Jane Parker: Sister-in-Law and Court Schemer
Jane Parker, Lady Rochford, was married to George Boleyn, Anne Boleyn’s brother. Her life became entangled in the highest Tudor dramas. After Anne and George were executed in 1536, Lady Rochford survived—only to reemerge years later as a lady-in-waiting to Catherine Howard, Henry’s fifth wife.
Jane helped facilitate Catherine Howard’s illicit meetings with Thomas Culpeper, a reckless involvement that led to both their executions. Jane Parker’s story highlights how ladies-in-waiting could become dangerously enmeshed in court intrigues, often paying with their lives.
Beyond the queen’s household, powerful noblewomen maneuvered in broader court politics. They arranged marriages, brokered alliances, and protected family interests. Some were older matriarchs, others young widows trying to secure their children’s inheritance.
Margaret Pole: The Last Plantagenet Princess
Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, was a daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, and thus niece to two kings—Edward IV and Richard III. Under Henry VIII, she became one of the most prominent noblewomen in England. As governess to Princess Mary (daughter of Catherine of Aragon), Margaret was fiercely protective of the girl’s rights and Catholic upbringing.
When Henry broke with Rome and demoted Mary after divorcing Catherine, Margaret continued to support the princess, refusing to renounce the Pope. This loyalty eventually led to her downfall. In 1541, at age 67, she was executed at the Tower of London on dubious charges of treason, her death a stark reminder of the lethal stakes of Tudor power struggles. shutdown123