ib_hattingh

To What Extent Was the Duke of Northumberland’s Ambitions Responsible for Lady Jane Grey’s Demise? =International Baccalaureate History Internal Assessment=

Word count: 1959

 * || [[image:https://history-wiki.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/placeholder?w=432&h=364 width="432" height="364" caption="Description: the_execution_of_lady_jane_grey-large.jpg"]] ||
 * || [[image:https://history-wiki.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/placeholder?w=432&h=364 width="432" height="364" caption="Description: the_execution_of_lady_jane_grey-large.jpg"]] ||

Content


 * ||||  || || ** Plan of the Investigation **
 * ||||  || || ** Plan of the Investigation **


 * Summary of Evidence **


 * Evaluation of Sources **


 * Analysis **


 * Conclusion **


 * Bibliography **

|| ||
 * Appendices **
 * || || ** 3 **


 * 4 **


 * 5 **


 * 6 **


 * 8 **


 * 8 **


 * 10 **

|| ||^  ||

=Plan of Investigation= This essay will assess the ‘extent to which the Duke of Northumberland’s ambitions where responsible for Lady Jane Grey’s demise.’ I will focus on the factors contributing to her short reign, which put England on the brink of a Civil War in July 1553 and her rapid fall from power. I chose this question because the Lady Jane Grey appears to be overlooked as a significant historical figure, yet at the age of sixteen she was the first woman to wear the crown and in so doing almost brought down a dynasty. The power politics that led to her ascension to the throne and the religious conflicts are as prevalent in today’s world as they were then, one need only look at Syria as an example. I have structured my analysis around the political, religious and military reasons underlying Lady Jane’s 9- day reign. To keep the scope of the study manageable, I have made use of a variety of carefully selected sources, in particular the following historic novel The Sisters who would be Queen [1] and the film ‘Lady Jane’ [2]. I have also referred to other sources including websites [3] and articles [4]. = = = = =Summary of Evidence=
 * 193 words**

