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Lady Jane Grey, also known as Queen Jane of England or The Nine Days' Queen, is one of the more tragic figures in Tudor history. A simple, intelligent and pious girl of royal blood, Jane was but a pawn in the hands of scheming and greedy men who wanted to rule England through her. After a lifetime of harsh treatment in an unloving home and a strategical marriage to a man she did not love Lady Jane Grey would find herself facing death by 18 years of age. Though it was but for nine days, Jane Grey was England's first Queen regnant.

Lady Jane Grey was the first of three daughters born to Lord Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk and Lady Frances Brandon. Lady Jane was 4th in line for the throne through her mother. Frances Brandon was the daughter of Princess Mary, Henry VIII's younger sister. In the Third Act of Succession Henry removed his older sister, Queen Margaret of Scotland, from the line of succession to prevent any foreign hands claiming England's throne.

Growing up in Tudor times was harsh, however Jane's upbringing seems to have been more abusive. Frances Brandon and her husband Henry had little desire for parenting and left that up to their servants and nurses. Whenever Jane's parents did see her she was verbally and physically abused. Frances felt that Jane was weak and sought to toughen her up by having her beaten frequently, and for no apparent reason. She and her sisters received the proper education for royal girls, and Jane herself proved to be quite an intelligent young woman. She learned several languages and became a very pious, committed Protestant, as that was the accepted religion in England due to Henry VIII's split from the Roman Catholic Church in 1533.

Before Jane's 10th birthday she was sent to live with Katherine Parr, 6th and last wife of Henry VIII. As Katherine's ward she would find herself in a much more loving environment, free to learn and pray as she liked. She met her cousins Edward, Mary and Elizabeth while under Katherine's care. Jane found herself deeply mourning the loss of Katherine when she died in childbirth, leaving her the ward of Katherine's widower Thomas Seymour. Thomas Seymour devised a plan to marry Jane to her cousin Edward VI, however Edward's quickly failing health made that impossible. After Thomas was arrested and sentenced to death for treason Jane was sent back to her parent's house.

At this time Sir John Dudley was acting as ruler of England by becoming the Lord Protector for Edward VI. As a minor Edward could not

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