As a form of settlement, Shaqoor’s family offered to have him marry Salma. Mukhtar, a single woman, was offered in marriage to a Mastoi man as well. The leader of the Mastoi tribe was agreeable at first but unfortunately, some complications ensued. Members of the tribal council (called the panchayat), decided that Mukhtar had to be raped in order to avenge a previous rape — that of Salma, although take note that this had never been proven.

Mukhtar was taken at gunpoint from her home, dragged out of her house and gang raped. To further cement her public humiliation, she was later pushed out and forced to walk home naked in front of other villagers. Her father covered her with a cloth and led her home.

That night, information reached the police that the dispute between the Mastois and the Mai family had been settled and whatever charges were being thrown at Shaqoor were now being withdrawn. Shaqoor was freed from jail. Mukhtar’s rape was not mentioned.

Help from an imam
Mukhtar Mai’s plight was not lost to some people in her village. Days after her rape, Abdul Razzaq, a local imam, strongly condemned the incident during a sermon. He was also instrumental in having the rape covered by the local media by introducing Mukhtar’s father to a journalist. ]

Eight days after the rape, Mukhtar was accompanied by her family to the police station to file charges against the men who raped her.

Thanks to her bravery, Mukhtar Mai managed to have her rapists and the panchayat jailed and put on death row. She was later given recognition by the government and awarded an equivalent of US$8,500 for all her troubles. She used the money to build schools — one for boys and one for girls. Mukhtar herself had never been educated and wanted to help others who were as unfortunate as she.

After her rape, she became a vocal advocate for women’s rights in her country, promoting education in her speeches and travels. She was even invited to the U.S. to speak in front of the United Nations.

Today, her case is still pending in court. The problem now is that Mukhtar Mai is being pressured to withdraw her charges against the men who attacked her. That would effectively release the men who wronged her of their responsibilities and a corruption of justice.

The horrifying thing about this incident in not just that Mukhtar Mai was gang raped but that she became the punishment for someone else’s supposed mistake. She was not even in the game, so to speak. She was just an innocent bystander who happened to be available by virtue of her relationship by consanguinity to the person who was supposed to be at fault — a fault that was never proven at all. Her humiliation only came about as a way to avenge someone’s perceived honor.

Allowing Mukhtar’s rapists to go scot-free would be a denial that the incident ever happened. Not only that, condoning these unspeakable acts and practices will only put in danger not just Mukhtar and her family but also all the women, young girls and even young boys and men in many remote villages and areas in Pakistan. They are nameless, faceless individuals to us but that doesn’t mean they do not exist and have no right to have a decent life. They, too, have to be respected regardless of their status in life.

Take note that Mukhtar Mai was even expected to kill herself for having been raped. Now, she is being pressured to withdraw her charges against the men who brutally raped her in public. What she had to endure and is still enduring is cruel and senseless.

To all of you who read this, please help in any way you can. You can send an e-mail to the government of Pakistan or you could spread the word about this. If you wish to confirm the veracity of this account, you could perform some independent research on your own about Mukhtar Mai or you could click on this Wikipedia link.   Here is another link to an article posted on Time.com. 

If you wish to let your voice be heard, here are some of the e-mail addresses of Pakistani officials you and your friends can write to to appeal for Mukhtar Mai and all the other women who may be in the same situation as she:

ppp@comsats.net.pk

governor.sectt@punjab.gov.pk

interior.complaintcell@gmail.com

ministry.interior@gmail.com

Your small gesture could help save not just one life — Mukhtar Mai’s life — but also those of untold others. A small gesture could help tremendously or it could help a little. Or maybe, it might fall on deliberately deaf ears. But let it not be said that we didn’t do anything about it.

Anna Goldi
Anna Goldi (sometimes Goeldi or Goldin) was a woman who lived in Switzerland in the mid-1700s.  She appeared in the small town of Glarus, then and now a picturesque Eden of snow-capped mountains and houses that looked like they were plucked from the setting of Heidi.  This, along with the nearby town of Mollis, would be the setting of the drama about the last witch of Europe.

