Published information on Lady Jane is scant and contradictory; here, primary sources including JaneOCOs own letters illustrate the drama of a high-born, high-minded and intelligent young lady sacrificed on the pyre of ambition by her kin. The teenaged Lady"

A biography and collection of writings providing insight into the social conditions of the lives of ruling class women in the 16th century England, as well as a personal look at the life of one such woman.

Lady Jane Grey, is one of the most elusive and tragic characters in English history. In July 1553 the death of the childless Edward VI threw the Tudor dynasty into crisis. On Edward's instructions his cousin Jane Grey was proclaimed queen, only to be ousted 13 days later by his illegitimate half sister Mary and later beheaded. In this radical reassessment, Eric Ives rejects traditional portraits of Jane both as hapless victim of political intrigue or Protestant martyr. Instead he presents her as an accomplished young woman with a fierce personal integrity. The result is a compelling dissection by a master historian and storyteller of one of history’s most shocking injustices.

Deposing Monarchs analyses depositions in Northern Europe between 1500 and 1700 as a type of frequent political conflict which allows to present new ideas on early modern state formation, monarchy, and the conventions of royal rulership. The book revises earlier conceptualizations of depositions as isolated, unique events that emerged in the context of national historiographies. An examination of the official legitimations of depositions reveals that in times of crisis, concepts of tradition, rule of law, and political consensus are much more influential than the divine right of kings. Tracing the similarities and differences of depositions in Northern Europe transnationally and diachronically, the book shows monarchical succession as more non-linear than previously presumed. It offers a transferable model of the different elements needed in depositions, such as opposition to the monarch by multiple groups in a realm, the need for a convincing rival candidate, and a legitimation based on political traditions or religious ideas. Furthermore, the book bolsters our understanding of authority and rule as a constant process of negotiation, adding to recent research on political culture, and on the cultural history of politics.

Annotation Published information on Lady Jane is scant and contradictory; here, primary sources including Jane's own letters illustrate the drama of a high-born, high-minded and intelligent young lady sacrificed on the pyre of ambition by her kin. The teenaged Lady Jane faced her shocking fate with shocking fortitude; her own performance is inspirational, while some of those around her showed themselves to be the very embodiment of treachery and betrayal. This work is the result of a seven year investigation into the story of Lady Jane. Among the gems that the author uncovered in his research is a collection of letters that William Lane purchased from an unidentified source while he was at the Minerva Press, possibly in 1790 or 1791. Wellrecorded events in history correlate with some of the events indicated in these previously unpublished letters, thus tying them to the figures of the time and providing insight into the turbulent Tudor period. Another tantalizing item is an intimate letter Lady Jane wrote to Queen Mary in August of 1553. Rarely seen and little studied, it is available only in an 1594 Italian translation. Each letter or document has been reviewed at its original source level, translated from another language, or transcribed and presented in that form. The author has indicated the primary source for each document, and noted supporting sources when available. The result is a complete and accurate study of Lady Jane Grey and her short reign, through primary and secondary sources, that will stimulate new questions in the mind of readers and researchers alike. * This is the first in a series of books on Elizabethan figures by James D. Taylor.

An engaging and accurate introduction to the Protestant Reformation, told in the words of those who led it, opposed it, and lived it. The Protestant Reformation was a pivotal event in world history and religion. Documents of the Reformation collects more than 60 primary documents that shed light on the personalities, issues, ideas, and events of the 16th-century upheaval and will help readers to understand how and why the Protestant Reformation began and transpired as it did. The book is divided into 12 sections on topics such as indulgences, persecution, and women in the Reformation, each of which offers five document selections. Detailed introductions preceding the documents put them into historical context and explain why they are important, while a general introduction and chronology help readers to understand the Reformation in broad terms and to see causal connections. Bibliographies of current print and digital resources attend each document, and a general bibliography lists seminal works on the Reformation.

This book commemorates the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death on 23 April 1616. Four centuries later, sales of his works are second only to the Bible. Yet, in common with the authors of the Holy Book, little is known about the poet and playwright, and the few facts that have emerged over the course of several hundred years are largely speculative – when they aren't complete b*llocks. An entry from the diary written by the Revd John Ward, vicar of Stratford-upon-Avon from 1662 to 1681, is instructive, for he recorded tales passed on to him by people who had known Shakespeare. In one, he mentions that 'the Bard' held his fifty-second birthday party at New Place in Stratford and that 'Shakespeare, [the poet Michael] Drayton and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting, and it seems, drank too hard, for Shakespeare died of a feavour there contracted.' But if the date of his death is known, the actual day of his birth remains conjecture. As does so much else . . . This amusing but instructive book assembles many of the legends, the lies, the imputations, and a host of uncommon facts from the late Tudor and early Jacobean period, loosely arranged in chronological order to establish William Shakespeare in his literary and historical setting. In doing so, it shows us the man and his time, thereby illuminating the greatest playwright who ever lived.

The Nine Days' Queen by Richard Davey is a biography of Lady Jane Grey in the form of a personal tragedy. Lady Jane Grey, later known as Lady Jane Dudley (after her marriage) and as the "Nine Days' Queen", was a teenage English noblewoman who claimed the throne of England and Ireland from 10 July until 19 July 1553. Excerpt: "The tragedy of Lady Jane Grey is unquestionably one of the most poignant episodes in English history, but its very dramatic completeness and compactness have almost invariably caused its wider significance..."