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many rose up to protest against Philip entering England there was another threat of a Protestant uprising. And Jane was the figurehead of any Protestant movement. She had to be put to death or not only would there be no marriage for Mary to Philip, but her throne would always be threatened.

Mary gave Jane one last chance to save her own life. Determined to have her denounce her Protestant faith and embrace Catholicism, Mary sent John Feckenham, a dean of St. Paul's, to talk to Jane and convince her to switch religions. If she was Catholic she would no longer be deemed as a threat. After what would be an exhausting theological debate Feckenham retreated. Jane held fast to her Protestant faith. Mary had no choice but to put her cousin to death, but gave her and Guiford the dignified death of a beheading rather than burning.

On February 12, 1554 Jane stood at her window and witnessed the beheading of her husband, Guilford. Shortly thereafter it was Jane's turn on the scaffold. Jane was very calm and composed as she made her way to her execution. Due to her royal blood she was granted a private execution, witnessed by only a few people. Jane addressed the crowd, admitted her guilt in treason and made her Protestant faith known to all. Jane's attendants removed her outer garments and she forgave the executioner for what he was about to do, however begged that he dispatch her quickly. As she knelt before the block, blindfolded, she lost her way. As she blindly groped in the air an arm went out in pity to guide her. A long life of suffering was finally put to rest.

Jane's body remained on the scaffold for hours before it was allowed to be covered and moved. She is buried at St. Peter-ad-Vincula between the graves of two other headless queens - Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard. Later Jane's cousin Queen Elizabeth I, a devout Protestant herself, would name Jane a martyr for Protestantism. Despite an historically short reign Lady Jane Grey is one of England's most famous Queens.

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