Glarus is one of the cantons in Switzerland, a division of the country nestled in the northern side of the Todi mountains.  It’s a small town, having an area of only about 265 sq.mi.  Here, Anna Goldi arrived in 1765, hoping to find work as a house maid.  It wasn’t long until she was hired by the well-to-do families who lived there. 

Although the town was only a few hours’ travel by cart to Zurich, it was somehow secluded from the advances of the time.  It was an area still held tightly by traditional beliefs and practices, a town over which the rich and influential held sway.  By the mid-1700s, Europe was undergoing a rapid change and witchcraft-related persecutions were on the wane.  Unfortunately, this did nothing to save Anna Goldi.

The problem with Anna
Anna Goldi was a woman who was probably hard to miss, particularly by redblooded Glarus males.  According to records, she was tall, had brown eyes, long dark hair and good skin.  She was also blessed with beautiful, healthy curves, the kind people respectfully refer to as ‘generously proportioned’.

Anna wasn’t shy about her attractiveness.  Even by the time she was 40, it is said that she continued to have several lovers, some of whom were the important men of the towns where she worked and lived.  One of these men was Johann Jacob Tschudi.  Tschudi was a 35-year-old physician who also worked as a town magistrate.  He was married and had children but this didn’t stop Anna – or Jacob – from starting an illicit affair.

Soon, Anna became pregnant with Tschudi’s child.  According to some accounts, this was her second pregnancy.  The first one was also the product of an adulterous affair and Anna had to give up her child to be adopted.  This time around, though, Anna wasn’t content about keeping her secret to herself.  She went to the church authorities to file a complaint. 

This presented a huge problem for Tschudi, who was a highly respected member of the town.  If Anna were to go to the town officials and complain against him, he would not only lose his job, he would also lose his influence and, quite possibly, whatever money and properties he owned. 

Anna the Witch
Before Anna could file further charges, however, strange things began to happen in the Tschudi household.  Jacob himself reported that needles began to appear in the children’s milk and later, in the bread.  As if that wasn’t enough, he later claimed that his daughter Annemiggeli had been taken ill, vomiting a hundred needles.  Since he was a doctor, it indeed sounded strange that he, a man of medicine, couldn’t heal his own beloved daughter.  And when a man of science can fail in such a task, it could only be the work of a witch. 

Since people started taking his story seriously, it wasn’t long until Tschudi gained enough support to actually accuse Anna of dabbling in witchcraft.  She had no choice but to hide but the police caught up with her and arrested her.  What followed was a tragedy.

Marking the witch
Since she wouldn’t confess to the ‘crime’, Anna was imprisoned and tortured.  Her hands were tied behind her and she was suspended by a rope tied around her thumbs.  To increase the pain, heavy stones were hung from her ankles.  Under torture, Anna had no choice but to confess. 

Her confession was a standard list of ‘violations’, straight out of an instructional book on how to be hanged as a witch.  She claimed that she:

- made a secret pact with the Devil himself
- would meet the Devil who appeared to her as a big, black dog
- received the needles from the Devil and used them to ‘poison’ Annemigelli

Incredibly, Anna also gave birth during this time.  As if adding to Anna’s troubles, the child did not survive and its death was added to the mother’s list of sins.  Anna did try to fight back, even recanting her earlier confession.  Unfortunately for her, the court was made up of relatives and friends of her former lover, Jacob Tschudi and it wasn’t long until Anna was sentenced to be beheaded. 

On June 13, 1782, as a final act of humiliation, Anna Goldi was made to kneel in the public square and her head was severed at the neck using a sword.

- by George Cooper, October’s Party

I’ve always looked forward to October because it’s the month we celebrate Halloween.  Of course, you need to go through 30 more days till the night of the event itself but it’s worth the wait.  Here are a few things I’d like to share about the 10th month:

October comes from the Latin word ‘octo’, which means eight.  This might seem a little strange, considering that October is the 10th month in the Gregorian calendar but there’s a reason why. 

