Sunday, February 27, 2011

Question from Lauren - Katherine Parr and plot to put Jane Grey on the throne

Were Katherine Parr or any of her friends implicated in the plot to put Jane Grey on the throne? As she had been Jane's guardian, and she was openly Protestant, it seems she'd have had clear motive to do so, and seems unlikely that she'd have known nothing of it.

4 comments:

Annie said...

She died in 1548 many years before edward's health seemed to fade. So i would say no, when she was Jane's ward they had no reason to think that Edward would not grow up and have issues of his own

Heather said...

Previous comment correct, Katherine Parr had died soon after giving birth to her daughter by her 4th husband, Thomas Seymour and soon after that, Thomas Seymour was executed. The Devise for the Succession was Edward VI's own work, he had been planning it even before he became ill, to elimate his half sisters and nominated the male heirs of the next in line - his cousin Frances' male heirs, then her daughter's male heirs. When he was ill and not likely to survive, he altered the Devise. Frances (who had no surviving sons only 3 daughters) visited him and refused to be named heir, so her eldest daughter Jane was nominated.
Northumberland was forced to go along with it at the time, although Edward's will was not actually legally valid since Edward was 15 so under age. Northumberland's 3rd son Guildford was already married to Jane Grey by then and this had been arranged long before Edward became seriously ill and took place before it was known it would soon be terminal. Comments before this by Northumberland show that he was feeling his age and looking forward to quiet life (not plotting a rebellion).
However, Mary and Elizabeth had been secretly kept informed of their half-brother's will, and death (which had been kept secret) and therefore prepared themselves and gathered forces together at Framlingham, to ensure Mary's succession.

Unknown said...

Frances was called to the King's bedside and informed she had been passed over in favour of her daughter in JUne 1553. One of her brothers in law confessed later that summer that her husband the Duke of Suiffolk had been extremely irritated by the passing over of his wife's claim. There is no evidence that Jane was bethrothed to Guildfrod before April 1553, and it was already evident by then that the King was seriously ill, although no one yet realised just how soon he would die.

Ladyhoby said...

Hi Lauren
I have just come a cross a reference to William Parr brother to Katherine and his wife saying that they were leaders in the plot to put Jane on the throne.

I haven't read through the whole page as i was looking for something else

its a web site that seems to know what its talking about.
http://tudorswiki.sho.com/
page/William+Parr