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.
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.
Catherine Parr was the one who got away without much trouble. She outlived Henry. Catherine Howard was beheaded and she was his...15 year old wife I think?
ReplyDeleteThe story of Jane Grey is sad, as are most stories about the monarchy from that era, which is what makes it so interesting.
Henry WAS a pig but it wasn't just him. These 'high profile' families literally thrust their girls at him in the hopes he would leave the current wife and take theirs. At LEAST sleep with her and get her pregnant. It was like a courtly prostitution.
The Seymours, the Howards, the Boleyns. They all did it.