The mythical Roman king Romulus (one of those two babies suckling a she-wolf in that famous sculpture), made a calendar that had only 10 months.  According to the writer Ovid, this must have been so because Romulus only had 10 fingers.  The number of days in Romulus’ calendar totaled only 304 days.

The first four months were named after the popular festivals or gods: Martis, Aprilis, Maius, Junius.  The rest were so-named because of the sequence of their appearance: Quintilis (5th), Sextilius (6th), September (7th), October (8th), November (9th) and December (10th). 

As you can see, October was then the 8th month.  It was later bumped off to number 10 when the Romans decided to honor another god (Janus) and another festival (Februarius), finally ending up with the number of months we know today.  The calendar still wasn’t perfect – it only had 344 days (the Romans added one more day because they had a superstition about even numbers) – but it was on its way. 

It was only in 47 BC when the great Julius Caesar finally fixed the Roman calendar at 365 days a year, plus one year every four years.  He got this idea from the Egyptians (he was the lover of their queen, Cleopatra).  Julius merely copied the Egyptian’s calendar system (based on the sun) and integrated it into the Roman system (based on the moon). 

The calendar was further refined by Emperor Constantine the Great and later by a pope, Gregory XIII.

Other things about October:

Those born in the month of October are Librans and Scorpios.  Their birthstone is the opal, a lustrous multi-colored stone.  Some, however, prefer the tourmaline, which ranges in color from black to blue, from green to brownish-black.  Some tourmalines are red, in which case they are called rubellites.  Colorless or white tourmalines are the rarest of these gems.

The birth flower for this month is the Camellia, a tree or shrub belonging to the tea family or the calendula, the most famous species of which is pot marigold, commonly found in gardens.

For beer lovers, October is a month to look forward to because of Oktoberfest.  Oktoberfest is a festival that originated in Germany.  Although it began as a feast to celebrate the marriage of the man who would later become Bavaria’s King Louis I, Oktoberfest is now known around the world as a loving tribute to beer and its fans. 

For many Catholic school children, October is rosary month.  In some schools, kids would be asked to make rosaries and pray one decade (that’s 1 Our Father and 10 Hail Marys) prior to the start of each class.

Henry Ford’s Model T first hit the market on the 1st of October, 1908. 

On Oct. 4, 1957, the Iskustvennyi Sputnik Zemli was launched by the Soviets.  It was to become the world’s very first artificial satellite. 

October is also the month for Breast Cancer Awareness.  Go pink!  Here’s a link for more information.

The Marke of the Witch
To distinguish a witch from an average person, let’s take a look at how they function.  Witches are supposedly powerful, equipped with magical powers that they either obtained by association to a demon or handed down to them by their mother, grandmother, aunt or another witch they apprenticed with.

In short, they practiced the magickal arts, delved on the supernatural, probably danced with the spirits on certain occasions.  They were mostly women, capable of casting spells to conjure a storm or make someone sick, raise the waves of the sea or call upon the elements to torture their enemies.

To obtain these powers, witches had to perform certain acts, particularly with the devil, with whom they are aligned.  On a Sabbat, it is said, witches gathered in a circle around the devil.  In order for an initiate (a witch-to-be) to become a true witch, she had to pay homage to the demon and participate in the ritual. 

If she passes, she is given a Devil’s Mark or stigmata diaboli (should not be confused with a witch’s mark).  This is akin to a brand used on animals and is considered a symbol of ownership and allegiance.  So what did it look like?

The mark or seal of the Devil often appeared as a strange birthmark, a skin blemish that would not go away or a scar.

What about the mark of the witch?
Unfortunately for all the unfortunate women (and men) accused of witchcraft long ago, the mark of the witch often appeared as a physical characteristic, such as an extra finger (as in the case of Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I’s mother), an extra toe, an extra nipple or even an extra breast. 

