John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick

On this day in Tudor history, 21st October 1554, John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick, died at Penshurst in Kent, the home of his brother-in-law, where he was under house arrest.

Warwick had only just been released from the Tower of London.

He was the son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and brother of Guildford Dudley, both of whom were executed for their parts in the succession crisis of 1553, which saw Guildford's wife, Lady Jane Grey, becoming queen for thirteen days.

Find out more about Warwick, whose rise had seem assured until that July...