Anne Seymour Was Determined To A Fault
Anne Seymour knew what she wanted, and she knew it from the start. From an early age, those around her could tell that she was aggressive in both ambition and demeanor, and she put that moxie to good use, eventually becoming the most powerful woman in Great Britain. But as history has taught us so many times, the higher they climb, the harder they fall…
1. She Was An Only Child…Kinda
Anne Seymour was born Anne Stanhope, around the year 1510. She was the only child of Edward Stanhope by his wife Elizabeth Bourchier, herself a daughter of the 10th Baron FitzWarin. Anne’s father had been married previously, however, meaning that she did have some sibling relationships.
2. Her Father Had More Kids
Edward Stanhope had married another before he met Anne’s mother. With his first marriage to Adelina Clifton, he had sired Anne’s two half-brothers: Richard Stanhope, who passed before Anne’s 20th birthday, and Sir Michael Stanhope, who would become an influential courtier before his eventual bloody beheading. Anne’s notable relatives didn’t stop there.
3. She Was Noble
As was common for most members of the nobility, Anne had quite an impressive family tree. But Anne’s mother’s side was clearly the more impressive one. Elizabeth could count among her ancestors Thomas of Woodstock, who had been the youngest son of King Edward III. This position meant that Anne’s mother had some insurance when tragedy struck the family.
4. She Lost Her Father
In 1511, Anne’s father, Edward Stanhope, passed unexpectedly of unknown causes. Devastatingly, Anne was just a year old at the time, meaning she never got to know her father. There was a silver lining, however, even if the bereaved infant was too young to know it.
5. She Became An Infant Heiress
Despite losing her father tragically early, the laws of succession had a consolation prize for Anne: the one-year-old became the sole heiress to her father’s estate, placing a silver spoon firmly in the baby’s mouth. But just to make sure her daughter would never struggle a day in her life, Anne’s mother secured a wealthy replacement for her deceased husband.
6. Her Stepfather Had Connections
Following the loss of her husband, Anne’s widowed mother remarried after a few years, this time to Sir Richard Paget. Paget hailed from the lavish Beechwood in Hertfordshire and was well-connected in his roles as a gentleman of the Privy Chamber for King Henry VIII and Vice-Chamberlain of the household of Henry Fitzroy.
Anne, thus, found herself set for life—but her personality was a hard pill to swallow.
7. She Was Unbearable
Reports from early in Anne’s life paint a picture of a young woman completely spoiled by her privileged life. The heiress was reportedly intolerably snobby and proud, and many found her deeply unpleasant to be around. She had her positive points too, however.
8. She Had Grit
Despite her negative qualities, Anne knew what she wanted. Alongside her prickly temperament, contemporaries reported the young heiress to be deeply intelligent and determined in her ambition. Of course, pride, snobbery, intelligence, and ambition can be a dangerous mix, and Anne’s personality attracted one very apt comparison.
9. She Was A Handful
Anne’s snobbery and social standing meant that she felt extremely entitled to whatever she wanted, and she often took liberties that illustrated this attitude. A Spanish merchant, Antonio de Guaras, encountered the heiress during a time he spent in London, and his summation was damning; he described her as “more presumptuous than Lucifer”. Whoever ended up with Anne would need nerves of steel.
10. She Met A Man
By 1529, Anne Stanhope was reportedly in service to Queen Catherine at the royal court, and it was there that she met her future husband, Edward Seymour. There was just one hitch: Seymour was already married to a woman named Katherine Fillol, and the two had just welcomed their second child together. The story of how Edward ended up with Anne is a crazy one in itself.
11. Her Husband Got Scorned
Anne’s husband’s first marriage eventually got annulled after a dramatic case of sordid infidelity. Sometime between 1527 and 1540, Edward discovered his wife was having an affair. The affair was not just with anyone, though; scandalously, most historians believe that Katherine Fillol was engaged in a romantic relationship with Edward’s father, Sir John Seymour.
Anne’s husband-to-be was understandably outraged by this wild betrayal.
12. She Didn’t Have To Blend
As mentioned, Edward and his first wife had two sons together, but Anne did not have to adopt stepchildren. After discovering Katherine’s affair, the scorned Seymour ended his marriage, sent his wife to a nunnery, and allegedly completely disowned his two children, no longer certain he was even their father. With the slate of his family life wiped clean, Anne was free to make her move.
