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==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.

==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 fiancé [[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]].)