LADY JANE GREY - QUEEN FOR NINE DAYS
by Meredith Neufeld
6th grade
Her heart pounded harder and harder against her chest with every step she took up to the enormous scaffolding. Having just witnessed the execution of her husband, Guildford Dudley, Lady Jane Dudley now approached her own execution with trembling hands but a peaceful heart. She knew that although she would die because of others’ schemes, she had held firm to what she truly believed.
Jane’s English homeland had been battling for years between their support for the Catholic church and Protestant church, and now she would die for her firm Protestant beliefs. However, her Protestant beliefs were not the only reason she was being executed for treason. She had been used by powerful people, including her own parents, to ensure that they would be able to keep their positions of power and wealth.
King Edward VI, son of Henry VIII, was a firmly Protestant king, but he was weak, frail, and about to die. Although he was only 16 years old his advisors knew that they had little time to plan for Edward’s death. According to Henry VIII’s will, if Edward were to die, his sister Mary would become the queen. However, Mary was a strong Catholic and would most likely turn England back to Catholicism. The head of Edward’s council, the Duke of Northumberland, convinced Edward to write in his own will that his Protestant cousin Lady Jane Grey would become queen after his death. Because of his loyalty to his Protestant religion, King Edward VI listened to the advice of Northumberland and did not write that Mary should become queen, but Jane should become queen instead.
With his scheme firmly in place, Northumberland needed to make sure that he would be the one to control Lady Jane Grey when she became the queen of England. She was forced, by Northumberland and her parents, to marry Northumberland’s son, Guildford Dudley on May 25, 1553. When King Edward finally died on July 6, 1553, Northumberland quickly moved Jane into power as the new queen. Of course, Jane had little control over the situation, and even fainted when she was told that she would be the new queen. She knew that Edward’s sister Mary was the rightful queen, but Edward’s will had been clear, so she finally accepted her position as queen.
Queen Jane’s rule lasted for only nine days, but in that time, she acted wisely by changing some of the unfair laws and punishments in her country. She was told by her counselors to make her husband, Guildford Dudley, the king. She knew, however, that this would give Northumberland even greater control over the country, so Jane gave Guildford some honors, but refused to make him the king of England. Jane listened to her advisors, but made her own decisions that were in the best interests of her country.
After a short time, Mary, the rightful queen, gathered enough support to fight against those who had helped make Jane queen. Mary was able to return to England and take her place as its queen, but Jane and all of those who had helped her to become queen, were locked up. The Duke of Northumberland thought that by converting from Protestantism to Catholicism he might be given a lighter sentence. This was not to be. He was executed for treason against the Queen Mary. Jane was not immediately executed because Mary understood that Jane was too young to have any control over the situation and was innocent.
Mary released Jane’s mother and father, and would most likely have released Jane soon after. However, the Queen changed her mind when Jane’s father and other supporters lead a rebellion against Queen Mary in Jane’s name. With Jane still alive, Queen Mary could be sure that there would be many rebellions in order to try to make Jane the queen again. Mary could not allow this, so she was forced to have Jane and Guildford Dudley executed at Tower Hill on February 12, 1554.
Before Jane’s death, she was asked by Mary to convert to Catholicism and she would be allowed another chance at life. At only 17 years old, Jane held firmly to her Protestant beliefs and refused to convert to Catholicism. Lady Jane died as a Protestant martyr and an innocent child who was terribly used by others to increase their power and wealth.
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WORKSHEET
- According to Henry VIII, who was to be on the throne of England if Edward VI should die?
- What was the great debate in England during Jane’s time?
- Why did the Duke of Northumberland want Jane to marry his son Guildford?
- How do you think Queen Mary felt when she had to decide whether or not to kill her cousin Jane?
- How do you think Jane felt when she found out that she would be executed because of her father’s revolt?
- Name two reasons Jane was executed.
OUTLINE
I. King Henry
A. Catholic / Protestant conflict
B. Mary’s Catholicism
II. King Edward
A. The Duke of Northumberland
B. Changing the will
III. Lady Jane
A. Marriage / Reign
B. Fall from power / death
PROPS - pictures of the main characters, a crown, a scepter
WORKSHEET ANSWERS
- Edward’s sister Mary was to be queen if Edward died.
- The debate was between Catholicism and Protestantism.
- Jane’s marriage to Guildford Dudley would have given the Duke of Northumberland even greater control over England.
- Queen Mary was probably upset at having to decide whether or not to kill her cousin Jane because of her father’s revolts.
- Jane was probably angry with her father for ruining her chance at freedom, but she probably still loved him.
- Jane was executed for her Protestant beliefs and because Mary was afraid that the people would revolt against her in Jane’s name. Mary knew that her authority on the throne would never be safe as long as her cousin Jane was alive.
SOURCES
http://www.britannia.com/history/ladyjane/janefram.html
Meroff, Doborah. Coronation of Glory. Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, 1979.
Lady Jane. Dir. Trevor Nunn. With Helena Bonham-Carter, Cary Elwes, John Wood, and Patrick Stewart. MaloFilm Group, 1986.