On this day in history in 1554, Lady Jane Grey - the 'Nine Days Queen' - was executed. Lady Jane Grey was executed on the 12th of February 1554.
Lady Jane Grey was executed on that day within the Tower of London, on Tower Green. Tower Green had previously seen some notable executions. Two of Henry VII''s wives - Catherine Howard and Anne Boleyn - were both executed at Tower Green on the orders of Henry the VIII himself. Henry VIII did not order the execution for Lady Jane Grey, as he was long dead at this point. It was his daughter - Mary (I) Tudor, or sometimes known as Bloody Mary, who ordered the execution of Lady Jane Grey.
Why Did Mary I Order The Execution of Lady Jane Grey?
Upon the death of Henry VIII's only son - Edward VI, on the 6th of July 1553, England needed a new monarch. A few days later, on the 10th of July 1553, Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed to be Queen of England. The Duke of Northumberland had proclaimed Lady Jane Grey as Queen, and she accepted. It is thought that the young King Edward VI gave blessing for Lady Jane Grey to become Queen of England upon his death. Part of Edward's decision may have been the Duke of Northumberland persuading King Edward VI to name Lady Jane Grey as the King's successor - there's a good reason why Northumberland would want Lady Jane Grey to become Queen of England, he was her father-in law, it is possible that he exploited the situation for his own benefit, as it would mean that if Lady Jane Grey became Queen of England, then the Duke would retain being in a powerful position in England, and probably in a more powerful upon the crowning of Lady Jane Grey as Queen of England. Lady Jane Grey never had a coronation. Lady Jane Grey's claim to the English throne was that she was the previous King - Henry VII's great-grandaughter - therefore, Lady Jane Grey was Mary Tudor's cousin. Although Lady Jane Grey could be viewed as having a strong claim to the English throne, it could be argued that Mary I had an even stronger claim to the throne. Mary Tudor had several strong claims to the throne of England: 1) She was the last King's sister and oldest of the siblings 2) She was legally entitled to have the throne. Mary Tudor was legally entitled to have the throne of England because of a law that was passed during the end of King Henry VIII's reign. This law is known as the 'Third Act of Succession 1543' which named all of Henry's children - Edward, Mary and Elizabeth - as successors to the throne of England. When Edward died, Mary was the older of the two sisters, therefore, the throne was her right. Mary won her right to the English throne, even though it wasn't smooth sailing: after nine days of Lady Jane Grey being de facto Queen of England, Mary had successfully overthrown her and became Queen of England. Mary Tudor became Mary I when she was crowned Queen and Lady Jane Grey was deposed just nine days after she was proclaimed Queen, on the 19th of July 1553 - Mary Tudor had Lady Jane Grey executed about a half a year after she deposed Grey; Lady Jane Grey was executed on the 12th of February 1554, resulting in Lady Jane Grey becoming the shortest-reigning monarch that England has ever had to this day.
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