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Female Royal Executions: Between Reason and Treason
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Female Royal Executions: Between Reason and Treason

A Queen’s destiny is determined the moment a shiny diamond crown rests on her head, and her rank along with her title changes from a ‘Lady’ to  ‘Her Majesty’. This is the first step towards a watched over life and a closed circle of enigmatic events that life and not even her past education have prepared her for. It’s like going into a mysterious world blindly, and you’re expected to survive. Whatever survival is, and whatever it takes to stay alive, you shall and must do. Otherwise, the overall ending will be crucial and painful. This is the life of every girl who lived in the Royal courts and anticipated the right time to catch the eye of Prince or King, to be someone of importance and majesty. However, the innocence of those girls was met by greedy eyes who saw them as merely heir providers. They were showered with jewels, ball gowns, and endless food that was brought specifically for them and made in accordance to their liking. Not for love or loyalty of a wife and a partner, but in the hopes of conceiving a male heir. The showering of materialistic new jewels and crowns were a means to an end that some knew about and avoided, while others were born into it and some tried to survive through it. Queens were always at risk of losing their lives on the scaffold, this fate stuck to them the day they had the diamond crown placed on their head, for they were expected to fulfil a specific duty. A duty that would also change their ranking in the future, especially if the conceived is a male heir, the awaited future king that will safeguard the kingdom. However, if and when things didn’t go as planned, then the head of the Kingdom had the power to eliminate his wife and queen for reasons such as treason, witchcraft, corruption and much more. But this is not always the case. Some queens have lost their lives during a revolution, others have lost their lives due treason speculations and others lost their lives for a majestic throne they never asked for. And that’s exactly what this article will talk about today – the Royal execution of three queens who lost their lives for different reasons. And it’s up to the reader to decide whether it’s was for justified reason or not.

Mary Queen of Scots :

                                 ‘ In my End is my beginning’ —— Queen Mary of Scots 

Being born as a female in a royal household holds and meets multiple expectations, especially when the newly born baby is the one and only heir. Traditionally, women were not meant to rule, they were seen as a rich political settlement and a way to earn peace with other countries. All through marriage. But that was not an option for Mary, for she was born a week after her father’s death with no heirs to hold on the Scottish throne, except for her. Not only that, but female rule started to be an option Royal households, as princesses were seen to be taking in the throne and waiting in line of succession. Such as Mary’s cousin, the later known Queen Elizabeth I, in England. 

Mary’s life was not sincere as expected from and in every royal household. Her childhood all through her adulthood was based on fleeing and seeking protection to save her life and the Scottish throne in any means. Not to forget the conflict in between the Protestants and Catholics, as well as the number of people who were not I support of a female heir. All that led to an extension of conflicts and creating new ones that eventually it led to a political rivalry over the Royal throne of Scotland and England, on who is the righteous heir. Is it Elizabeth I or Mary Queen of Scots. Mary’s life was in constant danger of trying to protect what’s hers along with protecting her soul and body. But that led to her imprisonment by her own cousin, queen Elizabeth the first. Mary was imprisoned in England for 19 years, and although Elizabeth did not want to cause harm to her cousin whom she loved and played with in her childhood, she eventually abided by the parliament’s rule and accusations against Mary that came in like a fled of birds. 

Mary’s execution was finally signed by Elizabeth, as she was accused of treason and to have been part of the Babington Plot which was based on assassinating Queen Elizabeth I and replacing her with Mary of Scots. Although the conditions were half in favor and others were not, Elizabeth’s parliament and secretaries were convinced that Mary was the head of the plot and she will eventually eliminate her and take over the English throne and unite it with the Scottish, to be one. And for her own safety and the dependency of the English throne and Monarchy, Mary had to be executed before Elizabeth’s head on the Scaffold. And With that conspiracy that still holds multiple speculation, Mary’s life ended in a private execution that was painful and not clean. Unlike Ann Boleyn, who was executed painlessly, Mary’s execution was bloody,  the executioner was nervous as some eyewitnesses have reported which led to numerous attempts to decapitate the head of Mary’s body. 

It has also been noted that Mary’s execution was symbolic in the way she walked herself to the scaffold with her head held up high just like a queen going to take over a throne. Filled with pride and innocence of not condemning or even plotting as she has been accused of. Just like Ann Boleyn, Mary’s choice of color for her garments signified something that was not taken into consideration and eventually led to her death. In the final moments of preparation, Mary revealed her crimson and black undergarments. Black is the color of mourning and death, while crimson was a clear statement of innocence and martyrdom. Her final words were in Latin as she said  ‘’In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum’’  (into the hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit). And with that, she gave away and surrendered to the painful ending that was not expected.

Queen Jane Grey

‘’The crown is not my right, and pleaseth me not. The Lady Mary is the rightful heir’’ –  Queen Jane Grey

Lady Jane Grey, Queen Jane Grey, and the 9 day Queen. Those are the labels that the young Queen is known for. Queen Jane Grey is known to have one of the shortest reigns in British history, as she ruled for 9 days, all to prevent her Catholic cousin from claiming the throne after the death of young King Edward. The young King’s death was of a surprise for the young soon to be queen, as she was distressed and sad about the situation that she was taken to her father-in law’s residence. Lady Jane Grey had a very good and healthy relationship with her cousin King Edward, which is why his death devastated her, but what made matters even worse was the fact that councilors who  came in with news about Edward’s death bowed to her and proclaimed her a queen. Knowing that the fate of a queen is unpredictable, especially when the throne has an heir ready to take over, Jane refused the councilors’ submission of her taking over instead of Mary, Edward’s sister. Ever since the change of faith and religion within the English Monarchy, the line was maintained to be taken over by a Catholic Monarch, and thats exactly what and where Mary’s heart and faith laid in. This resulted in making Jane, the rightful queen. 

