When Jane Seymour gave birth to Henry VIII’s long-awaited son, England rejoiced. Bells rang, bonfires blazed, and Henry finally had his male heir.

But just twelve days later, the joy turned to sorrow, Queen Jane Seymour was dead.

For centuries, her death has been shrouded in confusion and myth.

Some say she died after a Caesarean section. Others, childbed fever. Alison Weir believes food poisoning and an embolism were to blame.

In this episode, I take  a closer look at the evidence, exploring eyewitness reports, Tudor medicine, and modern medical insight, to uncover what really killed Henry VIII’s third wife.

Discover:

This is the tragic and very human story behind the death of Henry VIII’s so-called “perfect queen.”

Sources & Further Reading:

https://tudortimes.co.uk/guest-articles/why-did-jane-seymour-die-in-childbed

https://tudortimes.co.uk/guest-articles/why-did-jane-seymour-die-in-childbed/evidence

https://tudortimes.co.uk/guest-articles/why-did-jane-seymour-die-in-childbed/more-than-one-pregnancy

https://tudortimes.co.uk/guest-articles/why-did-jane-seymour-die-in-childbed/final-stages

https://elizabethnortonhistorian.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-death-of-queen-jane.html

The Seymour Family, history and romance by Amy Audrey Locke - https://archive.org/details/seymourfamilyhis00lockuoft/page/18/mode/2up?q=cold

'Henry VIII: October 1537, 21-25', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 12 Part 2, June-December 1537, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1891), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol12/no2/pp335-345

Hall’s Chronicle - https://archive.org/details/hallschronicleco00hall/page/824/mode/2up

Wriothesley’s Chronicle - https://archive.org/details/chronicleofengla01wriouoft/page/68/mode/2up

24 October 1537 – The Death of Queen Jane Seymour - https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/24-october-1537-death-queen-jane-seymour/

How to spot maternal sepsis, NCT - https://www.nct.org.uk/information/pregnancy/body-pregnancy/how-spot-maternal-sepsis

Signs of Infection After Birth: Postpartum Infection & Sepsis - https://www.emmasdiary.co.uk/pregnancy-and-birth/labour/signs-of-infection-after-birth 

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