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British Kings and Queens "Bullet Book," Lady Jane Gray, a Queen for nine days in 1553

There were no coins issued during Lady Jane Gray’s short reign although fantasy pieces have been minted well after her time

• As the young king was dying, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, pushed Edward VI to write out papers that changed the order of succession for the British crown. Dudley knew that Mary, who was next in line, was a staunch Catholic and that she would push to put England back into the Papal fold.

• Edward VI named Lady Jane Gray as his successor and removed his half sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, from the lines of succession.

• Lady Jane Gray’s connection to the crown—She was the granddaughter of Mary Tudor who was the daughter of King Henry VII.

• Dudley cemented his connection to Jane Gray’s reign by arranging her marriage to Dudley’s son, Guilford.

• Lady Jane was well educated and, at least on paper, was qualified to be queen.

• Lady Jane was reluctant to accept the crown. She believed that it belonged to Mary, but she was a pawn in a political game.

• Lady Jane refused to make Dudley’s son, Guilford, a king. She would make him a duke, but never a king.

• Mary raised an army and easily defeated Guilford forces. Jane and Guilford were convicted of high treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

• Mary was reluctant to have Jane and Guilford executed. During their imprisonment, they became close and offered each other support.

• Finally after there was a movement to restore the crown to Lady Jane, Mary had them beheaded so that they could not be used as symbols to spawn any further revolutionary movements.

Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?

Comments

  • BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have to admit, I looked on eBay a few days ago to see if I could find a fantasy piece of Lady Jane Grey. Nothing there at that time.

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,839 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I found some on-line at one point, but didn't pay much attention to them. They looked modern.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • StorkStork Posts: 5,207 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm enjoying your 'bullet books'! Thank you for posting them.


  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,839 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillDugan1959 said:
    I have to admit, I looked on eBay a few days ago to see if I could find a fantasy piece of Lady Jane Grey. Nothing there at that time.

    Here is a picture of one I found with an Internet search.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillJones Oh heck, that's a lot better than I thought. I might buy that, once, up to about the $20 threshold.

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,703 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Murder seemed to run in the blood of the royals.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,839 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @291fifth said:
    Murder seemed to run in the blood of the royals.

    It did if you got in the way of their ambitions for power and money.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 19, 2018 1:34PM

    Unlike today, productive LAND and military/athletic prowess were the basis of power.

    The priests/clerics didn't have much say unless they came from some religious community that owned much productive land.

    When the Normans gained control of England, they first built secure fortresses and then second wrote up a very big and important book of who owned the land.

    Money, as we know it, was secondary.

    Gold and silver coins just greased the 'machinery' of power. Money was used to convey and maintain horses and cattle. They didn't even spend money on people, usually.

    Only people who owned productive land got any kind of vote or say in the big game. Often those same people had to be able to wield a sword to enforce their claims and rights.

    You need to get past The Regency and the Napoleonic Wars before the basis of power devolved away from the ownership of productive land.

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,703 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Just think of how much productive land (and treasure) Henry VIII obtained when he took control of the monasteries.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,593 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @291fifth said:
    Just think of how much productive land (and treasure) Henry VIII obtained when he took control of the monasteries.

    And quite frankly let a lot of them be dismantled, fall into ruin etc.

    Tir nam beann, nan gleann, s'nan gaisgeach ~ Saorstat Albanaich a nis!
  • Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Interesting, thanks !!! :)

    Timbuk3
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