The Execution of Lady Jane Grey

I have recently taken a great interest in the corruption of the monarchy of Great Britain. It happened when I picked up a short read at my local library (I love that place. Yes, I am a nerd). It was called 'Treason of the the Tower' most of the tales of those beheaded were mainly directly related to King Henry the VIII. He really was quite a pig, he divorced and killed his wives when he was pretty much bored of them, running after their Ladies in Waiting and maids. Though Katherine Howard really got away with a lot of trouble.

But the tale of Lady Jane Grey really did catch my heart. A young queen of only 9 days. I thought I'd write a bit about her because she really was at the centre of men's greed plotting for the throne after King Edward's death. Jane Grey was a cousin to the children of King Henry VIII. At the deathbed of young King Edward, he was advised to make Jane Grey the heir to the throne, and he consented as written in his will. After his death Jane was pleaded with to accept but she refused. Under the influence of her parents and others she was forced to submit, they also made her marry Guildford Dudley, when she wanted a single life, she was not happy about the situation and refused her husband to her bed. At 16 she was married and Queen of England.

Her succession to the throne was weak, considering her cousins Mary and Elizabeth were more directly related to the former king. After Just 9 days, Lady Jane Grey was charged for "Treason" and locked in the Tower of London, along with her husband. The Wyatt's Rebellion headed by Jane's Father against the possible marriage of Queen Mary to the roman Prince Phillip was what triggered Jane's Execution two years after her imprisonment started.

While in the Tower, Jane was well cared for, she was allowed her books, given fine clothes and the comfort of her Ladies in Waiting. Rome was not happy about Mary keeping her cousin alive, and she very unwillingly signed her Jane's death warrant 2 years later, the Queen did not attend the scaffold at the execution and felt very guilty about it.

Mary sent a catholic priest to convert Jane to a catholic as that would save her from execution, Jane refused and the priest was so moved by her faith that he asked to accompany her to the scaffold. Mary then sent ladies to check that Jane was with child or not, as this would also save her from the axe. But she was not.

Jane was very calm at the scaffold, her last speech mentioned how she did not want the throne, that she had not committed any other sin that being made to take it. The Priest was true to his word and guided her to the stump, she was even worried she did could not find it in her blindfolded form. The headsman asked her forgiveness and it was given. It was said that her lips moving in prayer continued after it was severed from her body, another witness mentioned that they had never seen so much blood soaked by the straw in the floor.

I talk of this because I absolutely love the painting of her execution by Paul Delaroche. Her ladies in Waiting in the background visible by the dim light cast upon them, being utterly devastated, unable to watch. The headsman in red, surveying his victim with an unreadable expression, his axe matter-of-factly in his hand. The priest aiding, guiding, almost bowing to the supposed sinner.

Then there is Lady Jane Grey, at the centre of all luminosity, white, pure, clean, delicate, frightened but calm. She is trying to find the stump, trying to do things right till the very end. What really caught me by this painting is her brilliant white silk gown, so beautiful and traipsing, it complements her very bright presence, it lights up the entire painting and it's dark atmosphere, as though she is the one good thing in that moment, and then we are brought back to sorrow when we see the blindfold over her eyes and remember she is about to die. She is on her knees, yet she is dignified, graceful. It is not something a sinner of treason would wear.

This painting is saturated with unjust judgement, she is portrayed as a martyr and is still seen today as a political victim.

Manga of The Month - April

Okay, so i've not been the most attentive blogger the world has seen, but I do have a pretty good Manga to reccomend. It's name is '20th century Boys' drawn and written by Japan's jewel; Naoki Urasawa, who also authored 'Monster' I think i might've mentioned this, if not then that will be next month's manga of the month.

The story synposis will look lame any way I put it, I just can't reflect how good this manga is. Well, to start off, a bunch of boys made their own hideout in the summer of 1969 where they wopuld play and read manga. It was here that they created a story about the destruction of the world, and how the world was consequently saved, a simple imaginative tale made by little boys, Kenji Endo being at the centre of it (he being the main character). About 30 years later in 1997, Kenji's older sister suddenly makes an appearance asking him and their mother to look after her baby girl. She then disappears, now Kenji has to not only mind his late father's store but look after a baby. Soon afterwards, one of kenji's old friends who used to play in their hideout... dies, supposedly a suicide, but kenji knows better and finds out he's been murdered. By anger and emotion he discovers the murderer was part of cult organisation named 'the friends' the main 'friend' is an annonymous person, whose plan is the destruction of the world. And so the little boy's tale turns into reality and each country of the world slowly undergoes changes at the hands of 'the friends' It is now Kenji's Duty to reverse what he feels he has done.

There's actually a lot more to the story than what i make out. 20th century Boys is a very horrific but poignant story, about childhood, poverty, poltical corruption, family life, failed dreams, failed fathers, governmental power and hope in the face of extreme adversity. I've only read 6 volumes out of the total 22 available, I am very impressed by the portrayal of old, new and future times, in addition to the follow through of characters within the ages. For instance, in the first volume a detective who never spent time with his family is killed, his grandson makes an appearnece 5 volumes later trying to succed his hero of a grandfather.

20th century Boys is a remarkable piece of art, creativity, imagination, science-fiction, and non-fictional topics. It is definitly plausable and I give it a well earned 9/10 Dessa rating.

All of it is free to read on the onemanga.com website.