The August edition of the BBC History Magazine (on sale now) is a Tudor Special. Two of the 5 articles about the Tudor monarchs mention Lady Jane Grey.
Edward VI by Ralph Houlbrooke
‘In January 1553, however, he began to suffer from the illness that caused his death on 6 July. At Some stage he wrote a ‘devise for the succession’ that omitted his sisters Mary and Elizabeth and, in its final form, made Lady Jane Grey his successor. Mary Tudor’s feverent Catholicism was widely thought to be Edward’s chief reason for altering the succession.
However, the illegitimacy of both Mary and Elizabeth was the chief pretext mentioned in letters patent that gave effect to the devise.’
BBC History Magazine p29
Mary I by Anna Whitelock
‘Mary was of course never meant to be queen, and her father, Henry VIII, had gone to great – infamous- lengths to guard against her accession. While Henry finally acknowledged Mary’s claim to the throne in the last years of his reign, Edward VI ignored his father’s will and, determined to preserve a Protestant church, wrote his Catholic sister out of the succession. Upon his death in July 1553 Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed queen. Ten days later and against extraordinary odds, Mary won her rightful throne. The scale of her achievement is often overlooked. Mary had ked the only successful revolt against central government in 16th century England and was the only Tudor, save for Henry VII, who had to fight for the throne. She had eluded capture, mobilised a countercoup and in the moment of crisis proved courageous, decisive and politically adept.’
BBC History Magazine p31
