Lady Jane Grey

Lady Jane Grey was a British noblewoman who claimed the throne of England and Ireland from 10 to 19 July 1553. She was the great-granddaughter of Henry VII through his daughter Mary Tudor, and a grandniece of Henry VIII. She was also a first cousin once removed of Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I. She had an excellent humanist education and a reputation as one of the most learned young women of her day. She married Lord Guildford Dudley, a son of Edward's chief minister John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, in May 1553. In June 1553, the dying Edward VI wrote his will, nominating Jane and her male heirs as successors to the Crown, in part because his half-sister Mary was Catholic, while Jane was a committed Protestant and would support the reformed Church of England. The will removed his half-sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, from the line of succession on account of their illegitimacy, subverting their claims under the Third Succession Act. After Edward's death, Jane was proclaimed queen on 10 July 1553 and awaited coronation in the Tower of London. However, support for Mary grew quickly and most of Jane's supporters abandoned her. The Privy Council of England suddenly changed sides and proclaimed Mary as queen on 19 July 1553, deposing Jane. Her primary supporter, her father-in-law Northumberland, was accused of treason and executed less than a month later. Jane was held prisoner in the Tower and was convicted of high treason in November 1553, which carried a sentence of death. Mary initially spared her life; however, Jane soon became viewed as a threat to the Crown when her father Henry Grey became involved with Wyatt's rebellion against Queen Mary's intention to marry Philip of Spain. Jane and her husband were executed by beheading on 12 February 1554. At the time of her death, Jane was either 16 or 17 years old. After her death, Jane was considered a martyr of sorts to the Protestant cause and remembered primarily as the Nine Days' Queen. She has been depicted in many books, plays, films and TV shows as a tragic heroine or a pawn of ambitious men.