Lady Jane Grey - Queen of England for just nine days - was executed at the Tower of London on 12th February, 1554.

Edward VI, who had died aged 15, named the teenager as his successor in his will, even though Henry VIII’s daughters Mary and Elizabeth had a more direct connection to the throne. The protestant Jane fainted upon hearing she had been made monarch, and declared that Mary was the rightful heir. When the privy council changed their mind and declared Mary (despite her Catholicism) to be Queen anyway, Jane was sent to the Tower.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why it was Jane’s own father - not ‘Bloody’ Mary herself - who was ultimately responsible for Jane’s beheading; reveal how even in the last moments of her life Mary conspired to get Jane converted to Catholicism; and discover that it’s *never* a good idea to put on a blindfold before you put your head on the chopping block… 

Further Reading:

• ‘Lady Jane Grey: Tower of London’ (Historic Royal Palaces): https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/lady-jane-grey/#gs.og751i

• ‘Lady Jane Grey: Facts About The Nine-Day Queen's Life & Execution’ (HistoryExtra, 2021): https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/who-was-lady-jane-grey-facts-about-nine-day-queen-execution-death/

• ‘Lady Jane Grey, The Teenager Who Ruled England For Nine Days’ (Weird History, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaKjBiG0e6E

This episode first premiered in 2022, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

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