The Auction Augur has been in touch to let me know about this painting that will be auctioned in America on 21 November.
You can read Auction Augur’s blog post: The lost “Berry-Hill” portrait of Lady Jane Grey: an unrecognised gem at auction in the US
Further details can be found at the
Butterscotch website.
To celebrate 20 years of my website, I am running a 9 Day Giveaway on key dates throughout the year that relate to Lady Jane.
13th November 1553 – Jane’s trial for treason at the Guildhall in London
On day 9 of the giveaway you have a chance to win a Lady Jane Grey necklace from Enchanted Tudor Rose in a world-wide giveaway!
To enter the competition
Email me at Ljgcompetition at yahoo.co.uk. Replace ‘at’ with @. Put Day 9 in the Subject line.
The competition ends at midnight (UK time) on Saturday 27th November.
The winner will be selected at random.
Good luck!
The Tudors were not very good at producing sons but they were good at producing daughters who lived beyond childhood. During her lifetime, Elizabeth had 9 female cousins on her father’s side. 3 of them, including Lady Jane Grey died before 1560 but 6 lived on to cause Elizabeth when Queen, considerable problems.
It is hardly surprising that Elizabeth’s relationships with her English royal cousins were often troubled. English history contained several precedents where ambitious members of a royal family emerged as rivals to the sovereign.
But an even more important issue affected the relationship of Elizabeth with her cousins; the unsettled succession. With a childless Queen on the throne, the descendants of Henry VIII’s two sisters were politically significant, being potential claimants on Elizabeth’s death and even possibly during her lifetime.
Descendants of Margaret Tudor included Margaret Lennox, Henry Darnley, Mary Queen of Scots, James VI, Charles Darnley and Arbella Stuart. Descendants of Mary Tudor included Frances Brandon and her daughters Jane, Katherine and Mary.
Apart from Mary Queen of Scots, and including Elizabeth herself, the cousins were not unimpeachably legitimate. The Earl of Angus had had a pre-contract before his marriage to Margaret Tudor.
Charles Brandon’s marriage to Mary Tudor had taken place while he was precontracted to someone else. Question mark remained even though the pre-contract was nullified.
There is one group who are not in the family tree. Another branch of the family of Mary and Charles Brandon, their daughter Eleanor who had a daughter, Margaret Clifford.
The closest male cousin to Elizabeth was Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon. He was descended from George, Duke of Clarence. Although he was a very distant cousin, he had 2 advantages – he was male and staunchly protestant. He was married to Robert Dudley’s sister, Catherine, so could have relied on support from there if he had ambitions towards the throne but showed no inclination.
Henry VIII’s will complicated who should succeed Elizabeth. Henry had privileged the descendants of his sister Mary, over those of his sister Margaret, were his 3 children to die childless. The will also laid down that Mary and Elizabeth should inherit despite being illegitimate. Why did Henry disinherit the Scottish line? He didn’t want a Scot to sit on the English throne. Henry was trying to punish the Scots for resisting the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots to Prince Edward.
Challenges to Elizabeth’s accession
When Elizabeth came to the throne, only Mary, Queen of Scots contested Elizabeth’s title on the grounds of Elizabeth being illegitimate. The other cousins may have had mixed feelings. They had been close to Queen Mary I and even given precedence over Elizabeth on occasion. Probably hoped that Elizabeth be disinherited but despite that they all accepted Elizabeth as sovereign.
Frances Brandon
Frances died soon after Elizabeth came to the throne. Important to remember that Frances had been behind Lady Jane Grey’s attempt to oust Mary and Elizabeth, when she had given her right to succeed to the throne to her daughter Jane.
Frances had begged Mary’s forgiveness due to family ties. Frances’ mother, Mary, had been close to Katherine of Aragon. After the execution of her husband, Frances had married her beneath her. Although Elizabeth had prejudice against the Grey line, she did pay for a royal funeral for Frances.
Katherine Grey
Katherine married Edward Seymour in secret and by August 1561 was pregnant. Elizabeth would never have agreed to a marriage between them. Might have been a problem if Katherine had had sons before Elizabeth had consolidated her hold on the throne.
Elizabeth was furious when she found out the marriage and pregnancy because both had denied being in a relationship and she also suspected a plot. Not necessarily to replace her on the throne but to secure Katherine a place in the succession.
Elizabeth was trying to reach amity with Mary, Queen of Scots, who had demanded that her place in the succession be acknowledged. If Elizabeth recognised Katherine’s marriage and child as legitimate, Katherine would have a lot of support and this would make the situation with Mary more difficult.
The marriage was declared void. At the investigation Katherine and Edward gave conflicting details, one of their witnesses had died and they could not find the priest who had performed the ceremony and it was difficult to improve they were married. Katherine and Edward were sent to the Tower of London, both ignored the ruling about their marriage and a second son was born.
