2011, p. 111.