13. She Tied The Knot
Though the exact date of their wedding is unknown, historical records show that Anne and Edward married sometime before March 9, 1535. The young courtier was now officially Anne Seymour, and her new husband was a serious catch with some important connections at court.
14. She Got Closer To Power
In addition to working in the royal household, Anne’s new husband had a close familial connection to the royal family. Edward was the eldest brother of Jane Seymour, who, in 1536, would marry King Henry VIII to become his third wife. The ascension of the Seymour family brought immediate benefits for Anne and her husband.
15. Her Husband Climbed…
With the King of Great Britain now his brother-in-law, Anne’s husband’s standing at court skyrocketed. Shortly after Jane’s marriage, Edward Seymour's station was elevated in 1536 to the peerage as Viscount Beauchamp. The following year, after the birth of his royal nephew, Edward rose once again, this time as the newly created Earl of Hertford.
But it was his next “promotion” that gave Anne her most notorious title.
16. …And She Climbed With Him
In 1547, Edward Seymour became the Duke of Somerset, which meant that his wife became a Duchess. From relatively humble noble origins, Anne Stanhope had hitched her wagon to a rising star at court, and now Anne Seymour, Duchess of Somerset, needed to secure her legacy.
17. She Was Fertile
Shortly before her husband became Earl in 1537, Anne Seymour got to work building a family—and certainly put the work in. In total, she had a whopping ten children with Edward Seymour, with her final child coming when she was a ripe 40 years old. The couple made sure to tie some famous names to their offspring.
18. Her Son Had Connections
Anne named her first child after his father: Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, was born on October 12, 1537. Eddie’s Jr’s aunt, Queen Jane, stood as the infant’s godmother, with Thomas Cromwell and Mary Tudor also acting as godparents. The poor boy’s life got cut tragically short, however.
19. She Lost Her Baby
Devastatingly, Anne’s first child did not survive infancy. Edward Seymour Jr perished of unknown causes in 1539; infant mortality was, tragically, not uncommon in the Tudor era, even among the noble class. Life pulled its punches, but Anne had no choice but to keep trudging forward. After mourning their son, she and her husband got back to business.
20. She Tried Again
With infant mortality being simply a fact of life during Anne’s time, she and her husband wasted no time on a follow-up heir. The same year their first son perished, Anne gave birth to her second son, whom they also named Edward. This Edward Seymour Jr would live a long, full life, and would end up marrying three times! There were a few choice picks among the rest of the couple’s children too.
21. She Birthed Some Creatives
Anne Seymour continued to bear a litter of lords and ladies by her husband, and it was not just her sons that would make names for themselves. The Duchess’ fifth child was Lady Margaret Seymour, who would grow up to become a noted Elizabethan author. Her next daughter would one-up that, however.
22. Her Kids Rubbed Elbows With Royals
Anne’s next child was Lady Jane Seymour (named for her queenly aunt). Like her older sister, Lady Jane would become a noted Elizabethan author too. She also enjoyed a close friendship with Queen Elizabeth I, with the monarch even naming her Maid of Honor at her wedding. Speaking of weddings, one in particular would signal the most dramatic chapter of Anne’s life…
23. She Attended Nuptials
In 1536, Anne’s sister-in-law, Queen Jane, passed unexpectedly, and the King found himself single yet again. He eventually met Catherine Parr, whom he married on July 12, 1543. Attending the wedding was Duchess Anne herself, illustrating that her stature at court had not suffered from her royal connection’s untimely passing.
Another unexpected demise would, in fact, solidify the Duchess of Somerset’s power.
24. Her Husband Ruled
On January 28, 1547, King Henry VIII passed, throwing the realm into crisis. His heir, the newly crowned King Edward VI, was only nine years old, meaning the kingdom needed an adult at the helm. Anne’s husband, who had remained close to the deceased king right until the end, was named Lord Protector, making him the de facto ruler—king in all but name.
This, of course, gave Anne a serious bump in stature.
25. She Ordained Herself
True to form, Anne Seymour quickly acted with authority as first lady of the realm, employing her characteristic ruthless ambition. She even pushed aside King Henry’s widow, the aforementioned Catherine Parr, whose wedding the Duchess had attended. Her stated reasons for this precedence were jaw-dropping.
26. She Betrayed Family
Following the demise of King Henry, Catherine Parr quickly remarried—this time to Anne’s brother-in-law! The fact that the king’s widow was now wed to Thomas Seymour, the Duke of Somerset’s brother, was the very tool the Duchess of Somerset used against Catherine to take power that many would argue should have belonged to the royal widow.
