35. The Seymours Lose a Queen, But Gain a King
In 1537, Jane Seymour accomplished what Henry VIII’s previous wives had failed to do, and gave birth to a male heir, Edward Tudor, the future king Edward VI. As relatives of a future king, the Seymour family’s stock rose even further, although it came at a price: Jane Seymour died of childbirth complications soon after producing the heir to the throne. Her brothers Thomas and Edward, making the best of their opportunity, cemented their place in the royal court, and steadily gained in stature and power.