Queen Elizabeth I of England died of smallpox on 30 October 1562. She was twenty-nine years old, and had been queen for two and a half weeks short of four weeks. She was the third consecutive English monarch who had reigned for less than seven years. Elizabeth had not married and given birth to an heir, nor had she named her successor.
The Privy Council met and discussed who would now be king or queen of England. Some members favoured Lady Katherine Grey (born 25 August 1540). She was the great granddaughter of Henry VII, the granddaughter of Mary Tudor the elder, the younger sister of Henry VIII. She was the sister of Lady Jane Grey, and a cousin of Elizabeth.
Other members of the council, including Lord Robert Dudley, were in favour of Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon (born 1535) He was descended on his mother's side from George, Duke of Clarence, the brother of Edward IV. He was also a cousin of Elizabeth, and the brother in law of Dudley. But his Yorkist ancestry was against him. Then there was Mary Queen of Scots, another cousin of Elizabeth, and a great granddaughter of Henry VII. But as a Catholic she was unacceptable to the Protestant council.
In December 1560, Katherine had secretly married Edward Seymour, Earl of Seymour, without Elizabeth's permission. This was forbidden because she was in the line of succession to the throne, and she was imprisoned in the Tower of London. She gave birth to a son there on 24 September 1561, whom she named Edward. The following year, Elizabeth had the Archbishop of Canterbury declare Katherine's marriage invalid, because there were no surviving witnesses to it. The only witness was Lady Jane Seymour, Katherine's friend and the sister of Edward Seymour. But she died on 15 March 1561.
Elizabeth had said that she did not want Katherine to succeed her. But in his will, Henry VIII had named the children of his sister Mary, in the line of succession to the throne, if his son Edward and daughter Mary did not have children. William Cecil, Elizabeth's Principal Secretary, favoured Katherine and she was proclaimed Queen of England on 1 November 1562, as Katherine I. She was pregnant with her second child and still imprisoned in the Tower of London.
The Privy Council met and discussed who would now be king or queen of England. Some members favoured Lady Katherine Grey (born 25 August 1540). She was the great granddaughter of Henry VII, the granddaughter of Mary Tudor the elder, the younger sister of Henry VIII. She was the sister of Lady Jane Grey, and a cousin of Elizabeth.
Other members of the council, including Lord Robert Dudley, were in favour of Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon (born 1535) He was descended on his mother's side from George, Duke of Clarence, the brother of Edward IV. He was also a cousin of Elizabeth, and the brother in law of Dudley. But his Yorkist ancestry was against him. Then there was Mary Queen of Scots, another cousin of Elizabeth, and a great granddaughter of Henry VII. But as a Catholic she was unacceptable to the Protestant council.
In December 1560, Katherine had secretly married Edward Seymour, Earl of Seymour, without Elizabeth's permission. This was forbidden because she was in the line of succession to the throne, and she was imprisoned in the Tower of London. She gave birth to a son there on 24 September 1561, whom she named Edward. The following year, Elizabeth had the Archbishop of Canterbury declare Katherine's marriage invalid, because there were no surviving witnesses to it. The only witness was Lady Jane Seymour, Katherine's friend and the sister of Edward Seymour. But she died on 15 March 1561.
Elizabeth had said that she did not want Katherine to succeed her. But in his will, Henry VIII had named the children of his sister Mary, in the line of succession to the throne, if his son Edward and daughter Mary did not have children. William Cecil, Elizabeth's Principal Secretary, favoured Katherine and she was proclaimed Queen of England on 1 November 1562, as Katherine I. She was pregnant with her second child and still imprisoned in the Tower of London.
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