Lady Jane Grey: England's Nine Day Tudor Queen

Sophie (age 7) and Ellie (age 5) tell the story of Lady Jane Grey, the Tudor who ruled England for just nine days.

Henry VIII was King of England. He was married to a Spanish Princess. They had a daughter called Mary. However, Henry really wanted to have a son. He asked the Pope if he could get divorced from his Spanish Princess and marry someone different. The Pope said no.

So Henry decided to change the religion of England. England was a Catholic country which meant that the Pope was in charge of the Church. So Henry decided to change it to a Protestant country which meant he was in charge of the Church. Then he divorced his Spanish Princess and married a Protestant called Anne Boleyn. They had a daughter, Elizabeth. So he chopped off Anne’s head and married again. Finally, he had a son called Edward. However, his wife died and he went onto marry three more times.

After Henry died his son, Edward, became King. Edward was a strict Protestant and so were many of his nobles. However, Edward got sick and was dying. Edward and his nobles worried that his sister, Mary, would now become Queen. They were afraid she would make England Catholic again. They decided instead to have another person become Queen. Lady Jane Grey. She was a niece of Henry VIII so had royal blood.

She was also a Protestant.

She was very young, only 16 years old. She was clever and beautiful. She was married to a rich protestant noble.

It was her husband and her father in law who came up with the idea to make her Queen. They never bothered telling her about it. Edward left a letter saying that after he died Jane should be Queen. Then Edward died.

Immediately, Jane was announced as Queen. She was astonished. She fainted on being told. When she woke up she immediately said that she shouldn’t be Queen and that her cousin Mary was the rightful Queen. Her family ignored her and told everyone that she was Queen anyway.

However, the people of London did not agree. Many people thought that Mary was the rightful Queen. She had been Henry VIII’s daughter. More and more people demanded Mary become Queen. After just nine days Mary was swept to the throne. Even Jane’s own father in law who had come up with the whole idea was now supporting Mary.

Jane was locked up in the tower of London with her husband. Their father in law was executed.

Mary did not want to kill Jane. They were family. And it hadn’t been her idea. But more protestants rebelled including Jane’s father. Mary had had enough. She executed Jane’s husband. Then she executed Jane.  

Poor Jane had only been Queen for nine days and was never even crowned. She was used by the men around her for their own power. And she paid the price.

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