Any protuberance, discoloration or malformation of the flesh was also considered as the mark of the witch.  If an unfortunate soul happened to have a pimple or a tumor, he or she would’ve come under attack.  The lovely Angelina Jolie, had she lived during that dangerous time in history with her tattoos intact, would have been accused of witchcraft, her beauty more a curse than a blessing.

The mark of ignorance
Thousands upon thousands of women and men were convicted of witchcraft because of the presence of physical deformities or unusual characteristics.  Sadly, their demise was caused not by their actual allegiance to the dark side but by the utter ignorance and fanaticism of their neighbors and fellow townsfolk.

These days, some women fall all over themselves just to claim the title of The Bitch.  It’s a badge of honor for some reason.  You see it on reality shows, interviews of celebrities and semi-celebrities, well-meaning talk shows and magazines claiming to be legit.  ‘I’m a bitch!’  ‘You’re talking to a bitch, bitch!’ have certainly replaced the antiquated rallying cry of women of long ago – ‘I am Woman.  Hear me roar.’

Ironically, those who declare themselves to be bitches find it offensive and unimaginably insulting to be called one by their peers.  What gives?  A lot of women just want to be bitches and they don’t even know what it truly means.

Will the real bitches please stand up?
Anybody who wants a little respect can just claim ‘Bitch’ as a title.  That’s sad, I think, especially since not all of them deserve it.  In my humble opinion, here are some of the most important characteristics that separate the true bitch from the lowly skank and the plain loud-mouth:

1.  A real bitch does not have to work hard at being provocative.
You’ll know her when she walks into a room and she doesn’t have to form an angle with her elbows just to get enough space.  She gets attention even without speaking or flicking her fingers.  It’s her halo that precedes her, not her mouth.

2.  A real bitch has scars but she doesn’t flaunt them to be admired. 
Instead, she flaunts them so others may learn from her pain.

3.  A real bitch isn’t shallow.
A real bitch can actually think.  And it doesn’t hurt her physically.

4.  A true bitch ain’t cheap.
You can’t buy a real bitch with cash, cheap jewelry, a ride on your rented sports car or an invite in the most happening bar of the moment so she could spend a few hours warming your lap. 

In fact, you can’t buy a true bitch at all.  She knows her worth and she knows she’s just plain out of your league.  She is just damn priceless.  If she decides someday that she wants you, she’ll probably let you spend for her but not because she doesn’t have the money to do it herself.  It’s so you’ll feel you’re in control – even if you’re not.

5.  A real bitch doesn’t really know she is one.
What she knows for sure is that she’s only being herself, fighting for her right to survive and to be heard.  She doesn’t have to step her high-heeled shoes on someone else’s toes just to get what she wants because – by golly – she will and she does.  That’s that.

6.  A real bitch is an asset, not a liability.

7.  A real bitch IS a bitch – not some drama queen.

8.  A true bitch shakes you to the core, wakes you up like a splash of cold water to the face and hits you like a good, long shot of tequila.  A fake bitch traumatizes you, sucks your energy like a leech and just when you think you can breathe, she comes up with enough reasons to complain some more.

If you want to be able to tell a true bitch from a fake one, the pretender is always the one who won’t shut up even if she has nothing of value to say.

9.  A true bitch appreciates in value as she grows older.
She doesn’t wither away with each birthday or implode with a whimper, sulking in the corner as new bitch wanna-bes enter the scene.

10.  A bitch doesn’t have to bounce her boobs or rub her booty at a camera just so she could declare herself ‘hot’.
A real bitch is just hot, regardless of whether she has clothes on or just the radio.  And she doesn’t have to lead your eyes to the nice spots.  They will find their way there unaided.

With this ring…
For the uninitiated and the uninformed, a purity ring is worn by someone who intends to remain sexually ‘pure’ until marriage, with sexually pure meaning practicing celibacy or abstinence until the marriage vows.  This is why a purity ring is sometimes called a chastity ring.

Any metal may be used as a purity ring and there is no set standard as to its design.  However, many teens and post-teens, especially Christians, often choose rings engraved or embossed with a cross.  For some, a purity ring may also be adorned with precious or semi-precious stones.  Some engravings may also appear in the form of a saying.

