July 31 - Henry Grey, father of Lady Jane Grey, is released from the Tower

On this day in Tudor history, 31st July 1553, Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, was “discharged out of the Tower by the Earle of Arundell and had the Quenes pardon.”

 

Suffolk had, of course, been imprisoned after Mary I had overthrown his daughter, Queen Jane, or Lady Jane Grey, and his release was down to his wife, Frances, interceding with the queen and begging for mercy.

 

But who was Henry Grey and how did he go from being pardoned to being executed in 1554? 

 

Find out in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:

https://youtu.be/pIwWLcPt6w4

 

Henry Grey's execution and the story regarding his head? - https://youtu.be/xkyb5qTHSBU 

 

Also, on this day in Tudor history, 31st July 1544 and 1548, the future Queen Elizabeth I wrote letters to her stepmother, Catherine Parr. The letters were written at very different times in Elizabeth's life, the first when Catherine was queen and Elizabeth had been separated from her for a while, and the second after Catherine had actually removed Elizabeth from her and Thomas Seymour's household. Find out more about these letters and their context in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/6jSr01gFj0Y