1 of 5

Write now Article Tools

Page 4 of 5

and the gates were locked, the keys given to Jane. By the 18th almost everyone was gone, off to pledge their allegiance to Mary. On July 19th those who had essentially been kept prisoner by Dudley and forced to proclaim Jane the queen came out to pronounce that Mary was the true Queen of England. Jane's father came to her room to let her know that she was no longer Queen and left her alone. She was then moved to another part of the Tower, no longer the Queen - now a prisoner.

John Dudley and his entire family was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower. Queen Mary I rode into London the cheers on August 3rd, her half-sister Elizabeth by her side. Henry VIII's 4th wife and good friend of Henry's children, Anne of Cleves, was there to greet them. Mary kept Jane locked in the Tower, but well-treated. She harbored no ill-will against her cousin, who she knew had to be an innocent pawn in John Dudley's plot. Mary's cousin, Charles V, the Holy Roman Emporer, sent her a political advisor to help her with her first months as Queen. While he agreed that Jane had no idea what was happening to her he also saw her as a threat. Mary believed that the support of her countrymen meant that all of England wished to revert back to Catholicism, however this was not the case. Even though Jane was no longer queen she HAD been for nine days and that could be used against Mary in any uprising by the Protestants.

John Dudley was sentenced to death and executed on August 22nd. Jane's parents had been released, Guilford's mother released but told to leave the country and never return. Guilford remained in the Tower, as did Jane. Mary set about planning her coronation and hoping for a wedding to Philip of Spain. Jane was all but forgotten. As time went by Mary's political advisor grew weary of her indecision on what to do with her young cousin so Mary had Jane and the Dudley brothers stand trial. They were all convicted of high treason. The Dudleys were to be hanged, drawn and quartered, while Jane was to be burnt or beheaded as per the Queen's discretion. But the executions would be put on hold, as Mary had no real intention of putting Jane to death.

As the marriage talks between Mary and Philip of Spain continued there was a great uprising. For one thing, everyone didn't like the idea of a union with Spain. They feared that if Mary could not produce an heir that England would end up a part of the Empire. She was, after all, quickly approaching an age where she could not have children. As

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Biography: Lady Jane Grey?
We want to hear your view. Write now!