The miniature portrait of Katherine and her child was produced by Edward’s family. Katherine is wearing a wedding ring and the white cap of a married woman to show that their child was legitimate. It was widely reproduced but, in the copy, there is no ring. Part of a campaign designed to bring Katherine and her children into the succession and reverse the decision that they were illegitimate.
When Katherine died, she was given a royal funeral at the local parish church. During the reign of James I, her sons were legitimised and her grandson built a magnificent monument in Salisbury Cathedral in 1665. Katherine and Edward were buried there, showing that Katherine was accepted publicly as Edward’s wife.
Mary Grey
Mary Grey underwent a secret marriage in 1565 with Thomas Keyes, the Queen’s Sergeant Porter. Mary had been born with a deformity and people did not think of her as a possible Queen.
Both were arrested and a list of questions were out to Mary about her marriage. Was it valid? What kind of ceremony? Was there a plot? The marriage had been consummated, so it was valid but this did not stop them being separated.
Margaret Clifford
When Mary Grey died in 1578, Margaret Clifford became more important in the line of succession. Mary I had given Margaret precedence over Elizabeth. Margaret had split from her husband and Elizabeth treated her well, until Margaret began to meddle in politics. In 1579/80 Elizabeth was considering marriage with France but Margaret opposed the marriage, when she had been instructed not to. Margaret started to use an astrologer. He was arrested and said that Margaret had encouraged him to cast Elizabeth’s horoscope, to predict her death.
The lives of Elizabeth’s female cousins were as come called it, tragic. Don’t think Elizabeth’s attitude towards her cousins was spite or fear that they would overthrow her. It had a lot to do with Elizabeth wanting Mary, Queen of Scots to be her heir. Elizabeth believed in heredity monarchy.
18th November 2021 – Crown & Sceptre: A New History of the British Monarchy from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II by Tracy Borman
‘This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle’
(William Shakespeare, Richard II)
The British monarchy is the one of the most iconic and enduring institutions in the world. It has weathered the storms of rebellion, revolution and war that brought many of Europe’s royal families to an abrupt and bloody end. Its unique survival owes much to the fact that, for all its ancient traditions and protocol, the royal family has proved remarkably responsive to change, evolving to reflect the times. But for much of its history, it also spearheaded seismic change, shaping our religious, political and cultural identity and establishing the British monarchy as the envy of the world.
There has never been a more apposite moment to consider the history of this extraordinary survivor. Within the next decade, there is likely to be a change of monarch, sparking renewed global interest on a scale not seen since Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. Even the media and popular frenzy evoked by recent royal events such as royal weddings and births will not compare to that generated by the accession of a new king. In the lead up to this pivotal moment in Britain’s history, Crown & Sceptre explores the history and evolution of the monarchy from 1066 to the present day, feeding the renewed interest not just in the modern royals but in the predecessors who helped shape the institution into what it is today.’
Further details – Hodder & Stoughton
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
Drawn to the fact that the Tudors very nearly did not hold onto the throne at all. There were other stronger claimants to the throne after the Battle of Bosworth.
Many rival claimants descended from the House of York, the white rose faction. Most of the male rivals to the throne are soon arrested. Women were overlooked in comparison.
One of the earliest and strongest rivals was Elizabeth of York, Queen Consort of Henry VII. Elizabeth was a dutiful wife and not a threat to the throne.
The real threats were:
Lady Margaret Pole
Daughter of George, Duke of Clarence. Had 4 sons, 3 of whom became a real threat to Henry VIII. Eventually Henry became so paranoid about any descendants of Edward IV, that he began a reign of terror towards them, and Margaret was executed in May 1541.
Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox
Daughter from Margaret Tudor’s second marriage. Henry VIII was fond of his niece until she got engaged without Henry’s permissions. 3 years later Margaret had another lover. Eventually married Charles Lennox and had 2 sons who survived to adulthood (Henry and Charles). Charles married Elizabeth Cavendish and they had a daughter, Arbella. Margaret enjoyed favour during Mary’s reign but did not see eye to eye with Elizabeth. When Elizabeth was housed in lodgings at court, Margaret had her kitchens under Elizabeth’s rooms.
Lady Jane Grey
Another rival to the throne, falls into the category of Queens Regnant. Jane was more than a rival to the throne; she took the throne after the death of Edward VI. Even though they were defeated by Mary, the Grey family continued to be a threat to the Tudors.
Lady Katherine Grey
Mary I showed great favour towards the Grey sisters. Maybe guilt at ordering the execution of Jane. Elizabeth took a different view.
The odds were stacked against Elizabeth when she came to the throne. She was unmarried with no children and in the eyes of half her subjects, she was illegitimate. Religion also played a huge role, it helped if any rivals with royal blood were catholic. Katherine Grey, the eldest surviving sisters of Lady Jane, pretended to be a catholic to bolster her support. Plots began to revolve around Katherine with support from Spain.
