Although this thread seems to be old, I still was fascinated by the exchanges. I also wondered at why, King Edward VI, didn't marry his first cousin once removed, Jane Grey. I know popular periodicals and movies portray the young King as very apprehensive to challenge his Father's "line of the succession"; however, in doing my own research, it seems that preventing his very Pius, Catholic sister, Princess Mary, from inheriting his throne. His own will was written, by all accounts, when he first became ill, not actually naming, Jane Grey, but her Males Heir. It wasn't until he was actually facing death that he altered his will with a few strokes of the quill, causing it to read, Jane Grey and her Males Heir. I know that had, King Edward, not gotten ill and lived a long life, England would be a far different country than it is today. Edwards England was absolutely to be a very Protestant England. So I'm almost certain that changing the succession was of his own will and idea, but how it was handled may have well been the young, King Edward VI, making a critical mistake by taking the advise of how to handle his situation from, Lord Dudley Northumberland, who had his own agenda. It's my belief that he felt he should handle the transfer of power from, King Edward VI, to his cousin, Jane Grey, via way of marrying his son, Lord Guildford Dudley, thinking it would in time render him a stronger claim and more power and position for himself. Otherwise, I think things may have very well played out much differently for the Crown and England, had the young, King Edward VI, gone ahead early on in 1551/1552, marrying his cousin, Jane Grey. I feel that had he done so and made her his Regent in his absence, with or without issue, that, Princess Mary, would have found it much the more difficult to seize the Throne. But again, this scenario in comparison with the way things actually played out at the hand of, Lord Dudley Northumberland, would have possibly removed him from his "power base". Also, the other thing that strikes a nerve with me is that in all of the documents that have survived that were written by, Lord Dudley Northumberland, prior to, King Edward VI's, death, portray him as tolerating no, "popery/papist", painting a picture of a die hard Protestant, yet after, King Edward VI's, death and the fall of, Jane Grey, and rise of, Queen Mary I, it was proven how "disingenuous", Lord Dudley Northumberland, was! Even though with the hope of a stay of execution by decapitation if he would just, "embrace the true religion", he switched up in a heart beat in the attempt to save his own skin! In closing I just wanted to make mention of all the postings suggesting it was probably because they were first cousins once removed that, King Edward VI, couldn't/wouldn't, marry, Jane Grey. Actually that wouldn't have been an obstacle at all had, King Edward VI, had the desire/want/need/ or disposition to marry her, as it is a very common practice amongst Royals to marry there cousins, and yes, even first cousins. This practice is deliberate with the thought of keeping the blood line pure and untainted. Well, it's been fun and I look forward to hearing other thoughts on the topic!