The process was haunted by distress and the fear of what might become as Mary was in action to take over her rightful position and overthrow Jane no matter what the cost was. Jane’s refusal was met by force from her parents and in-laws, and that led the procession of the tower more extravagant and fearful. But Mary worked in silence, as she aligned her supporters and the council into defeating Jane over the throne she didn’t even ask for. Jane was forced to take the throne, knowing that Mary was and will always be the rightful heir, but the pressure was stronger than she could manage and say. As the councilors advised her to stay silent and obey. And that she did, until Mary’s overpowering supporters and commissioners declared Mary’s legality of the English throne, and that Jane’s queen-ship is to be suspended. But that’s not where it stopped, Jane was meant to submit to court and proclaim her guilt for taking over the rule that was not designated for her, although she asserted her positon from the beginning of Edward’s death that Mary is he rightful queen, and insisted on not taking over the throne when the heir was here and ready in line. But none were taken into consideration, which led to the 9 day rule of regret and trying to protect her head and soul from the scaffold as she was forced into the scheme for hierarchy and name. Unfortunately, Queen Jane’s trial was staged and the whole prosecution was already concluded. Her fate was determined, but to embody Mary’s legitimacy, Jane had to undergo a staged trial that ended in her being labeled as a traitor for knowing Mary’s position as an heir. This led to her execution which is known and portrayed to be one of the most painful pictures and scenes that people have ever heard of in the modern day and witnessed back in the time. 

In her final hours before surrendering to the executioner’s axe, Jane was summoned by Queen Mary’s confessioner and was given the choice of converting to Catholicism in return of being saved from the executioner’s axe. And to that, Jane refused and conceded to her fate. It was not an easy scene to view or event ead about nowadays. As a 17-year old girl who had ambitions of her own, Jane gave in and walked to the scaffold knowing that all of her ambitions ar yet to be buried along with her. Even though she was pressured into taking the throne while knowing that Mary is the rightful heir, in her final moments she gave a speech of strength and alert of knowing her positon as a faithful women and a queen. As she said in her last words of prayer before being blindfolded

‘’ … I pray you all, good Christian people, to bear me witness that I die a true Christian woman, and that I do look to be saved by no other mean, but only by the mercy of God, in the blood of his only Son Jesus Christ  . . . ’’

She ended her speech by asking the audience to pray for her and with her. And that’s when the beginning of a fatal end that lingered in everyone’s mind for generations began.

After her speech, Jane handed in her gloves and prayer book. Seh forgave the executioner for one last time and asked if she will be taken by surprise of the strike before she can even know it and the executioner said that he wouldn’t. In front of her was the scene of where her head will rest after the act, the basket that will it be taken hel in, and the straw spread that was scattered right in front her to immerse the blood. Yes, she young 17 year old queen saw how it will all end, but at that time there was nothing to be done except to pray. 

Jane was blindfolded, and her innocent young self showed itself when she could see nothing but the darkness of her final moments. In every execution, when one is blindfolded, it is to rest both arms out and place the head on the block. But as frightening as it all was, Queen Jane cried and asked for help, as witnesses have illustrated  that the young queen pleaded and cried for help as she said  ‘’What shall i do? Where is it?’’, and that brought tears to her ladies in waiting, the councilors on the scaffold, and even the executioner. It is very unusual for the executioner to help the convicted, but in this case and her vulnerability, he did help her into placing her head on the block. The Young Queen’s cries and distress is was not an easy sight, as some people have accused Queen Mary of shedding the blood of the innocent, which started with the young innocent Jane Grey. 

Timelines move, reigns change, and monarchs alternate. Between reason and treason queens have lost their lives painfully and dutifully. From planed schemes and unwanted thrones, people have divided and parliaments have abided. Leaving the innocence of those who will lose it all with a swift, linger and admire the beauty of what could have become. Every queen’s timeline has a story of dethroning her and getting rid of her existence as a whole. From Ann Boleyn, to Mary Queen of Scots and even Marie Antoinet of France. This is a destiny that no queen can and was able to discard. Both Queen Mary and Jane were born into royalty, and both of their lives were shortly ended painfully on the scaffold. The story of justifying the legality of their deaths lays with the audience who are able to read through the events and equate the legality and fairness of the final indictment. Mary fought till the end and sources have proven that she was not responsible for the uprising against her cousin Queen Elizabeth I, although she is a queen herself and from royalty. However, human greed came in, and fear of future ambitions started to develop, which led to the final verdict of death. The same goes for the young Queen Jane, who did not want to take over the English throne, but due to the pressure of her family and councilors, she did. Yet, it all rotated against her, as she was prosecuted and accused of treason, leading her to the scaffold and losing her life with a swift of an axe. Now its for you, readers to judge and be in position to conclude the final verdict of whether the trials and final orders were fair and absolute of Reason and Treason. 

Written By Sawsan Adel, an Author and Postgraduate Student of International Humanitarian Affairs at the University of York. 

References 

Taylor, J. (2014, February 12). The Execution of Lady Jane Grey: 460 Years Ago Today. The Gospel Coalition; The Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/the-execution-of-lady-jane-grey-460-years-ago-today/

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