In Elizabeth’s eyes, Katherine did wrong because Katherine made clear to Catholics of England that she sympathised with their religion. Was related to Jane who had taken the throne from the proper Tudor heir. She was younger than Elizabeth by 7 years and was also a renowned beauty.
Edward Seymour also had royal blood and was the son of Protector Somerset and the nephew of Queen consort Jane Seymour. They would make a power couple and married in secret in 1560 as Elizabeth would never have given her permission.
Katherine and her sister, Mary were serving in Elizabeth’s household as she hated the Grey sisters and made sure to keep a close eye on them. Katherine became pregnant and panicking, she confided in Bess of Hardwick. Bess was horrified, did not want to be implicated and told Robert Dudley, who told the Queen.
Both Katherine and Edward were sent to the Tower of London. In 1562, Elizabeth fell dangerously ill with smallpox. Katherine was seen as a viable successor to Elizabeth, even though she was in the Tower with her infant son. The Council was split between supporters of Katherine and supporters of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Elizabeth when recovered, was determined to put an end to any hope that Katherine would succeed to the throne.
The Tower jailors took pity on the young couple and a year later Katherine gave birth to another son. When Elizabeth was told, she went the colour of a corpse and sent Katherine under house arrest to Cockfield Hall in Suffolk.
Katherine pined away and it seems she starved herself to death and died in January 1568, aged just 28.
Lady Mary Grey
The youngest sister of Lady Jane was 5 years younger than Katherine. Mary did not pose a threat, had no ambition to the throne and had learned from her sister’s mistakes.
All she wanted to do was marry and settle down. Mary married Thomas Keyes, the Queen’s Sergeant Porter, who was a commoner and no threat to the crown. One lesson that Mary had not learned was to ask Elizabeth’s permission.
Elizabeth was so suspicious of the Grey sisters that she threw both Mary and her husband into prison. Mary was sent to Chequers and never saw her husband again. Thomas was released in 1569 but his health was broken, and he died soon after.
Mary, Queen of Scots
The greatest rival to the throne that Elizabeth faced. The rivalry lasted over 30 years and was political, religious and personal.
Mary had youth on her side, she was 9 years younger than Elizabeth, with an impeccable pedigree, and married the Dauphin of France, Francis in 1558. She was also renowned to be beautiful and charismatic.
Mary returned to her native Scotland after the death of her husband. Mary had been raised a pampered Princess in France and had a rude awakening when she returned to Scotland.
After the death of her second husband, Henry, Lord Darnley in suspicious circumstances, Mary wed Lord Bothwell, who was implicated in Darnley’s death. Mary was forced to abdicate and fled to England where she was kept prisoner by Elizabeth. Numerous plots sprang up around Mary to put her on the throne in place of Elizabeth.
In 1586 Mary, who was desperate to escape became involved in a plot by Anthony Babington. She became careless and provided Walsingham with the incriminating evidence he needed. Elizabeth had prevaricated about Mary, now her hand was forced. Tried to avoid putting an anointed Queen to death as this would set a precedent. Eventually she signed Mary’s execution warrant. Mary remained a threat after her death, as a year later, Philip II of Spain sent the Armada to invade England in her name.
Arbella Stuart
The granddaughter of Lady Margaret Douglas and Bess of Hardwick, who schemed to make her Queen. Elizabeth named no successor and Arbella was so haughty when she met the Queen that Elizbeth sent her from court.
Almost with her last breath, Elizabeth signalled her assent to James succeeding her. James was plagued by Arbella. Frustrated by ill-fated marriage negotiations, Arbella arranged her own marriage in 1610. Her husband William Seymour had his own claim to the throne as the grandson of Katherine Grey. This was a potent threat to James.
When the marriage was discovered, William was sent to the Tower and Arbella was placed under house arrest. After a successful escape from their prisons, Arbella was imprisoned in the Tower and died there on 25 September 1615.
There was a Q&A at the end of the talk and the Grey sisters were the subject of several questions:
If Elizabeth had died of smallpox, do you think Katherine Grey or Mary, Queen of Scots would have been Queen of England?
The tide was turning in Katherine Grey’s favour during the Council’s debate. The reason for this was that Henry VIII had barred the Scottish line from inheriting the throne.
Why didn’t Mary I view Katherine and Mary Grey and Margaret Douglas as rivals?
Mary believed, almost to the end that she would have her own child.
Would you consider Margaret Clifford and her son as rivals to the throne?
They were mentioned in Henry VIII’s will but had a lesser claim than the Greys and Mary, Queen of Scots. There was a sense late in Elizabeth’s reign that it could have gone either way. If they had had support, there could have been a Clifford King.
Who would Tracy have chosen to succeed Elizabeth?
Not sure if I would have done the right thing and chosen James. Would have chosen Arbella.
Did Katherine Grey have political ambition?
Katherine probably did make a bid for the throne. She got taken in by Spanish promises and believed her own propaganda.
Why did people marry without permission when they knew the consequences?
If they did ask, permission would be refused and it was worth the risk as they might get away with it.