Realizing that, “the Protestant minister of a deceased Protestant king would face certain loss of office, probable imprisonment and possible execution,” [5] the Duke of Northumberland devised a plot consisting of persuading Edward VI to change his father, Henry VIII’s will in his ‘Devise for the Succession’ [6] and instate as his successor his protestant cousin the Lady Jane Grey in place of his Catholic half-sister, Mary. Edward VI committed to the ‘true religion’ loathed to see his and his father’s efforts reversed should Mary succeed him, signed the ‘Devise.’ [7] The Duchess of Suffolk, the Kings cousin and third in line had little inclination for the “burdensome weight of government” and enjoying “the privileges of high rank without too much responsibility” [8] was quick to concede her claim to her daughter. As Edward VI’s Chief Minister, Northumberland controlled the court and military and was thus able to persuade the Privy Council to approve the Devise. Furthermore, to ensure their allegiance, Northumberland had them sign a second document, “In which they promise to support the future Queen Jane to the utmost of their power and undertake never at any time to swerve from this resolution”. [9] To secure the reins of power, Northumberland arranged the marriage of his youngest son Guildford Dudley to the Lady Jane in the hope that when she became Queen his son would become king. [10] The Suffolk’s lavish lifestyle had “incurred debts that would prove an embarrassment to the father of the future Queen”. Debts, that they had “no means of paying off.” [11] On the 10th July 1553, Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen of England. Initially protesting ” The Lady Mary is the rightful heir” [12], Weir suggests, she was then quick to accept the late Kings ‘Devise’ as Gods will to keep England protestant and safeguard the secular reforms made by Edward VI “Is it possible that I, a poor weak vessel, am destined to be His instrument?” [13] Mary on the other hand, less willing to accept this new state of affairs, declared herself Queen upon confirmation of King Edward’s death and retreating in the dead of night to Framlingham Castle in Suffolk mobilized ‘innumerable companies of the common people,’ [14] nobleman and kinsmen. Unlike Queen Jane, who used the threat of “strangers and papists” [15] to rally her troops, Mary was able to rely on the loyalty of the people to the Tudor name and their fear of a country being ruled by Northumberland. Unprepared for this turn of events, munitions and men were hastily gathered to be sent against Mary. “Three cartloads of guns, small bows, arrows, spears, pikes, amour, gunpowder, tents and victuals all rumbled into the fortress.” [16] [17] Jane wrote letters demanding allegiance from sheriffs and justices of the peace, reminding them to “Remain fast in their obeisance and duty to the Crown…” [18] According to Weir, Jane herself ordered Northumberland to lead her army, referring to his military prowess to justify her choice. Although the film ‘Lady Jane’ suggests that Guilford Dudley nominated his own father to prove his “honesty,” [19] to gain her trust and the kingship. [20] On the 14th July, outnumbered 3,000 to 30,000 Northumberland headed for East Anglia to meet reinforcements in Cambridge on the way. [21] Despite provisions made to pay his forces in advance [22], the reinforcements Northumberland was expecting to meet up with in Cambridge did not arrive. Lavish living and earlier wars against Scotland and France had emptied the treasury and left little to muster an army. [23] =Evaluation of Sources= The origins of my primary source ‘The Sisters who would be Queen’ about Mary, Katharine and Lady Jane Grey, is a historic biography written by recognized historian Leanda De Lisle’s. De Lisle read history at Somerville College, Oxford University and has dedicated the last 10 years to the Tudor and Stuart periods. She has published numerous books and written articles for newspapers such as the Daily Express and magazines. The book is a historical novel written to portray in an easy to understand manner the events and political machinations that occurred in 1553 in regard to the Lady Jane Grey and her sisters Katherine and Mary. De Lisle biography states that she ‘takes time to research and time to make that research as readable as possible’. This is evidenced by the details and references provided, such as, Mary having written to the Privy Council on Monday, 10th July informing them that she, “and not Jane was Edward’s rightful heir.” On this basis, de Lisle’s is credible source. The origins of my secondary source the film ‘Lady Jane’ is a historical drama, written by Chris Bryant and David Edgar and directed by Trevor Nunn. As a film, distortions of facts are likely, for events must be condensed and politics simplified to be more entertaining. An example of this is how Lady Jane, played by Helen Bonham Carter is portrayed as having a close and loving relationship with her husband, although there is no evidence to support this. These factors make it limiting as a reliable source. However the source is valuable in that it gives an emotive sense to some of the facts, for example at point 98:33, depicts the sense of betrayal Jane experienced from her councilors who left and change sides. =Analysis=
 * 575 words**
 * Source A: Leanda De Lisle, The Sisters who would be Queen: The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine and Lady Jane Grey, Harper Press, 2009.**
 * Source B: Trevor Nunn, Lady Jane, Film, Historical Drama Biography, Peter Snell, Paramount Pictures, 7th February 1986.**
 * 309 words**

