Born – 17th January 1517
Died – Executed 23rd February 1554
Father – Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset (1477 – 1530)
Mother – Margaret Wotton (1485 – 1535)
Spouse – Frances Brandon (1517 – 1559)
Children – Jane (1537 – 1554), Katherine (1540 – 1568), Mary (1545 – 1578); by Adrian Stokes – Elizabeth (1555 – 1556)
1517 (17th January)
Henry Grey was born to Thomas Grey and Margaret Wotton.
1529 (around)
Henry was betrothed to Katherine FitzAlan, daughter of William FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel.
1530 (10th October)
Henry became Marquess of Dorset following the death of his father.
1531 (around)
Henry repudiated his betrothal to Katherine FitzAlan.
1533 (May)
Henry married Frances Brandon, daughter of Charles Brandon and Mary, sister of King Henry VIII at Suffolk Place, Southwark, London.
1533 (30th May)
Henry Grey was created a Knight of the Bath.
1533 (1st June)
Henry Grey was chosen to be the sword bearer at Anne Boleyn’s coronation.
1534 (around)
A son, was born to Frances and Henry Grey. He only lived a few months.
1535 (around)
A daughter, was born to Frances and Henry Grey. She only lived a few months.
1537 (Spring)
A daughter, Jane, was born to Frances and Henry Grey at Bradgate House, Leicestershire.
1540 (25th August)
A daughter, Katherine, was born to Frances and Henry Grey at Bradgate House, Leicestershire.
1545 (around)
A daughter, Mary, was born to Frances and Henry Grey at Bradgate House, Leicestershire.
1547 (28th January)
King Henry VIII died at Whitehall Palace in the early hours of the morning. He was succeeded by his son who became King Edward VI. Edward’s maternal uncle, Edward Seymour declared himself ‘Protector of all the Realm and Dominions of the King’s Majesty’.
1547 (17th February)
Henry was created a Knight of the Garter.
1547 (Spring)
Henry’s daughter, Jane, went to live in the household of Thomas Seymour and Katherine Parr. The Grey’s hoped that Seymour would make a good match for their daughter.
1548 (5th September)
Katherine Parr died shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Mary.
1549 (January)
Thomas Seymour was found guilty of treason for trying to abduct the King. Henry’s daughter, Jane returned home.
1549 (10th March)
Thomas Seymour was executed.
1550 (February)
John Dudley, Earl of Warwick became leader of the Council.
1551 (during)
John Dudley became Duke of Northumberland.
1551 (11th October)
Henry Grey, became Duke of Suffolk in right of his wife Frances after her two half-brothers died of sweating sickness.
1553 (Spring)
King Edward VI was taken ill and it became clear he was dying.
1553 (25th May)
Henry’s daughter, Jane, married Guildford Dudley, son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, at Durham House. His daughter Katherine married Henry Herbert son of the Earl of Pembroke in the same ceremony.
1553 (June)
Devise for the Succession
King Edward opposed the succession of either of his half-sisters due to their illegitimacy and Mary’s Catholicism. This document passed the succession to Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry VIII’s younger sister, Mary in the event of of there being no legitimate male heir on his death.
King Edward opposed the succession of either of his half-sisters due to their illegitimacy and Mary’s Catholicism. This document passed the succession to Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry VIII’s younger sister, Mary in the event of of there being no legitimate male heir on his death.
1553 (6th July)
Edward VI died.
1553 (10th July)
Henry’s daughter, Jane, was proclaimed Queen of England. She and her husband, Guildford Dudley went to the Tower of London to await coronation.
1553 (14th July)
The Duke of Northumberland left London at the head of a force to capture Mary Tudor. However, after he had left London the Privy Council, seeing that popular support was for Mary, decided to support Mary’s claim.
1553 (19th July)
Mary Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VIII, Edward’s half-sister, was proclaimed Queen Mary I.
1553 (3rd August)
Queen Mary made her formal entry into London. She was accompanied by her half-sister Elizabeth and Anne of Cleves.
1553 (13th November)
Henry’s daughter, Jane, was tried for high treason. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to death. The date of her execution was not set because Mary believed that she and her husband were innocent parties in a plot by Northumberland to take control of the throne and she remained imprisoned in the Gentleman Gaoler’s Quarters of the Tower of London. Henry was pardoned for being a party to the plot.
1554 (February)
Wyatt’s Rebellion
Thomas Wyatt organised a rebellion against Catholic Mary’s plans to marry King Philip of Spain. Henry joined the rebellion hoping to restore his daughter to the throne. The rebellion was suppressed but Mary decided she had no choice but to execute Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley to prevent them becoming a focus for further anti-Catholic rebellions.
Thomas Wyatt organised a rebellion against Catholic Mary’s plans to marry King Philip of Spain. Henry joined the rebellion hoping to restore his daughter to the throne. The rebellion was suppressed but Mary decided she had no choice but to execute Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley to prevent them becoming a focus for further anti-Catholic rebellions.
1554 (12th February)
Henry’s daughter, Jane Grey, was beheaded within the walls of the Tower of London.
1554 (23rd February)
Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, was executed for his part in Wyatt’s Rebellion.
Published Jul 24, 2020 @ 12:30 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2020). Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk 1517 – 1554. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/henry-grey-duke-of-suffolk-1517-1554 Last accessed [date]