Anne made no qualms about expressing her distaste for her rival either.
27. She Was Petty
Anne’s characteristic hostility was on full display following her husband’s ascension to Lord Protector, particularly when it came to Henry’s widow. She refused to hold Catherine’s train at her wedding, as would have been custom, viewing the act as beneath her. More shockingly, she would physically push the former queen out of the way during entrances and exits at court, taking her place at the head of processions. The Duchess did not limit her broadsides to the physical.
28. She Felt Entitled
Anne Seymour made no secret of her hatred of Catherine and would often make verbal comments to cut down the King’s widow and lessen her standing in the minds of fellow courtiers. On one occasion, speaking of the former Queen, records quote the Duchess saying, “If master admiral [Catherine’s husband, Thomas Seymour] teach his wife no better manners, I am she that will”. This shocking mistreatment only continued.
29. She Insulted Her
Though she was mean enough to Catherine in public, Anne Seymour was even more cruel about her sister-in-law privately. She would often refer to her as “that Hell," illustrating her pompous sense of superiority, but also her threatened insecurity. Despite all of Anne's brutality, however, Catherine was not afraid to fight back.
30. She Received Pushback
Faced with Anne’s hostile rudeness and desperate grab for power, Catherine Parr, to her credit, did not back down. After doing some research, the king’s widow clapped back by invoking the Third Succession Act, a piece of legislation that clearly stated that she stood above all other women in the kingdom. The writing was on the wall for the Duchess of Somerset—and she had further to fall than second place.
31. She Fell Down The Ranks
Following Catherine’s invocation of the Third Succession Act, the power balance at court got shuffled significantly. Despite her position as wife of the Lord Protector, Anne Seymour found herself now only the fifth most powerful woman in the land, preceded by Catherine, King Henry’s two daughters, and the King’s former wife, Anne of Cleves. It was a devastating fall for the ambitious Duchess, and her behavior did her no favors…
32. She Damaged Her Standing
Although she had wielded significant power for a short time, a magnificent accomplishment in its own right, Anne’s stint in charge proved more harmful than good in the long run. For her treatment of the king’s widow, many began describing her as a “violent woman," and her husband’s association with this bristly figure did no favors to his reputation.
However, the worst was yet to come.
33. Her Husband Fell
Anne’s husband remained Lord Protector despite her fall in position, and Duke Edward Seymour enjoyed near-complete royal authority for about two years. Things crumbled entirely in October 1549, however, when, following a showdown with the Privy Council, the Lord Protector found himself stripped completely of his power and position.
Things only got uglier from there.
34. She Ended Up Behind Bars
The run-in with the Privy Council was no mere dispute; Anne Seymour and Edward’s reputations took serious damage following her odious behavior, and the council members were out for justice. The Duke and Duchess were locked up in the Tower of London for their crimes—a stunning fall from grace. Luckily, it ultimately only came to a slap on the wrist…this time, at least.
35. She Didn’t Stay Long
Luckily for the Duke and Duchess, their stint in prison wasn’t a long one. Anne got released shortly after her imprisonment, and her husband followed a few months later, in January 1550. Tensions remained at court, however, with palace intrigue and conspiracy abounding. Anne made her next move.
36. She Appealed To Power
With King Edward still a boy, the new de facto ruler of the realm was John Dudley, Earl of Warwick. Anne Seymour immediately set her sights on the influential Privy Council member, and according to the records of the Imperial ambassador, the Duchess made daily visits to the Earl’s house—a clear attempt to butter him up. And, at first, her efforts reaped rewards.
37. Her Plan Worked
Though it is unknown exactly what Anne got up to during her daily visits to the Earl, it clearly worked. In a stunning reversal of fortunes, the Privy Council permitted the previously disgraced Duke of Somerset to rejoin. The couple’s maneuvers did not end there, however, as they attempted to consolidate power yet again.
38. She Played Matchmaker
As a further show of good faith, Anne Seymour put her head together with the Earl’s wife, the Countess of Warwick. Together the two arranged a marriage between the Duchess’ eldest daughter (also named Anne) and the Countess’ eldest son (also named John Dudley). Things seemed to improve for the once-fallen Seymours, but somehow, they managed to put their foot in it again.
39. She Betrayed Again
In his new position of power, the Earl of Warwick continued to rise too, soon becoming the Duke of Northumberland. Apparently, this was much to the displeasure of Anne’s husband, because in October 1551, Somerset got arrested once again, this time on charges of conspiring against the Lord Protector.
