Succession Crisis

Question 1

When did Edward die?

Answer 1

July 1553

Question 2

How did Edward dictate his will for the succession?

Answer 2

His ‘devise’ for the succession left the throne to LJG and her ‘heires masles’

Question 3

What was the weakness of the devise?

Answer 3

Not a law, nor a real will (as he was a child) so not legally binding

Lord Chief Justice Montague refused to make the will ‘for danger of treason’ - drafted it as letters patent instead

Question 4

How did Northumberland try to take control during the succession crisis?

Answer 4

Married LJG to his son Guildford Dudley, hoping to control her when she became Queen

Question 5

What did Northumberland do as soon as Edward died?

Answer 5

Sent 300 men to Hertfordshire to secure Mary Tudor, but she had already left and demanded to be recognised as Queen

Question 6

What did Northumberland do in response to Mary’s challenge?

Answer 6

Sent 1,500 men to Cambridge. However, Mary was gaining support and some of NL’s men began to desert.

Question 7

When did Mary emerge victorious?

Answer 7

20th July - a letter from the Council in London declared that they had proclaimed Mary as Queen. Northumberland was arrested and subsequently executed.

Question 8

What did historian Christopher Morris say about the succession crisis?

Answer 8

‘The scheme to make Lady Jane Grey Edward’s heiress was so shameless that it had little chance of success’