The Tudor Society

  • May 25 – Lady Jane Grey becomes Lady Jane Dudley

    11 months ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    The Streatham Portrait of Lady Jane Grey by an unknown artist, and a 19th century portrait of Lord Guildford Dudley

    On this day in Tudor history, 25th May 1553, in the reign of King Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey married Lord Guildford Dudley at Durham Place, the Dudley family’s London residence.

    Jane was the daughter of Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, and Frances Brandon, and granddaughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and Guildford was the son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and Jane Guildford, and the grandson of Edmund Dudley, one of Henry VII’s chief advisors.

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  • 25 May – Lady Jane Grey gets married

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 25th May 1553, in the reign of King Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey married Lord Guildford Dudley.

    The bride and groom were from prominent families, but there is the prevailing idea that this marriage was part of a plot by John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland.

    Find out more…

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  • 25 May – A triple Tudor wedding

    4 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 25th May 1553, Lady Jane Grey got married to Lord Guildford Dudley, son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland.

    They weren’t the only couple to get married in the ceremony at Durham House, Jane’s sister, Katherine, and Guildford’s sister, Catherine, also got married.

    In today’s video, I give more details and consider who was behind this triple Tudor wedding.

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  • 12 February – The executions of Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guildford Dudley

    5 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    5 Comments

    In today’s “on this day in Tudor history”, I take us back to the reign of Queen Mary I.

    On 12 February 1554, Lady Jane Grey, formerly Queen Jane, and her husband Guildford Dudley were executed. Guildford was beheaded on Tower Hill and Jane was beheaded at the Tower of London. I explain what led to their executions and relates what happened at them.

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  • 12 February 1554 – Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guildford Dudley are executed

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history, 12th February 1554, Lord Guildford Dudley, son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was executed on Tower Hill. Not long after, Guildford’s wife, Queen Jane, or Lady Jane Grey as she is more commonly known, great-granddaughter of King Henry VII, was executed at the Tower of London.

    You can find out more about Jane and Guildford’s executions in the following articles:

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  • 12 February 1554 – The executions of Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guildford Dudley

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    No comment yet

    On this day in history, 12th February 1554, Lady Jane Grey, great-granddaughter of King Henry VII, and her husband, Guildford Dudley, were executed for treason

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  • Gillyflowers for Lord Guildford Dudley

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    5 Comments
    The Dudley Carving in the Beauchamp Tower

    The Dudley Carving in the Beauchamp Tower

    Today has gone down in history as the anniversary of the execution of Lady Jane Grey, but she wasn't the only one executed that day, her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley, was also executed.

    Guildford was born in around 1535 and was the fourth surviving son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and his wife Jane (née Guildford). Guildford's family had negotiated for him to marry Margaret Clifford, daughter of Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland, but on 25th May 1553 he married Lady Jane Grey, in a triple marriage ceremony which also saw his sister Katherine marrying Lord Henry Herbert, son of the Earl of Pembroke, and Jane's sister Katherine marrying Lord Henry Hastings. They got married at the Dudley family's London residence, Durham Place.
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  • The Executions of Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guildford Dudley: A Primary Source Account

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    4 Comments

    A primary source account of the executions of Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guildford Dudley on 12 February 1554.

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