Henry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp facts for kids

Henry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp (born around 1626 – died 14 March 1654) was an English nobleman. He was the third son of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset, a very important figure in England.

A Royal Family Connection

Henry Seymour had a special connection to the English royal family. Through his father's grandmother, he was a great-great-great-grandson of Mary Tudor, Queen of France. Mary Tudor was the sister of the famous King Henry VIII and the daughter of King Henry VII. This means Henry Seymour was a direct descendant of King Henry VII, making his family very well-connected to the royal line.

Becoming Lord Beauchamp

Henry had two older brothers. Sadly, both of them passed away when they were in their twenties and had not married. Because of this, in 1646, when Henry was about 20 years old, he became the next in line to inherit his father's important title. He then took on the special "courtesy title" of Lord Beauchamp. A courtesy title is used by the eldest son of a duke or marquess, even though they haven't officially inherited the main title yet.

Marriage and Family Life

On 28 June 1648, Henry Seymour married Mary Capell in a place called Hadham Parva in Hertfordshire. They had two children together: one son and one daughter.

Like his father, Henry was a Cavalier. Cavaliers were supporters of King Charles I during the English Civil War. Because of his loyalty to the King, Henry was put in prison in the Tower of London during a time when England was called the Commonwealth (from 1649 to 1660). He was held there from 9 April to 9 September 1651. He was finally set free after someone paid a very large amount of money, £10,000, as a promise that he would behave.

Henry Seymour passed away on 14 March 1654. He was buried on 30 March at Bedwyn Magna. Records show he died at a place called "Tilsy."

His Children and Legacy

After Henry's death, his wife Mary married again in 1657 to Lord Herbert, who later became the 1st Duke of Beaufort.

Henry and Mary's children were:

• William Seymour, 3rd Duke of Somerset (1654–1671): He became the 3rd Duke of Somerset after his grandfather passed away.
• Lady Elizabeth Seymour (born around 1655 – died 1697): She was given the special rank and style of a duke's daughter on 28 June 1672. She married Thomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury, on 31 August 1676. When her brother William died without having any children, Lady Elizabeth became the heiress to important family lands, including Tottenham and Savernake Forest in Wiltshire. She also became the main representative of the royal line of Princess Mary Tudor, through the Grey and Brandon families. This made her a very important figure in terms of family history and inheritance.