Jane Seymour

The first ever biography of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's third wife, who died in childbirth giving the king what he craved most - a son and heir. First biography to show the real Jane Seymour; she may have been submissive and obedient in front of Henry, but her true personality was far more cutthroat.
Despite the huge interest in the wives of Henry VIII - most of his wives are the subject of at least two books - Jane has none.
Jane Seymour is often portrayed as meek and mild and as the most successful, but one of the least significant, of Henry VIII's wives. The real Jane was a very different character, demure and submissive yet with a ruthless streak - as Anne Boleyn was being tried for treason, Jane was choosing her wedding dress. From the lowliest origins of any of Henry's wives, her rise shows an ambition every bit as great as Anne's.
Elizabeth Norton tells the thrilling life of a country girl from rural Wiltshire who rose to the throne of England and became the ideal Tudor woman.

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: Jane’s Life
Chapter 2: Queenship and Political Role
Chapter 3:  The Material Culture of Jane’s Queenship
Chapter 4: Jane’s Household
Chapter 5: Income, Lands and Estates
Chapter 6: Jane’s Religion
Chapter 7: Memorialising Jane
Conclusion
Appendix 1: Jane’s Letters
Appendix 2: Jane’s Wardrobe Accounts (TNA LC 5/31)
Bibliography
Index

"This is a long overdue reappraisal of Jane Seymour. Drawing on meticulous archival research, especially the evidence of estate management and indentures, Norton reconstructs Jane as an active queen consort: a political actor working through patronage, intercession, household, and image craft, rather than a passive interlude between more dramatic wives. A persuasive and important contribution to Tudor queenship studies."
Estelle Paranque, Northeastern University London

Elizabeth Norton is an historian specializing in queenship and the Tudor period. She has a PhD in Early Modern British History from King’s College London, a masters degree from the University of Oxford and an undergraduate degree from the University of Cambridge. She has taught History at King’s College London and has published a number of journal articles. She is also interested in public history and is the author of The Lives of Tudor Women (2016) and Women Who Ruled the World: 5000 Years of Female Monarchy (2025).