1746

In 1746, almost 200 years after her death, the historian and genealogist, Arthur Collins, wrote of Jane Dudley, Duchess of Northumberland, that she was "the greatest example in the fortitude of mind in adversity and of modest virtue; and whose wisdom, care, and prudence, restored her overthrown house, even in a reign of cruelty and tyranny."

Jane Guildford was born in 1508 or 1509. She was the only daughter of Sir Edward Guildford and Eleanor West. She was educated at home with her brother Richard and her father’s ward, John Dudley, who would become her husband. They married when she was just 16 and Dudley was about 21. Together, they had 13 children: 8 sons and 5 daughters. Their marriage seemed to be a happy one; even a poem was penned praising their love and devotion to each other. Among their sons were Robert Dudley, who would become Queen Elizabeth’s favourite, and Guildford Dudley, the ill-fated husband of Lady Jane Grey. By all accounts, Jane Dudley was a loving and devoted mother to her children.

Jane served as lady-in-waiting to both Anne Boleyn and Anne of Cleves. Like her husband, she was very interested in the Reformation of the Church and had moved in these circles for a few years. In 1542, John Dudley was created Viscount Lisle, and Jane, who was close with Catherine Parr and was one of the four ladies to lead her up the aisle on her wedding day,

As her husband’s status grew, so did hers. She was very influential with her husband, and many people sought her patronage and her favour in hopes of reaching her husband’s ear.

When King Edward fell ill in early 1553. He drew up a document of succession to settle the Crown on his Protestant cousin Lady Jane Grey, overturning the claims of his half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth. In May of the same year, Guildford Dudley married Lady Jane Grey. This marriage would later be used to prove conspiracy on behalf of Northumberland. After Edward’s death, John Dudley went into action to initiate King Edward’s wishes. Lady Jane Grey accepted the crown after much stern encouragement from her parents and in-laws.

On July 10, the Duchess of Northumberland accompanied her son and daughter-in-law on their ceremonial entry into the Tower of London, where they were to reside for the rest of the short reign. It is said that when Lady Jane Grey refused to make Guildford king and wanted to bestow a dukedom upon him, he threw a tantrum and went to get his mother. Jane sided with her son, of course, and according to Lady Jane Grey, it was Jane Dudley who "induced her son not to sleep with me any more". It was clear from Lady Jane Grey’s writings that she did not get along with her mother-in-law.

After Mary was declared queen and the Duke of Northumberland arrested, Jane Dudley tried to personally intercede for her imprisoned husband and sons with Mary, who was staying outside London. Much as she had once interceded on Mary’s behalf in the past. However, five miles before reaching Mary, the Duchess was turned away on the Queen's orders. She then wrote to her friend Lady Paget, wife of William, Lord Paget, asking her to plead with the Queen's ladies for her husband's life. Her plea was in vain, and the Duke of Northumberland was executed on August 22, 1553, on Tower Hill.

Following Wyatt's rebellion, Guildford Dudley was b-headed on February 12, 1554, shortly before his wife. Not giving up on her remaining imprisoned sons, Jane began a campaign to gain them clemency. She and her son-in-law, Henry Sidney, worked hard, pleading with the Spanish nobles that surrounded Prince Philip of Spain to intercede on their behalf. Sidney even travelled to Spain, and with the help of Lord Paget in the autumn of 1554, the Dudley brothers were released from the Tower, though the eldest, John, died immediately afterwards. Despite the confiscation of all of Northumberland’s estates and possessions, because of Jane Dudley’s past kindness to her, Queen Mary I allowed her to retain her wardrobe and plate, carpets, and other household stuff, as well as the use of the Duke's house in Chelsea. It was in this house that she died in 1555 and was buried at Chelsea Old Church. In her will, she tried to provide for her sons financially and thanked the Queen as well as the many Spanish nobles with whom she had lobbied. The Duchess of Alba was to receive her green parrot; to Don Diego de Acevedo she gave "the new bed of green velvet with all the furniture to it; beseeching him, "even as he hath in my lifetime showed himself like a father and a brother to my sons, so shall I require him no less to do now their mother is gone"

The only known contemporary image of Jane Dudley, Duchess of Northumberland, from her tomb in Old Chelsea Church.

Sources:

The Political Career of John Dudley, Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland, B.L. Beer

Lady Jane Grey, Hester Chapman

"A Letter of Jane, Duchess of Northumberland, 1553" English Historical Review, ed. S.J. Gunn, p. 1267–1271

https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/70580