Jane Grey

Born in October of 1547 to Frances Brandon & Henry Grey, Jane was the great-granddaughter of Henry VII. She inherited the throne on account of being named as heir-apparent by Edward VI who did not want his Catholic sister to come to power, although the Act of Succession established by Henry VIII would crown Edward's sister Mary as the next ruler of England. Asides from the great controversy it ignited, fifteen-year-old Lady Jane was very hesitant to assume her place as Queen of England. She is famously known as the "Nine Days Queen", as her ill-fated career as ruler is noted as having lasted between July 10 - July 19 in 1553.

Jane's rule ended when the authorities revoked her proclamation and Princess Mary took the throne. Jane and her husband Guildford Dudley were imprisoned in the Tower of London. Though Queen Mary understood that Lady Jane had not desired the crown and therefore did not want to execute her, the Queen also knew that because Jane had in fact worn the crown she would always be a threat to her own rule with the constant threat of rebellion.

On Feb. 12,1554  Jane watched her husband's execution from a window in the tower. She was then led out to the scaffold to face her own death and was beheaded by the axe. She was only sixteen years old at the time of her execution.