Edmund Dudley Timeline 1462-1510

Edmund Dudley was born to Sir John Dudley of Atherington and Elizabeth nee Bramshott in West Sussex.

Edmund was educated at Oxford University.

Dudley entered the Gray’s Inn to train as a lawyer.

Battle of Bosworth Field
Henry Tudor defeated Richard III and was proclaimed King Henry VII.

Dudley’s grandfather, John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley, died. He had reached the age of 87 years and had served Henry V, Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III.

Dudley became Member of Parliament for Lewes, East Sussex.

Edmund Dudley married Anne Windsor.

Dudley was appointed under-sheriff of London.

A daughter, Elizabeth, was born to Dudley and Anne Windsor.

Dudley’s wife, Anne, died. The cause of her death is not known but may have been due to complications with the birth of Elizabeth.

Edmund Dudley married Elizabeth Grey, daughter of Edward Grey, Viscount Lisle.

Reginald Bray, who had served as Treasurer, died. Bray had sought to improve the King’s finances by changing the way that taxes were collected.

Edmund Dudley was a member of the Council Learned in Law, which was chaired by Richard Empson. This Council heard cases that King Henry VII wished to pursue. It is recorded that Dudley and Empson frequently accepted pay-offs, some involving large sums of money, that helped to fill the royal treasury. They also extracted large payments for ‘the king’s favour’. Dudley’s own personal wealth increased significantly from this time. Both men were extremely unpopular with the nobility.

A son, John Dudley was born to Edmund Dudley and Elizabeth nee Grey.

Dudley was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.

Dudley served as a councillor to the King.

Dudley was President of the King’s Council.

A son, Andrew, was born to Edmund Dudley and Elizabeth nee Grey.

A son, Jerome, was born to Edmund Dudley and Elizabeth nee Grey. It is believed that Jerome had additional needs.

King Henry VII died. He was succeeded by his son Henry who became King Henry VIII.

Edmund Dudley and Richard Empson were charged with treason for plotting to take control of the throne when the King died. They were imprisoned in the Tower of London. The new king, Henry VIII, wanted to show the people that his rule would be unlike that of his father and the removal of two hated ministers reinforced that view.

Dudley and Empson were found guilty of treason. No date was set for their execution and they remained imprisoned in the Tower.

Dudley wrote ‘The Tree of Commonwealth’ an allegorical treatise on politics.

King Henry VIII signed the death warrant for Dudley and Empson.

Edmund Dudley and Richard Empson, were executed at Tower Hill by beheading.