Ives argues that Northumberland’s biggest miscalculation was Mary and failing to capture her prior to declaring Jane Queen [24]. However, Weir and de Lisle’s place more emphasis on betrayal within the Privy Council, the Earls of Arundel and Pembroke in particular. Arundel had been a conspirator to Somerset’s plot to bring down Northumberland in 1551, and imprisoned by Northumberland he had only been remitted to the council in July in the hope he would not join Mary, “but at the price of my own integrity, I fear” [25] he claims. Pembroke had lost his post as Master of the Horse to Northumberland’s eldest son just the year before. They could see their hatred of Northumberland was shared throughout the realm, and prepared to exploit this weakness. Their moment came on the 18th July when Jane placed ‘our right trusty and right well-beloved cousins, the Earls of Arundel and Pembroke’ [26] in charge of leading troops into Buckinghamshire to face Mary’s ever growing forces. Both Ives and de Lisle are trusted historians and both viewpoints are valid. Mary’s claim to the throne and the support she garnered ultimately led to the Privy Council jumping ship to back the winning side, leading to the unraveling of Northumberland’s plot and Lady Jane’s demise. Militarily Northumberland was unprepared. In Tudor times, armies were composed of the servants, tenants and manred of the nobility, and royal guards recruited from among the general population and paid. Lavish living and earlier wars against Scotland and France had emptied the treasury and left little to muster an army, and the contempt that Northumberland was held in by many led to his abandonment by the troops. [27] Mary fled to East Anglia – the region where Dudley had ruthlessly put down the Ket rebellion. It was an area where there was little support for the man who had done nothing to help the rural poor and where “Northumberland … conceded nothing to the opinions of the masses, “ [28] as a result “most were conservative and would have had an instinctive loyalty to the daughter of Henry VIII.” [29] Both Northumberland and Jane underestimated the importance of the reformist faith to the English. Many including Jane’s mother herself, were happy to return to the Religion of their birth if the law required it. “I will have few qualms about converting back to the religion of my childhood, if the law requires it of me.” [30] Dudley was a protestant although historians are skeptical as to whether this was genuinely spiritual or of a practical nature to gain wealth and power. “He personally showed no signs of fervent Protestant faith … Shortly before his execution he declared himself to be a Catholic, but this may have been a last desperate effort to save his skin.” [31] Many assessed his plot to put Lady Jane, his daughter-in-law on the throne, and make his son King as little more than a means for him to consolidate his power and wealth. According to de Lisle, there had been rumors for years that he sought the crown, based on nothing but fear and hatred of him. [32] Contrary to these views Revisionist Historians, such as de Lisle and Eric Ives have forcibly argued that Jane was little more than a manipulated child, over time “reducing her to an eroticized image of female helplessness.” [33] In his book ‘Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery’ Ives tries to solve the mystery of how it is the ‘legitimate’ and therefore innocent Jane that is overthrown in favor of Mary Tudor. “Who would wish to impugn a girl so highborn and so ill-used? Better to point a moral with her tragic tale.” [34] This concept is illustrated in the French painter; Paul Delaroche’s painting of the Lady Jane’s execution. In this dramatized image of her death she is dressed in white emphasizing her as a symbol of virginal purity and innocence. The limitation of this source is that Delaroche was portraying events in a melodramatized way to please his Victorian audience; this is evidenced by the beautiful white dress and darkened room of her execution rather than the plain black dress and green inside the Tower walls where the execution actually took place, according to more reliable sources such as de Lisle and Ives and even Weir. [35] [36] =Conclusion=
 * Political miscalculation**
 * Military, a lack of support**
 * Religion vs Legitimacy**
 * Jane’s own shortcomings**
 * 723 words**

Whilst it was the Duke of Northumberland’s ambitions, arrogance and isolation from the general public that ultimately led to Jane’s untimely demise. His failure to understand the English’ sense of fair play and loyalty to the House of Tudor, caused him to miscalculate the public’s support of Mary. Had he managed to mobilize an army he would have driven the country into Civil War. Although Lady Jane was a child she had been reared to take a position of power by her parents own ambitions, at one stage plotting with Thomas Seymour, lover of Katherine Parr, for her to marry the young Edward VI. Although, the first to admit that Mary was the rightful heir to the throne, her strong religious beliefs overrode her reason and motivated her to accept the crown. Her portrayal as an “insubstantial thing whose reign marks little of consequence save a brief delay in Mary's rule” [37] is I believe an injustice to her sufferance. [38] Influenced by the will of ambitious men, and blinded by her religious fervor - ultimately, it was her subjects in acceptance of her legitimate claim to the throne, rather than the Duke of Northumberland’s ambitions that led to her demise. = = =Bibliography= De Lisle Leanda, The Sisters who would be Queen: The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine and Lady Jane Grey, Harper Press, 2009, ISBN 0007219059 (ISBN13: 9780007219056)
 * 199 words**
 * Books**

