Thursday, August 4, 2016

Hans Holbein the Younger - Edward the VI

 
Hans Holbein the Younger
Edward the VI as a child

Edward was born on 12 October 1537 in his mother's room inside Hampton Court Palace, in Middlesex. He was the son of King Henry VIII. by his third wife, Jane Seymour. Throughout the realm, the people greeted the birth of a male heir, "whom we hungered for so long",
with joy and relief. Queen Jane, appearing to recover quickly from the birth, sent out personally signed letters announcing the birth of  "a Prince, conceived in most lawful matrimony between my Lord the King's Majesty and us". Edward was christened on 15 October, with his half-sisters, the 21-year-old Lady Mary as godmother and the 4-year-old Lady Elizabeth carrying the chrisom;
and the Garter King of Arms proclaimed him as Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester. The Queen, however, fell ill on 23 October from presumed postnatal complications, and died the
following night. Henry VIII wrote to Francis I of France that "Divine Providence hath mingled my joy with bitterness of the death of her who brought me this happiness".

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