I was steadily walking inside a tower, a mighty one. It was almost as if it were put there to convey both terror and admiration, angst and fascination. That was Tower Green, where lady Jane Grey, Queen of England for nine days, was to be executed.
As I gazed out from one of the windows, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and solemnity. This towering structure had witnessed some of the most significant moments in English history, and today it was to be the site of yet another tragedy.
I tried to imagine what it must have been like for Lady Jane Grey, knowing that her reign was to be short-lived, and that she would meet her end at this very spot. It was hard to fathom the fear and despair that must have gripped her in those final moments, and the sense of injustice at being punished for a crime she did not commit.
Lady Jane Grey was just sixteen years of age when she was crowned Queen of England in 1553. She was the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII and the cousin of King Edward VI, who had named her as his heir on his deathbed.
However, her reign was short-lived, lasting only nine days. The people of England were loyal to whom they conceived as their rightful heir, Mary Tudor, who was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. She was a staunch Catholic, while Jane was a Protestant.
The Tudor queen, with the support of her followers, rallied an army and took the throne from Jane, who was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Despite several attempts to rescue her, including a failed rebellion led by her father, Jane was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death.
On 12 February 1554, Lady Jane Grey was led to the scaffold on Tower Green, where she met her fate. The little girl, caught in a game of political power, refused the Catholic Queen’s offer to spare her life if she converts to catholicism. She bravely faced her executioners, and it is said that she recited Psalm 51 as she knelt before the block. Her final words were, « Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit. »
That moment was heart-wrenching to witness. Lady Jane Grey reminded me of all the deterioration of my time, of the moral decay and human suffering caused by war and political turmoil. Jane, a virtuous and unassuming child, was suddenly thrust into the brutal and ruthless world of political machinations, where her fate was predetermined by the avarice and ambition of those around her. To me, that was a striking reminder of all the children who did not choose where they are and whose lives are shattered by the cruel caprices of history, a stirring call to protect the vulnerable and innocent, to safeguard the sanctity of human life and dignity and a lifetime grief of all the precious souls lost.
Written By : Montassar Hizi.