Lady Jane Grey was born on October 1537(It may have been October 12) in Bradgate, near Leicester, England. Her parents were Lady Frances Brandon and Henry Grey, 3rd Marquess of Dorset, but was later known as Duke of Suffolk. Jane's mother, Frances was the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII of England. Jane also had two sisters: Catherine and Mary.
Growing up, she had a hard relationship with her parents. Probably because her parents were very, very strict and didn't really show Jane much loveand affection. She found her solace in Queen Catherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII. Jane loved to go to her estates with her and be with her company. But Catherine died on Septmeber 1548...and without no doubt,Jane was one of the chief mourners in her funeral.
Jane was expected to excel incrediously in her studies, because back then, they still had that idea of the eldest child being a role model. And without further acceptance, Jane did very well with her studies. At the age of four, she was applied to John Aylmer. She learned immediately- everything that Aylmer taught her. She also spoke French, Latin, Greek and Italian fluently. Even at an early age, she was already known as one of the most noblest women in Tudor England. She was an intellectual lady.
Back on those days,England was partly dominized by the Church of England, orginally founded by King Henry VIII of England, father of Edward VI. When Henry died in January 1547, he left five heirs to the throne. The first, his eldest daughter, Mary (from Catholic-born Catherine of Aragon),second,his youngest daughter,Elizabeth (born from his second wife, Anne Boleyn);third, Edward (born fromJane Seymour);fourth, Lady Frances Brandon and fifth, Jane. After Henry died, Edard succeeded him to the throne and ruled England. Since Henry died, leaving England as a Protestant country, Edward saw no reason for him to turn the nation in its old Catholic state. Edward, therefore, continued to be a Protestant king.
But on the winter of 1552, symptoms of tubercolosis were seen lurking in the King's health.This was a bit of disappointing news to the court because Jane was supposed to marry him. His adviser, John Dudley:Duke of Northumberland, took advantage of this opportunity. He thought that if the king died, surely, Mary would be the next ruler. But Dudley had something else in mind. He knew that he couldn't turn Mary's head once she was queen. Mary, would, with all hands down, assert him into another position- a lower one. And Dudley also thought that despite of losing his job, he could also lose his head.
So, he planned that if a younger heir was to take hold the throne,he could order everything around the way he wanted it. His first scheme was for Jane and his son, Guilford to marry- in any case of suc disruptions. He thought that if he could put Jane on the throne, then Guilford would be king. That also meant him having a much more higher position than ever before.
And the scheme was a success. Jane married Guilford on May 25,1553, at the age of 15.
John Dudley persuaded King Edward to give Jane the right to succeed him as ruler. Edward feared that if the crown should descend to Mary, his half-sister, who was a Roman Catholic, England would no longer be a Protestant nation.And in that, also, Dudley succeeded. Edward died on July 6, 1553. His death was kept a secret for several days.
On July 9, Jane was taken to the Privy Council by her father-in-law and proclaimed her queen on July 10. But 9 dayslater, Dudley's plot failed to stir audience, for the English people believed that Mary was the right and only true queen. On July 19, Mary was proclaimed queen. And on the same day, Jane was exiled past the Traitors Gate in the Tower of London.
Almost a year passed on Jane's imprisonment than finally came the execution. Although religious leaders forced Jane to give up her faith, Jane declined. Later, when Mary was said to release Jane and her husband, an inserection in Jane's name (which her father had led with Sir Thomas Wyatt) caught her suspicion and planned on to her execution. Mary then decided to execute Jane because she thought she was trying to steal her thrown again.
On February 12, 1554, early morning, Guilford Dudley was beheaded as Jane watched by the window on the Yeomen Gaoler's Gate. At about 10 in the morning, Jane was also beheaded near the chapel of St.Peter Ad Vincular. But before she died, she announced that she never wanted the crown and would die as "A true Christian woman".