Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for March 20.
Today is the anniversary in 1549 of the execution of Thomas Seymour, Lord High Admiral and husband of the Dowager Queen Katherine Parr, after being charged with 33 counts of treason. In January he had been accused of trying to kidnap King Edward VI. He had broken into the King’s apartments, and when Edward’s dog barked, Thomas snapped, and shot the dog.
His execution proved to be unpopular among the citizens of London, and the Council had to come up with a smear campaign to justify it. They alleged that he had written to both Princess Mary and Elizabeth telling them to rise up against Edward. Apparently Princess Elizabeth – who had had her own run-ins with Thomas the previous year while living in their family home with Katherine Parr – said, “today dies a man of much wit and very little judgment.”
Thomas left his infant daughter an orphan, and she very likely died as well.
That’s your Tudor Minute for today. Remember you can dive deeper into life in 16th century England through the Renaissance English History Podcast at englandcast.com.
Links:
Rebecca Larson at the Tudor Summit in August talking about him