What it means
A purity ring represents the wearer’s pledge to remain celibate until he/she marries.  The sentiment is admirable but a cure for teenage promiscuity or pregnancy it is not.  And here’s why:

1.  The purity ring does not automatically prevent you from falling into temptation.
Sex is one of the greatest of addictions.  In some mystical practices, it is even considered a healing act.  But that of course depends on how it is used and how you yourself view it. 

The problem with sex (something that the wearing of purity rings attempts to curb) is that like all human actions, it has consequences.  There’s the risk of pregnancy, catching a sexually transmitted disease and the emotional havoc it can sometimes place on young people who are ill-equipped to deal with it.  Purity ring or no, if you’re not ready, then you’re not ready.

2.  The purity ring might raise a ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude.
Jordin Sparks did put Brand in his place when she made that cutting remark about some people not wanting to be sluts.  But that’s generalizing it.  Just because someone chooses not to wear the ring or refrains from abstinence does not automatically make them skanks. 

There are many people in the world who enjoy a good, healthy, active sex life who are really good, kind human beings.  And no, they’ve never worn a purity ring.  They’re just basically mature enough to understand and handle the consequences well.

3.  The purity ring does not guarantee you a happy life.
The cases of teens having sex at an age when they’re supposed to still be playing with dolls is worrisome, to say the least.  People who initiated the use of purity rings had good intentions, of course.  However, wouldn’t the use of these rings raise unrealistic expectations about sex and relationships? 

The person you make love to for the first time in your life may be the love of your life… or not.  Great if he/she is… but what if he/she isn’t?  The purity ring may protect you from the responsibilities and risks associated with sex (especially unprotected sex) but it may not prepare you for those surprises that life likes to spring from time to time.

4.  The purity ring will not replace parental guidance and support.
In the end, it’s how parents raise their children to handle situations in their life that will influence how they make decisions.  Giving your child a purity ring without him or her fully understanding what it really stands for is like giving a 4-year-old a shovel and telling them to build a sand castle using certain specifications.  They might be able to do it, but then again, they might not.

The case for virginity
There is nothing wrong about staying a virgin or choosing to abstain from sex.  What goes on between your legs is your business.  Nobody else’s – not your parents, not your teachers, not your counselors, not your neighbors, not your religious leader, not even your BFFs.  It’s yours alone.  Having people discuss THAT business is really just… wrong.

Haven’t we learned it by now?  The best chastity belt or purity ring is not the one worn around your hip or finger but the one that sits between your ears – your brain.  Ultimately, whether you have sex or not is your choice, regardless of what age you are.  It’s your body and what you want it to do and with whom is really up to you.  Just make sure you’re prepared for what happens after.

Which is why I feel really protective of my nieces and nephews.  God forbid a bully ever gives them any trouble.  I hate bullies.  I don’t understand their cruelty or why they waste other people’s time trying to validate who they are or play out personal vendettas.  If your child is ever bullied, here are ways to teach them to protect themselves and prevent the attacks:

Try to be on top of things.
Children can be quite sensitive and if your child is being bullied, he’s probably too ashamed to tell you.  Some kids think they’re being wimpy if they tell their parents about the ‘bad boy’ or ‘bad girl’ giving them trouble in school.

If your child suddenly seems quiet, withdrawn, worried about going to school or unhappy about certain aspects of school, coax them to talk to you.  At this point, you are the only person your child can turn to for help.

Teach your children to protect themselves.
Bullies are an insecure lot.  They prey on other children who they think are weaker than they are because that’s all they can handle.  Ever heard of a bully who tried to take down someone twice his or her size or someone who was too smart for them?  No way.  Only the truly brave ones do that.  Bullies simply don’t.  They will always go for the one who is smaller, more shy, seemingly insecure and those who don’t fight back.

The key is to teach your child a few avoidance tactics first.  They will need to learn this if they want to prevent any encounters with the bully.  Next, teach them how to fight back with words or humor.  If you have ever listened to a bully talk, you’ll know that behind the words is plain air – nothingness.  The words and the actions are the main weapons. 

