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Lady '''Jane Grey''', or '''Jane Dudley''', (1537-54), a sincere [[Christian]], was proclaimed Queen of England on 10th of July 1553, against her will, by her father-in-law the [[Duke of Northumberland]].  [[Mary I|Mary]], the legitimate heir, refused to accept Jane's accension.  Jane abdicated nine days later on July 19th.  As it was clear that she herself had never wanted to be queen, it was another year and a half before she was executed.

 

Lady '''Jane Grey''', or '''Jane Dudley''', also known as the '''Nine Days Queen''' (1536/1537 – February 12, 1554), a sincere [[Christian]], was proclaimed Queen of England on 10 July 1553, against her will, by her father-in-law the [[Duke of Northumberland]].  [[Mary I|Mary]], the legitimate heir, refused to accept Jane's ascension.  Jane abdicated nine days later on July 19.  As it was clear that she herself had never wanted to be queen, it was another year and a half before she was executed.

==Family and Early Life==

==Family and Early Life==

Jane was the eldest child of [[Henry Grey]], Duke of Suffolk and great-grandson of [[Elizabeth Woodville]], queen to [[Edward IV]], by her first marriage; and [[Frances Grey]], daughter of [[Mary Tudor]] sister of [[Henry VIII]].  Under the terms of Henry VIII's will and Parliament's Act of Succession, her family would inherit the throne if all Henry's children died without issue.

Jane was the eldest child of [[Henry Grey]], Duke of Suffolk and great-grandson of [[Woodville family|Elizabeth Woodville]], queen to [[Edward IV]], by her first marriage; and [[Frances Grey]], daughter of [[Mary Tudor]] sister of [[Henry VIII]].  Under the terms of Henry VIII's will and Parliament's Act of Succession, her family would inherit the throne if all Henry's children died without issue.

Henry and Frances were both conniving political schemers who hoped to use their children to gain greater social advantage.  Since [[Henry VIII|King Henry]] had left one son ([[Edward VI]]) and two daughters ([[Mary I|Mary]] and [[Elizabeth I|Elizabeth]]), however, they did not seriously expect Frances to become queen in her own right.  However, they brought up Jane expecting her to marry the young [[Edward VI]] and trained her mercilessly for that goal.

Henry and Frances were both conniving political schemers who hoped to use their children to gain greater social advantage.  Since [[Henry VIII|King Henry]] had left one son ([[Edward VI]]) and two daughters ([[Mary I|Mary]] and [[Elizabeth I|Elizabeth]]), however, they did not seriously expect Frances to become queen in her own right.  However, they brought up Jane expecting her to marry the young [[Edward VI]] and trained her mercilessly for that goal.

==Reign==

==Reign==

===Proclaimed Queen===

===Proclaimed Queen===

As King Edward lay dying, Dudley [[Duke of Northumberland]], who had always snubbed his heir Mary, realized that all his plans would go awry and he himself might well be executed or killed if she succeded.  Therefore, he convinced Edward (a strong Protestant who had sponsored the [[Book of Common Prayer]]) that it was his responsibility to ensure, by whatever means necessary, that no Roman Catholic ascend the throne.  As there was no time to summon [[Parliament]], Edward himself disinherited both his sisters under the excuse that Parliament had previously declared them illegitimate.  The throne would then pass to Jane Grey.  Upon hearing this, the Lord Chief Justice immediately protested that it was illegal - only Parliament could change the succession! Only when Edward accused him of treason did he and the rest of the Council sign this "devise."  Less than a month later, Edward died.

As King Edward lay dying, Dudley [[Duke of Northumberland]], who had always snubbed Edward's half-sister and heir Mary, realized that all his plans would go awry and he himself might well be executed or killed if she succeeded.  Therefore, he convinced Edward (a strong Protestant who had sponsored the [[Book of Common Prayer]]) that it was his responsibility to ensure, by whatever means necessary, that no Roman Catholic ascend the throne.  As there was no time to summon [[Parliament]], Edward himself disinherited both his sisters under the excuse that Parliament had previously declared them illegitimate.  The throne would then pass to Jane Grey.  Upon hearing this, the Lord Chief Justice immediately protested that it was illegal - only Parliament could change the succession. Only when Edward accused him of treason did he and the rest of the Council sign this "devise."  Less than a month later, Edward died.

