| Edmund Tudor | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Somerset | |
 Detail of a painting showing the family of Henry VII, c. 1509 | |
| Born | 21 February 1499 Greenwich Palace, Kent, England |
| Died | 19 June 1500(1500-06-19) (aged 1) Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, England |
| Burial | 22 June 1500 |
| House | Tudor |
| Father | Henry VII of England |
| Mother | Elizabeth of York |
Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset (21 February 1499 – 19 June 1500) was an English prince, and the sixth child of KingHenry VII of England andElizabeth of York.
He was styled from birthDuke of Somerset, but never formally created apeer.[1]
Edmund Tudor was born on 21 February 1499, atGreenwich Palace, Kent. He was baptised in the Church of the Observant Friars on 24 February 1499.[2] The festivities for the christening were considered very splendid.[3] The child was named Edmund after his paternal grandfather,Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, father of King Henry VII.[4]
Hisgodparents were his paternal grandmotherLady Margaret Beaufort,Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham andRichard Foxe.[5] Lady Margaret Beaufort gave the child a gift of £100 and rewarded the midwife and nurses.[citation needed]
Edmund spent some time in the royal nursery ofEltham Palace with his elder sistersMargaret andMary and his brother the Duke of York (afterwardsKing Henry VIII). The eldest sibling,Arthur, did not reside in the nursery with his siblings, as he had his own household.[citation needed]
Edmund was present with his elder siblings Margaret, Mary and Henry whenErasmus andThomas More visited the royal nursery at Eltham Palace in September 1499. The seven-month-old Edmund was held in the arms of his nurse during the visit.[6]
Edmund is said to have been created Duke of Somerset, but no enrollment of apatent of such creation is to be found.[6] It seems likely that, although he may have been styled Duke of Somerset, he died before he was so created.[1] His elder brother Henry was not created Duke of York until he was above 3 years of age.[7]
Edmund died on 19 June 1500, atHatfield House in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, aged 15 months.[2] The cause of Edmund's death is unknown, and he could have died of a number ofchildhood diseases; at the time of his death, however, it is known that theplague was rampant.[5]
King Henry and Queen Elizabeth had travelled toCalais and stayed for 40 days. The royal children were removed fromEltham Palace to the more remoteHatfield House inHertfordshire for isolation. On 16 June, as the plague abated, Henry and Elizabeth sailed toDover. It was either during their return or upon their arrival that they received the news of Edmund's death at Hatfield.[citation needed]
Edmund was given astate funeral, and records indicate that the king gave over £242 for the prince's burial.[8] He was buried inWestminster Abbey on 22 June 1500. He is buried near his sisters,Elizabeth and, three years later,Katherine, who also both died young.[9]