Elizabeth Seymour | |
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Countess of Wiltshire Baroness Cromwell Baroness St. John | |
![]() Portrait of an English lady by Hans Holbein d. J. | |
Born | c. 1518 |
Died | 19 March 1568[1][2] (aged 49–50) |
Buried | St. Mary's Church, Basing, Hampshire 51°16′17″N 1°02′48″W / 51.271389°N 1.046667°W |
Spouse(s) | |
Issue |
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Father | Sir John Seymour |
Mother | Margery Wentworth |
Elizabeth Seymour (c. 1518[3] – 19 March 1568[1]) was a younger daughter of Sir John Seymour of Wulfhall, Wiltshire and Margery Wentworth.[4] Elizabeth and her sister Jane served in the household of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII.[5][6][7] The Seymours rose to prominence after the king's attention turned to Jane.[8] 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.[9] 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[10] and Catherine Howard.[11] Jane died 24 October 1537, twelve days after giving birth to a healthy son, Edward VI.[12]
Elizabeth lived under four Tudor monarchs (Lady Jane Grey is not included) and was married three times. By July 1530[13] 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.[14]