Guilford Dudley

Guilford Dudley (1536 - 12 February 1553/1554) was a son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and the younger brother of Robert Dudley, the future earl of Leicester. The unusual first name derives from his mother's family name. His father was Lord Protector of the kingdom during the reign of King Edward VI of England. On Edward's death, Northumberland feared the accession of the king's sister, the Catholic Mary, and already had a scheme in place to replace her with a Protestant, Lady Jane Grey. In order to ensure that he would still be in control, he married her off to his son Guilford on May 15, 1553. The moment Edward died, Jane was proclaimed queen, and officially ruled for nine (or thirteen) days, with Guilford as her consort. However, Mary's adherents prevailed; Jane and Guilford were imprisoned, and Guilford, his father and his wife were all executed (Jane within the Tower of London, and the others on Tower Hill).