Lady Jane Grey

You know, I always had a soft spot for Lady Jane Grey and when I first read her story, I used to get very sad. Here is a girl who is basically a political pawn, is used by the losing side in a last ditch attempt to prevent Mary Tudor from becoming queen. She was 16 when she was made Queen of England and reigned for only 9 days. It was never her choice to become queen and it was all political and genetic wrangling that made it happen in the first place. She was the great granddaughter of Henry VII. Of course, for no other reason that she was a threat (which she undoubtedly was), she was beheaded before she even reached 17. 

What made it even more sad was the fact that she wasn't just your run-of-the-mill high-born woman of the 16th century. She is thought to be one of the most learned woman of her day and to have had one of the finest female minds of the century. It's such a shame, first that she was used, and second that she had to die for it. I wonder what would have become of her had she lived. I wonder what the world would look like today if she had remained Queen. 

It's so weird that it saddens me so, though. I mean, she was just a girl who lived almost 500 years ago. Makes me wonder what the connection is.