If your child has the gift for gab, a well-timed one-liner will often do the trick.  If not, consider signing up your child for self-defense or self-improvement classes.  The self-defense lessons are not meant to encourage your child to hit back each time (showing off or the unnecessary use of force is often frowned upon in many martial arts discipline) but it will help build their self-confidence.

Teach your child about self respect.
Tell your children it’s okay to be different and to view the world from a different perspective.  The earlier they understand this, the better it will be for them.  It will also teach them to be more tolerant of others who march to the beat of a different drummer. 

If you yourself see your child’s uniqueness, call his or her attention to it and declare it as undesirable, you’re setting the stage for your child to view this wonderful difference as something bad.  Instead, help them accept this uniqueness so they’ll learn to love themselves.  If they do, they’ll have more self-confidence to handle the bullies and put them in their place.

Be present.
Most bullies get intimidated by the presence of a parent or authority figure.  From time to time, make your presence be known.  Let your child know that whatever happens, you will be there to protect them.  It’s your job as a parent.  You probably will not fight their battles for them but you will be there. 

And that spells a lot of difference for your kid.  Bullies, too, will find this distracting, mainly because you’re not the object of their attack – your child is.  If you’re there and you let it be known that you won’t allow your child to take any c**p from anyone, the bully will get the message.

If the bullying continues, talk to the other parent.
Talking to the bully will probably not cut it.  Go straight to the parent instead.  Discuss the problem in a civil manner – don’t yell, make accusations or try to pin all the blame on the bully.  You’re talking to another parent who probably feels just as protective of their child as you do.  Just present the incidents of bullying as proof of the activities and ask for assistance.

If the parent agrees to help, well and good.  If they resist or make accusations themselves, tell them that you will complain to school or community authorities. 

Tell your child to go to the proper authorities.
Authority figures in school or in communities can be very helpful for giving your child support during times when they need it most.  If the bullying gets especially nasty or tough, tell your child to immediately seek an older person’s advice or assistance.  It may stop the bullying temporarily or it might not but at least your child has immediate access to emotional and physical support when they need it most.

Do not reprimand your child for being weak.
Some children are just plain passive and meek.  But this does not automatically make them weaklings.  They just probably find it ridiculous to start or participate in nonsensical activities such as bullying.  If your child is like this, thank your genes for it.  You’ve been blessed by a highly evolved being.  Show your gratitude through your love and support.

Before she put her head on the executioner’s block, Lady Jane Grey made her last speech.  According to the account, it was this:

Good people, I am come hither to die, and by a law I am condemned to the same. The fact, indeed, against the Queen’s highness was unlawful, and the consenting thereunto by me: but touching the procurement and desire thereof by me or on my behalf, I do wash my hands thereof in innocency, before God, and the face of you, good Christian people, this day.

To prepare herself, she began to recite Have mercy upon me, O God, which is taken from the book of Psalms.  Her maid and John Feckenham were with her on the scaffolding.  Feckenham was the Catholic chaplain who once tried to convert Lady Jane into Catholicism but failed. 

As was the custom, the executioner asked Jane to forgive him and she did.  In return, she asked him to make the execution swift.  She also asked if the executioner would remove her blindfold before she laid her head on the block but the executioner declined.  It was Lady Jane who tied the blindfold around her eyes. 

The blindfold presented a problem because then Lady Jane couldn’t find the block.  She had to lay her head on it before the executioner could behead her.  She cried out, ‘What shall I do?  Where is it?’  Before she lost her composure, someone guided her hand to find the block and she laid her head upon it.  She then prayed, ‘Lord, unto thy hands I commend my spirit!’  True to his word, the executioner allowed his axe to fall swiftly, ending Lady Jane Grey’s life.  She was only about 16 or 17 when she died.