Dudley had kept the king's illness secret, so Jane (whose parents, at Dudley's urging, had forced her to marry his son Guilford) had no idea what had happened when she was summoned to the court at Syon House and proclaimed Queen of England.  She burst into tears at the announcement, soon pulling herself together to declare, "The crown is not my right, and pleaseth me not.  The Lady Mary is the rightful heir."  Then she sank to her knees in prayer while the entire Council tried to cajole her.  Finally, she prayed aloud, "If what hath been given to me is lawfully mine, may Thy divine Majesty grant me such grace that I may govern to Thy glory and service, to the advantage of the realm."

Dudley had kept the king's illness secret, so Jane (whose parents, at Dudley's urging, had forced her to marry his son Guilford) had no idea what had happened when she was summoned to the court at Syon House and proclaimed Queen of England.  She burst into tears at the announcement, soon pulling herself together to declare, "The crown is not my right, and pleaseth me not.  The Lady Mary is the rightful heir."  Then she sank to her knees in prayer while the entire Council tried to cajole her.  Finally, she prayed aloud, "If what hath been given to me is lawfully mine, may Thy divine Majesty grant me such grace that I may govern to Thy glory and service, to the advantage of the realm."

==Martyrdom==

==Martyrdom==

Queen Mary was reluctant to execute Jane, understanding that she (who wrote her explaining as much) had only been forced into being queen.  While sentenced to death for high treason (to which she pled guilty), Jane was kept in comfortable prison in the Tower.  Jane doubtlessly enjoyed her leisure to study, but she watched with concern as Mary proceeded to reestablish the Roman Church.  However, when [[Thomas Wyatt]] rebelled in the names of both Elizabeth and Jane, and Queen Mary's fiance [[Philip of Spain]] refused to set foot on English soil as long as Jane remained alive, Mary finally felt forced to have Jane executed.

Queen Mary was reluctant to execute Jane, understanding that she (who wrote her explaining as much) had only been forced into being queen.  While sentenced to death for high treason (to which she pled guilty), Jane was kept in comfortable prison in the Tower.  Jane doubtlessly enjoyed her leisure to study, but she watched with concern as Mary proceeded to reestablish the Roman Church.  However, when [[Thomas Wyatt]] rebelled in the names of both Elizabeth and Jane, and Queen Mary's fiancé [[Philip II of Spain]] refused to set foot on English soil as long as Jane remained alive, Mary finally felt forced to have Jane executed.

Dr. Feckenham, the Roman Catholic Dean of [[St. Paul's Cathedral]], delivered Jane the news and unsuccessfully tried to persuade her to convert to the Roman church.  Jane replied that she would rather spend her last hours in prayer than debate.  Upon hearing this, Queen Mary replied that she would give Jane a full reprieve if Jane would embrace Roman Catholicism.  Jane immediately refused, but consented to debate Feckenham on their points of difference.  (This debate is recorded in [[Foxe's Book of Martyrs]].)

Dr. Feckenham, the Roman Catholic Dean of [[St. Paul's Cathedral]], delivered Jane the news and unsuccessfully tried to persuade her to convert to the Roman church.  Jane replied that she would rather spend her last hours in prayer than debate.  Upon hearing this, Queen Mary replied that she would give Jane a full reprieve if Jane would embrace Roman Catholicism.  Jane immediately refused, but consented to debate Feckenham on their points of difference.  (This debate is recorded in [[Foxe's Book of Martyrs]].)

* ''Lady Jane Grey:  Nine Day Queen of England'', Faith Cook.  <small>(While the author's frequent comments on people's motives and spiritual states intrude on the narrative, this book contains valuable information.)</small>

* ''Lady Jane Grey:  Nine Day Queen of England'', Faith Cook.  <small>(While the author's frequent comments on people's motives and spiritual states intrude on the narrative, this book contains valuable information.)</small>

* [http://englishhistory.net/tudor/relative/janegrey.html "Jane Grey"] from englishhistory.net.  Includes links to primary sources.

* [http://englishhistory.net/tudor/relative/janegrey.html "Jane Grey"] from englishhistory.net.  Includes links to primary sources.

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20080307180728/www.geocities.com/jane_the_quene/index_english.html "Jane the Quene"] archived on the [[Wayback Machine]].  Contains biographical information about Jane's early life.

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080307180728/www.geocities.com/jane_the_quene/index_english.html "Jane the Quene"] archived on the [[Wayback Machine]].  Contains biographical information about Jane's early life.

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[[Category:Anglicans]]

[[Category:Anglicans]]

[[Category:Saints]]

[[Category:Saints]]