While he is not one of the first names that comes to mind when the subject of Tudor England is raised, Edward Seymour was a major player in the court of Henry VIII and grew up alongside many of the more famous names associated with the period, including Anne Boleyn.

Perhaps his most often mentioned claim to fame has to do with his sister, Jane, who married the king upon the beheading of Henry's second wife, Boleyn. His power base did suffer a blow when Jane died a few years later in childbirth, but he retained much of his influence at court. He was born the eldest son of Sir John Seymour and his wife Margaret.

The family claimed descent from a companion of William the Conqueror. His father moved the family up the social ladder by becoming an associate of Henry VII, and was subsequently knighted. Edward's path crossed with other Tudor luminaries when he was named an "enfant d'honneur" to Mary Tudor when she married Louis XII of France. The Boleyn sisters, Anne and Mary, bore similar titles and duties and also lived in France during the same period. When Seymour returned to England in the late 1520s, he became known to the king, and the two became friends, with Henry regularly visiting the Seymour estate.

Seymour was appointed "esquire of the body" to Henry in 1529, and in 1536, just one week after his sister's marriage to the king, he was created Viscount Beauchamp of Hache. Upon the birth of the crown Prince Edward, Seymour was elevated to the earldom of Hertford. After his sister's death he was described by one contemporary as being "young and wise," but of "small power." Despite such a remark, his political star continued to ascend. He was, after all, the uncle of a future king of England. Henry continued to bestow titles upon Seymour, both military and political. Through his brother's connections to Henry's widow, Catherine Parr, he continued to wield considerable political power. Indeed, during one period of Edward's regency Seymour acted as king in everything but name.

He was something of a political reformer, and did not favor the typical Tudor absolutism. Instead, he favored popular participation in the parliamentary process and repealed most of the heresy and treason laws in the English code. Seymour also thought that public discourse would be the best way to resolve the religion question. By 1550, Seymour had fallen out of political favor and his enemies plotted to have him arrested for treason. He was charged and condemned for having sought to change the government. He was executed in 1552. His descendants were restored to their titles and property.