Lady Jane Grey, an engraving by Magdalena & Willem Van de Passe

The young Jane
Jane was born in a wealthy, privileged Grey household in either 1536 or 1537.  Unfortunately, whatever they had in material wealth would not be enough to make Jane a happy child.  Frances Brandon Grey was not a loving mother.  On the contrary, she was rather abusive to Jane. 

Frances somehow didn’t understand why her eldest daughter was quiet and gentle of demeanor.  She thought it was a sign of weakness on the child’s part.  She thought that by regularly beating, threatening, taunting and reprimanding Jane, she would toughen up.  Instead, Jane increasingly became less self-assured.  She once told Lady Elizabeth’s tutor Roger Ascham that she ‘think myself in hell’ because of her very strict and frequently physically abusive upbringing.

As a means to cope and as a way to compensate for the lack of affection in her household particularly from her mother, Jane became an avid reader.  She was educated by tutors, learned to read, developed a keen appreciation for the arts and studied several languages, including Hebrew, Latin and Greek.  It was also through her tutors that Jane became a staunch Protestant.

Jane only came to know happiness when she was taken under the care of Catherine Parr, the last of Henry VIII’s wives.  She was only 10 at the time.  With the Queen, Jane was shown affection and was able to experience the care of a mother.  She also had the opportunity to meet the royal heirs – Mary, Elizabeth and Edward.  Jane was especially drawn to Edward because he was the one closest to her age.

Marrying Jane 
When she became ripe for marriage, several potential husbands were considered for Jane.  First was Jane’s childhood friend Edward, who was now the very young King Edward VI, who succeeded Henry VIII when he was barely 10 years old.  Then there was Lord Hertford. 

In the end, however, it was Lord Guilford Dudley who eventually married Lady Jane Grey, thanks in large part to her mother and Guilford’s father, the manipulative John Dudley, the first Duke of Northumberland.  The young couple was married in May 1553. 

In July of the same year, Edward VI died of tuberculosis.  He was just three months shy of his 16th birthday.

Jane’s claim to the throne
Lady Jane Grey was the daughter of Henry Grey, who was the Marquess of Dorset and Lady Frances Brandon, daughter of Mary who was the sister of King Henry VIII.  Lady Jane was the eldest among three sisters.  Because of their mother’s royal blood, they became a part of the House of Tudor.

Actually, Lady Jane’s claim to the throne was not strong enough to assure her of guaranteed Queenship.  There was the Third Succession Act, with which King Henry VIII imposed his will regarding the succession to the throne. 

In case of his death, Henry’s three children or their heirs would succeed to the throne.  If these children do not have issues (children of their own), the succession would fall into Mary’s (Henry’s sister) line. 

Since the throne now belonged to Edward, the question of succession now fell to Mary Tudor, Henry’s elder daughter.  Only if no male heirs would be produced by Mary (who at the time was getting older) or Elizabeth, the crown would land on Frances Brandon’s male child.  Take note that Frances herself wouldn’t have a claim.  Since she didn’t have any, the crown would not be given to Lady Jane but to her male child.

From here, you can see that any claims Lady Jane would have to the throne is flimsy at best.  But due to the manipulations of people around her, the crown, deadly as it was, would land on Lady Jane’s head.

On his deathbed, Edward VI signed a will that made Lady Jane Grey a successor to the throne.  The will stipulated that only his aunt Mary Tudor’s heirs will succeed.  They were Protestants, after all. 

It is rumored that John Dudley was instrumental for ‘persuading’ the young king to sign this will.  Dudley had acted as regent to Edward during his reign.  The will made Lady Jane a claimant.  And she was the wife of Dudley’s son, which made the arrangement very convenient indeed for Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. 

Mary, Mary, quite contrary
Mary was the claimant to the throne but she was still considered illegitimate.  Henry’s declarations and acts in his lifetime made it so, in spite of the fact that she was his first child by his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. 

Mary was also a solid Catholic.  Asking her to become a Protestant would be like asking the moon to turn its dark side around.  She was as Catholic as they come and determined to remain so.  Besides, she WAS going to marry the Catholic Philip, right?  But England preferred her over the young Lady Jane.

