Not to be confused with Lady Jane Grey (book). |
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- "Am almost too dejected to write. How can I ever become the paragon of a daughter my parents desire? I dread each moment I spend in their presence. Nothing I do or say ever seems to please them. It is all, Jane, stand up straight, do not slouch, pray do not screw up your eyes when I talk to you."
- —Lady Jane Grey[6]
Lady Jane Grey (October 1537 – 12 February 1554), later Jane Dudley, was the eldest daughter of Frances and Henry Grey. She was the great-niece of King Henry VIII, and therefore a cousin of his children Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. In 1553, Jane was briefly queen after Edward passed away. She and her husband Guildford Dudley were found guilty of treason and executed.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Lady Jane Grey was born in May[2] or October 1537[3] to Frances Brandon and Sir Henry Grey. She was named after the queen at the time, Jane Seymour. Jane Grey had royal lineage through her grandmother, Mary Tudor, whom was the younger sister of King Henry VIII. Jane grew up at her family's home, Bradgate Park in Leicestershire.
1547 – 1554[]
Following the death of the King, Jane's favorite cousin Edward VI ascended the English throne in early 1547. Jane, meanwhile, was sent to the household of Edward's uncle Thomas Seymour, whom became her guardian. Thomas plotted with Jane's parents to somehow betroth her to his nephew. Jane enjoyed living with Thomas and his elderly mother. In May, Thomas revealed to her that he had married King Henry's widow, Catherine Parr, whom Jane was already exceedingly fond of. Jane stayed with the couple at Chelsea Place, where her cousin Elizabeth was also staying. Elizabeth was sent away just before the household departed to Sudeley Castle, where Catherine gave birth and passed away in September 1548. Jane served as the chief mourner at Catherine's funeral.
The following month, Thomas had Jane sent back home but recalled within a few weeks. In January 1549, Thomas was arrested for allegedly attempting to kidnap the King. Jane was sent to her parents' home, Dorset Place in London, where the family stayed until after Thomas's execution. Later that year, Edward Seymour, the Lord Protector, was ousted from Edward's favor likely by John Dudley, whom Jane mistrusted. Jane's father was appointed Warden of the Northern Marches, but had resigned by September 1551. The following month, Jane waited on the Scottish Regent, Mary of Guise, when she visited court. In early 1552, Edward Seymour was imprisoned once again and later executed.
In May 1553, Jane was forced to marry to John Dudley's son, Guildford, by her parents. She avoided living with him at first. The following July, Edward passed away after naming Jane as his heir to circumvent the throne going to his Catholic sister Mary. Though disinclined to be queen, Jane agreed to it after speaking to John Dudley and the council. Her reign only lasted nine days. Mary had gained support and Jane's council turned against her. Jane and Guildford were imprisoned at the Tower of London and later found guilty of treason. Mary was inclined to pardon the couple, but sentenced them to death after Jane's father joined Wyatt's Rebellion. Jane made peace with Guildford before they were both executed on 12 February 1554.
Physical appearance[]
Her appearance was described as similar to Elizabeth's as they both had "the same red hair and arched eyebrows."[7] Jane had a small stature, which often led to people to think she was younger than her actual age. She also had noticeable freckles all over her face, which she was self conscious about.
Personality and traits[]
Jane's favorite thing in the world was reading books, saying "Books are my safe place, my refuge from the ills of this world." Even at the age of ten, she chose reading over playing with toys which the adults around her found odd. She was adept at studying and learning, and became a bit of a rival to Elizabeth when they lived in the same household. Jane was proficient in Latin and Greek. She was a passionate Protestant, which she believed was the "true religion." Protestantism was also one of the main subjects that she studied. In dark times, Jane found comfort in her religion and always carried around a prayer book.
Her parents were often harsh with Jane, despite her best efforts to please them. Their treatment of her likely resulted in her subdued nature. Nevertheless, Jane was capable of being extremely headstrong at times, such as when she objected to marrying Guildford. Later on, Jane began to feel pity for Guilford when she realized that they were both being similarly used and controlled by their parents.
Family tree[]
- See also: Category:House of Tudor
♛Henry VII (1457-1509) | Elizabeth of York (1465-1503) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arthur (1486-1502) | Stuart family | Margaret Tudor (1489-1541) | ♛Henry VIII (1491-1547) | (3) Mary Tudor (1496-1533) | Charles Brandon (1484-1545) | (4) Catherine Brandon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
♛Mary I (1516-1558) | ♛Elizabeth I (1533-1603) | ♛Edward VI (1537-1553) | Frances Brandon (d. 1559) | Sir Henry Grey (d. 1554) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Guildford Dudley (d. 1554) | ♛Lady Jane Grey (1537-1554) | Lady Katherine Grey | Lady Mary Grey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Key:
♛ - King or Queen of England
- Notes:
- Henry VIII married six times.
- Mary Tudor was first married to Louis XII of France.
- Charles Brandon had four wives with whom he had eight children.
Behind the scenes[]
- She is the main character of Lady Jane Grey by Sue Reid.
- Jane also appears as a supporting character in Kathryn Lasky's Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor and Alison Prince's Henry VIII's Wives, and as a minor character in Valerie Wilding's Bloody Tower.
Appearances[]
- In chronological order:
- Henry VIII's Wives
- Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor
- Lady Jane Grey
- Bloody Tower
- The Queen's Spies (Mentioned in the Historical Note)
References[]
- ↑ Lady Jane Grey, Sue Reid, page 185
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lady Jane Grey, Sue Reid, Timeline, pages 227-229
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Henry VIII's Wives, Alison Prince, page 72
- ↑ Bloody Tower (ISBN 9781407116853), Valerie Wilding, pages 83-84
- ↑ Henry VIII's Wives, Alison Prince, page 303
- ↑ Lady Jane Grey, Sue Reid, page 104
- ↑ Henry VIII's Wives, Alison Prince, page 303
- ↑ Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, Kathryn Lasky, pages 224-227
See also[]
The Royal Diaries characters | ||||||
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External links[]
- Lady Jane Grey at Biography
- Lady Jane Grey at English History
- Lady Jane Grey at Britannica
- Lady Jane Grey on Wikipedia