Tudor Times is the online repository for all things Tudor and Stewart (1485–1625)

On 17th January 1517, Margaret Grey (nee Wootton), Marchioness of Dorset, gave birth to a son, who was named Henry, after his father’s cousin, King Henry VIII, probably at the family’s home at Bradgate in Leicestershire. Henry Grey inherited his title in 1533, and three years later, with the King’s permission, he married Lady Frances Brandon, the daughter of Mary, the French Queen, by whom he had three daughters. In 1536, he was created a Knight of the Bath, on the eve of Anne Boleyn’s coronation, and bore the Sword of State. Henry was an early convert to evangelicalism, and became increasingly attached to Protestantism as time went on. He was not named as a member of the Council appointed by Henry VIII to govern for the young king, Edward VI, but as a close associate of the Duke of Northumberland, who took over control of the Government in 1552, he was granted the Dukedom of Suffolk on the death of his wife’s two brothers. Together with Northumberland, he conspired to put his daughter, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne on the death of Edward VI. Initially pardoned, he became involved in Wyatt’s Rebellion and was executed in 1554. Read more on Henry’s second, equally unfortunate, daughter, Lady Katherine Grey, here

Picture is of Arms of Henry Grey, 3rd Marquess of Dorset, 1st Duke of Suffolk

On 16th January 1585 Edward Fiennes de Clinton, Earl of Lincoln, died. His name is not widely recognised today, but he was an important member of the Tudor Court. His career was largely in the burgeoning navy – seeing action against the French and Scots in the 1540s, particularly naval support for the Battle of Pinkie. He was appointed Lord High Admiral under both Edward VI and Elizabeth I – the hiatus under Mary suggests he was an evangelical Protestant. Perhaps most interesting was his marital career. His first wife was Elizabeth (Bessie) Blount who had born Henry VIII his only acknowledged illegitimate child. He and Elizabeth had three children, and he had a further six by his second wife, Ursula Stourton. His third wife was Elizabeth FitzGerald, daughter of 9th Earl of Kildare, and forever immortalised as the Earl of Surrey’s ‘Fair Geraldine’. She was a close friend of Elizabeth I.

Picture is of Edward Fiennes de Clinton as a young man, by Holbein

On 15th January 1569 Katherine Carey, Lady Knollys, died. She had been ailing for some time, and her husband, Sir Francis, was desperately upset that he had not been able to be with her. Instead, he was at Bolton Castle, guarding Mary, Queen of Scots. Lady Knollys was born in 1524. Her mother, Mary Boleyn, at some time was the mistress of Henry VIII, and there has been speculation that Katherine was his daughter. Since no-one knows exactly when Mary was Henry’s mistress, nor for how long, it can be no more than a theory. Legally, her father was Sir William Carey. As was customary, Katherine was married young, aged 15 or 16. Her husband was around 13 years older, but they were happy together, and had twelve children who survived infancy. Katherine and her husband were evangelical Protestants, so they left England when Mary I reintroduced Catholicism, and went to Geneva. On their return at the accession of Katherine’s cousin, Elizabeth I, she was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber. Elizabeth was extremely fond of her, and very upset when she died.

Picture is Katherine Carey, Lady Knollys, by Steven van de Meulen