So Lady Jane was proclaimed Queen of England on July 10, 1553.  She and Guilford stayed in the Tower of London to await her coronation, as was the custom.  Jane wasn’t really happy about the incident but she had no choice.  To her credit, he refused to make matters worse by turning down the suggestion to name Guilford king.  He became the Duke of Clarence.

So now the problem was the Catholic Mary.  The wily Dudley Duke of Northumberland then began planning her capture.  But it turned out that Mary was wilier than he was.  She escaped and took up residence in Suffolk.  From there, she somehow gathered supporters and marched into London on July 19 – Lady Jane Grey’s 9th day as Queen. 

Parliament declared Mary the rightful heir and successor, promptly revoking the proclamation of Lady Jane Grey and her husband.  Due to the popular support rallying behind Mary, even Lady Jane’s father began supporting, effectively turning his back against his own daughter.  Lady Jane and Guilford, along with their supporters, were then captured and charged with (what else?) high treason.  Her duplicitous father was imprisoned as well but pardoned later.

Guilty!
Lady Jane Grey was found guilty of treason, the punishment for which was being burned alive.  This was the traditional treatment for female traitors.  Perhaps as a way to save her cousin, Mary also sent a chaplain, John Feckenham, to try to persuade Jane to convert to Catholicism.  She refused.  Mary, however, spared Jane’s life but kept her, Guilford and others in prison.

Lady Jane would have lived longer had it not for the Protestant rebellion led by Thomas Wyatt.  Wyatt staged the rebellion to protest the coming marriage of Queen Mary Tudor to Prince Philip of Spain.  Philip was of course, Catholic.

Lady Jane was not in any way involved in the revolt but she again became a pawn in a deadly game.  Her father, making another about-face trick, also joined the rebellion.  And along with other noble supporters, pushed to have Jane restored as the Queen.  Prince Philip was not pleased so he and his supporters and councilors demanded that Mary had Jane executed.  How cruel of him?  Well, he did use the Inquisition later on in his rule.  He did contribute to the rise of the Spanish empire, though (and to its decline).

Queen Mary, probably eager to end the rebellion and quite willing to please her famously handsome fiancé, agreed.  This was the only way to end any claims coming from Lady Jane’s end. 

A young girl’s short life
The order to execute Jane was released.  On February 12, 1554, just seven months after she was proclaimed Queen, Lady Jane Grey faced the executioner’s block.  Guilford was beheaded first.  According to some accounts, Jane was even able to see his body for the last time when it was being carried off on a horse-drawn cart.  At Queen Mary’s command, the execution remained private, as was accorded to royals.  Lady Jane was Queen Mary’s cousin, after all. 

Lady Jane Grey was beheaded on the same morning her husband was.  So ended Lady Jane Grey’s life, the sad and serious young girl who was only happy for short periods in her life. 

Her ambitious father also met the same fate as his daughter.  He, too, had his life ended with an axe.

The Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula is Lady Jane Grey and Guilford Dudley’s final resting place.

But what about Lady Frances?
You might probably be asking whatever happened to Jane’s mother, the Lady Frances Brandon Grey.  Surely, after her machinations and her cruelty to Jane, she must have been punished by fate as well?

Well, you will be disappointed.  The now-Queen Mary (later Bloody Mary) pardoned her in full.  She also remarried less than a month after her husband and eldest daughter were executed.  It was probably her way to survive the cruel court and the circumstances in which she then lived.  She, along with Jane’s two sisters, remained figures of the Court.  It is rumored that she never, ever mentioned Jane’s name from then on.

And no, she never did anything to speak for her daughter Jane when the latter was arrested, imprisoned and sentenced to die. 

Nine or Thirteen?
Although Lady Jane Grey is more popularly known as the Nine Days Queen, some historians refer to her as the Thirteen Days Queen.  This is largely based on calculation.  Some historians count the days of her rule from the time Edward VI died, which was July 6th while others prefer to count from the day Lady Jane was proclaimed Queen (July 10th).