Ives Eric, Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery, Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition, October 17, 2011, 1444350188

Weir Alison, Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, Arrow,6th November 2007

Claire, The Elizabeth Files: The real truth about Queen Elizabeth I, Sitemap, Wordpress installation and design, 10th July 2010, [|www.elizabethfiles.com/lady-jane-grey-proclaimed-queen/3934/] De Lisel Leanda,Biography, Leanda de Lisele, 2013, www.leandadelisle.com/about/ Eakins Lara, Mary I Queen of England, The Tudor Monarchs, Tudor History, 6th February 2012,[|tudorhistory.org/mary/] Faculty, The death of Edward, fall of Northumberland and “Queen Jane”, J.P. Sommerville, [|faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/123/123%20242%20Northumberland.htm] [|/ faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/361/361-12.htm] Trueman Chris, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, History Learning Site, 2000- 2013,[|www.historylearningsite.co.uk/john_dudley_northumberland.htm] Unknown, Lady Jane Grey Historical Controversy, YouTube ,2008. 354275.354275.0.355047 De LisleLeanda, Debuking the Myth of Lady Jane Grey,The Economist, intelligent life. Prochaska Frank is a historical adviser on the film Lady Jane, and author of Women and Philanthropy in Nineteenth-Century England (Clarendon Press, 1980).
 * Websites**
 * Articles**

Rathbone Mark, Northumberland, Published in History Review 2002 Political Tudor Early Modern (16th-18thC) England

Nunn Trevor, Lady Jane, Film, Historical Drama Biography, Peter Snell, Paramount Pictures, 7 February 1986
 * Films**

=Appendices= (Fig. 1.) Edward’s altered ‘Devise for the Succession’ to allow the Lady Jane “and her” male heirs to inherit the thrown.


 * || [[image:https://history-wiki.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/placeholder?w=330&h=172 width="330" height="172" caption="Description: Jane Grey - letter e.jpg"]] ||
 * || [[image:https://history-wiki.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/placeholder?w=330&h=172 width="330" height="172" caption="Description: Jane Grey - letter e.jpg"]] ||

(Fig. 2.) official document singed ‘Jane the Queen’ in Jane’s own hand. After Mary came to power, Dir William Cecile Secretary of State filed away all documents singed so, and resigning them //“Jana non Regina”_// Jane not the Queen

[1] Leanda De Lisle, The Sisters who would be Queen: The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine and Lady Jane Grey, Harper Press, 2009, ISBN 0007219059 (ISBN13: 9780007219056) [2] Trevor Nunn, Lady Jane, Film, Historical Drama Biography, Peter Snell, Paramount Pictures, 7 February 1986 [3] The Economist, intelligent life, Debuking the Myth of Lady Jane Grey, Leanda de Lisle [4] Alison Weir, Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, Arrow,6th November 2007 Eric Ives, Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery, Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition, October 17, 2011, 1444350188 Chris Trueman, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, History Learning Site, 2000- 2013, www.historylearningsite.co.uk/john_dudley_northumberland.htm Claire, The Elizabeth Files: The real truth about Queen Elizabeth I, Sitemap, Wordpress installation and design, 10th July 2010, www.elizabethfiles.com/lady-jane-grey-proclaimed-queen/3934/ Faculty, The death of Edward, fall of Northumberland and “Queen Jane”, J.P. Sommerville, [|faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/123/123%20242%20Northumberland.htm] [|/ faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/361/361-12.htm] Lara Eakins, Mary I Queen of England, The Tudor Monarchs, Tudor History, 6th February 2012, [|tudorhistory.org/mary/]