Like a nightmare on repeat, Anne found herself right back in the last place she wanted to be.
40. She Was A Repeat Offender
Authorities took Anne Seymour and her husband to the Tower of London once again to await sentencing. Perhaps fearing a longer stay this time, the noble couple drafted a list of clothing and personal items that they hoped the Crown would send to their cell. The list of home comforts was an elaborate one.
41. She Sought Special Treatment
Anne’s list of desired items for her stay in the Tower of London was very telling of her well-to-do personality and position.
The Duchess “humbly” requested a black gown, black and white embroidery thread, a farthingale, freshly made smocks and high-collared partlets and ruffs, knitted hose and sleeves (kept specifically by her servant Mistress Susan), laces (once again, those specifically kept by another servant, Mistress Purseby), a plain black velvet kirtle, a stomacher made from scarlet cloth, utensils for dining, and £20 to pay for washing.
But even with all the comforts of home, nothing could save her husband from his fate.
42. Her Husband Faced Condemnation
Anne’s husband’s sentencing for his crimes took place on December 1, 1551, when the Duke of Somerset was convicted of felony and sentenced to beheading. The Crown carried out the execution on Tower Hill on January 22, 1552. It was a horrific way for Anne to ring in the new year, and though she was in for a long stay, the Crown eventually showed mercy.
43. She Tasted Freedom Once Again
Perhaps because of her familial connections to the royal family, Anne Seymour eventually got released from prison and allowed back into normal life at court—following a long imprisonment, of course. After serving a sentence of almost two years, the widow Somerset finally left the Tower of London on May 30, 1553. Luckily, a high-placed friend helped her get back on her feet.
44. She Received Gifts
During Anne’s imprisonment, the dramatics at court had continued apace: the Duke of Northumberland, the man responsible for her husband’s sentence, had suffered an attainder from the newly ascendant Queen Mary I, stripping him of all his property and titles. Taking pity on the Duchess upon her release, Queen Mary allowed Anne her pick of the Dudley family’s household objects. Now free but significantly humbled, Anne settled into a quiet retirement.
45. She Kept Quiet
Shortly after her release, Anne Seymour remarried—this time to Francis Newdigate, who had served as steward to her late husband. The disgraced Duchess had clearly learned her lesson: We know little of her life after that, meaning she did not conspire against anyone at court again. And as a consolation prize, the once-powerful woman enjoyed a long life.
46. She Lived Long
Though the cause of her demise is now lost to history, Anne, her of many names—Stanhope, Seymour, Somerset, and Newdigate—passed quietly at Hanworth Palace on April 16, 1587, living to the ripe old age of 77. They buried the Duchess in Westminster Abbey, in a tomb with a painted effigy which is still on display to this day. She left behind some very characteristic gifts.
47. She Left Bling Behind
Across her lifetime, Anne Seymour had accumulated an impressive jewelry collection, often displaying her lavish pieces as a sign of her wealth and position. Following her demise, she bequeathed to her daughter-in-law, Lady Katherine Grey, a beautiful locket “with antique work on one side, and a rose of diamonds on the other”. There were still plenty of unclaimed jewels left, however.
48. She Had Her Collection Catalogued
After Anne’s passing, Queen Elizabeth ordered an inventory of her extensive array of jewels, as well as her money, to be performed by a member of her Council in coordination with Anne’s master of wardrobe. This project proved to be extremely revealing.
49. She Glittered
The cataloguing found many ornate items, including a chain of gold pomander beads with love knots of pearl and a red taffeta purse featuring two pieces of “unicorn horn” (which was, in reality, likely a narwhal horn). The collection painted quite a flashy picture of the late Duchess, making her irresistible to later visual adaptation.
50. She Was Posthumously Promiscuous
Anne Seymour has been the subject of numerous portrayals in fiction from the 20th century onward, with the most notable depiction being that of actress Emma Hamilton in the historical fiction series The Tudors.
Interestingly, the character of Anne in this series was also partially based on Catherine Fillol, the Duke of Somerset’s first wife, resulting in a depiction of the Duchess as a promiscuous flirt. Despite the apocryphal nature of the portrayal, perhaps it hints at what Anne may have gotten up to in her daily visits to the Earl of Warwick when her husband had fallen into disgrace…
You May Also Like:
Elizabeth Charlotte, Keeper Of Versailles' Dark Secrets
Karma Came For History’s Coldest Royal Mother