The Life of Thomas Seymour Trivia Quiz

Answer: John Seymour and Margaret Wentworth

Thomas Seymour is the second son of John and Margaret Seymour. The Seymours enjoy some influence and power in England, as they are a rather old and noble family.

Answer: Wulfhall

Wulfhall was located in Wiltshire, England. It had been the ancient home of the Seymours for many years. It is reported that Henry VIII first fell in love with Jane Seymour went he went to visit the Seymours there, during his marriage to Anne Boleyn.

Answer: Jane Seymour

Jane Seymour married Henry VIII on May 30, 1536, only eleven days after Anne Boleyn's execution. With Jane's rise to power, it was only expected that her family would gain some advantage from it, just as Anne's family had received titles and lands when she had been queen.

Answer: Katherine Parr

Katherine Parr fell in love with Thomas Seymour after the death of her second husband. They carried on a flirtation for a while, but soon Henry VIII started to notice her, and when he decided that he wanted to marry her, he sent Thomas off on foreign business away from England, so he could have Katherine for himself.

Answer: Lord High Admiral

The title of Lord High Admiral meant that Thomas controlled England's navy. This title may have been given partly so that Thomas would be away from court more often and he would not be able to woo Katherine Parr. However, Thomas was always eager for new titles and more power.

Answer: Either of the two princesses Mary and Elizabeth

Thomas decided that the best way to get more power was to marry royalty. He thought it would be the best for him if he could marry either the Princess Mary or the Princess Elizabeth, because then he would have a shot at becoming King of England someday. However, the King's Council would not approve this plan, and the Princess could not marry without the Council's approval.

Answer: Elizabeth Tudor

Katherine Parr ended up marrying Thomas, since Henry VIII had already died. She was the Dowager Queen, so she was royal, though by marriage, not birth. However, Thomas did not give up his hopes of marrying one of the princesses, and when Katherine Parr invited the Princess Elizabeth to live with them at Chelsea, he tried to seduce her behind Katherine's back.

Answer: Giving him pocket money

Edward Seymour, Thomas's brother, kept King Edward very low in pocket money, so Thomas tried to sweeten Edward by giving him extra money to spend. This had the desired effect on the young King, who felt stifled by the Lord Protector Seymour.

Answer: Yes

Mary Seymour was born on August 30 or 31, 1548. She was named Mary after the Princess Mary Tudor. Katherine Parr died only a week later, and Mary disappears from the records only a few years after that.

Answer: Jane Grey

Jane Grey was a cousin of Edward. She was born the same month and year as Edward, and was equally as Protestant, so it was thought that she would be a good match. Thomas felt that he would easily be able to control her, so if she married Edward, he could indirectly rule England.

However, Edward decided not to marry her. He thought it was his duty to marry foreign royalty, as his father had wanted.

Answer: By kidnapping the king

Thomas gathered a few followers and tried to build up an army. He decided that if he could kidnap the king and perhaps ransom him off, he could get either power or money, and would be able to supplant his brother Edward, "the Good Duke", in the Council.

Answer: The king's dog started barking

Edward's spaniel puppy caught Thomas sneaking in, and barked hysterically at the intruder. Thomas was afraid that the guards would hear the dog, and desperately shot the gun. Unfortunately, this wasn't a good plan because the shot was louder than the barking, and he woke both the King and the guards.

Answer: Take me to the Tower of London

Being in the King's rooms at night, unauthorized, armed with a gun could only be construed as treason, and he was carted off to the Tower to await sentencing.

Answer: Beheading

The penalty for treason was death, and although most traitors die in a painful, drawn-out way, nobility usually were killed by beheading. The death warrant had to go through his brother Edward, but he stalled so much, that John Dudley brought it to the King and got it passed that way. Edward Seymour made no move to stop it.

Answer: March 20, 1549

Thomas was executed on March 20, 1549, on Tower Hill. At his death, he was found to have written notes to both of the Princesses that he had hidden in his clothing, warning them about Edward Seymour's treachery. The notes were discovered and destroyed.