[5] ByMark Rathbone, Northumberland, Published in History Review 2002 Political Tudor Early Modern (16th-18thC) England [6] Edward VI’s ‘Devise for the Succession’ in his own hand altered his will to allow Lady Jane Grey to succeed him. Inner Temple Library, London, Petyt MS 538 vol. 47, f. 317 [7] Thus overriding the parliamentary statute of 1544 governing his father’s will for the succession by disinheriting his half-sisters the Princesses Mary and Elizabeth on the grounds that they were bastards and therefore not legally entitled to inherit the crown. [8] Alison Weir, Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, Arrow,6th November 2007 [9] Ibid [10] Protestant and reformist, Lady Jane’s parents stood much to gain from sealing this union and much to lose should Mary accede to the throne. [11] Ibid [12] Alison Weir, Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, Arrow,6th November 2007 [13] ibid [14] Leanda De Lisle, The Sisters who would be Queen: The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine and Lady Jane Grey, Harper Press, 2009, ISBN 0007219059 (ISBN13: 9780007219056), Wriothesley and Hamilton, Chronicle, Vol. I, p.87 [15] Ibid, Harris, Literary Remains, p. lvi [16] Ibid, Nichols (ed.), Machyn, p. 34. [17] On the East Anglian coast five warships were sent to patrol to prevent Mary escaping by sea to her cousin, the Emperor in Spain. [18] Ibid,Harris, Literary Remains, p. lvi [19] Trevor Nunn, Lady Jane, Film, Historical Drama Biography, Peter Snell, Paramount Pictures, 7th February 1986. [20] The privy council led by the Lords of Arundel, Pembroke, Huntingdon and Winchester, approved the decision as all bore grudges against Northumberland and were concerned about his increasing power and influence as the father-in-law of the Queen and his maneuvers to make his son king. Suspicious of his fellow councilors’ motives, Northumberland accepts, retorting: “well, since ye think it good, I and mine will go, not doubting of your fidelity…” [21] Four days later, the troops on the warships had mutinied and joined Mary’s forces at Framlingham Castel. [22] Alison Weir, Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, Arrow,6th November 2007 [23] On July 19th the council repudiated Jane’s claim to the throne and the following day Northumberland himself proclaimed Mary queen, turning Jane and her husband Guildford from Sovereign to prisoners in the Tower. [24] Eric Ives, Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery, Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition, October 17, [25] Ibid Weir [26] Leanda De Lisle, The Sisters who would be Queen: The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine and Lady Jane Grey, Harper Press, 2009, ISBN 0007219059 (ISBN13: 9780007219056), Ibid. p.8. Ibid.,pp.lvii,lviii.

[28] By Mark Rathbone, Northumberland, Published in History Review 2002 Political Tudor Early Modern (16th-18thC) England [29] History Learning Site, accession Crisis of 1553. [30] Alison Weir, Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, Arrow,6th November 2007 [31] By Mark Rathbone, Northumberland, Published in History Review 2002 Political Tudor Early Modern (16th-18thC) England [32] Leanda De Lisle, The Sisters who would be Queen: The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine and Lady Jane Grey, Harper Press, 2009, ISBN 0007219059 (ISBN13: 9780007219056) [33] Leanda-de-lisle, Debunking the Myth of the Lady Jane Grey, Intelligent Life, The Economist Newspaper Limited 2013 [34] Frank Prochaska ,The Many Faces of the Lady Jane Grey, Published in History Today Volume: 35 Issue: 10 1985 [35] Alison Weir, Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, Arrow,6th November 2007 [36] Lady Jane Grey was very obstinate in her faith as her father raised her to be. Jane may have been young and bigoted in her views, but she was well respected in academic circles in Belgium and Switzerland with whom she corresponded on religious matters. She also saw through Northumberland and was not as malleable as he would have hoped. Her sending him to the front line was perhaps not so innocent. Refusing to make her husband king alongside her and sighing official documents as ‘Jane the Queen’ showed she intended to rule in her own name. [37] Frank Prochaska is a historical adviser on the film Lady Jane, and author of Women and Philanthropy in Nineteenth-Century England (Clarendon Press, 1980). [38] After all she accepted the position and was the first girl ever on the English throne.