About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 197. Chapters: John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, Thomas Cranmer, Henry Vane the Younger, Thomas More, Dick Turpin, Charles Peace, Edith Thompson and Frederick Bywaters, John Christie (murderer), William Tyndale, Henry Garnet, George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, Jack Sheppard, James Hanratty, Thomas Cromwell, Guy Fawkes, Jonathan Wild, Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, John Martin Scripps, Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, William Chaloner, Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent, John Fisher, Nicholas Ridley (martyr), William Henry Bury, Hugh Despenser the Younger, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, Frederick Bailey Deeming, Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, William Palmer (murderer), Edward Wightman, Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, Lord Guildford Dudley, Derek Bentley case, James Hackman, Perkin Warbeck, Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, Herbert Rowse Armstrong, George Joseph Smith, Edmund Campion, John George Haigh, Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, Stratton Brothers case, John Rogers (Bible editor and martyr), Robert Ferrar, Neville Heath, John Amery, Isaac Darkin, John Frith. Excerpt: John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG (1504 - 22 August 1553) was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death. The son of Edmund Dudley, a minister of Henry VII executed by Henry VIII, John Dudley became the ward of Sir Edward Guildford at the age of seven. He grew up in Guildford's household together with his future wife, Guildford's daughter Jane, with whom he was to have 13 children. Dudley served as Vice-Admiral and Lord Admiral from 1537 until 1547, during which time he set novel standards of navy organization and was an innovative commander at sea. He also developed a strong interest in overseas exploration. Dudley took part in the 1544 campaigns in Scotland and France and was one of Henry VIII's intimates in the last years of the reign. He was also a leader of the religious reform party at court. In 1547 Dudley was created Earl of Warwick and, with the Duke of Somerset, England's Lord Protector, distinguished himself in the renewed Scottish war at the Battle of Pinkie. During the country-wide uprisings of 1549 Dudley put down Kett's Rebellion in Norfolk. Convinced of the Protector's incompetence, he and other privy councillors forced Somerset out of office in October 1549. Having averted a conservative reaction in religion and a plot to destroy him alongside Somerset, Dudley emerged in early 1550 as de facto regent for the 12-year-old Edward VI. He reconciled himself with Somerset, who nevertheless soon began to intrigue against him and his policies. Somerset was executed on largely fabricated charges, three months after Dudley had been raised to the Dukedom of Northumberland in October 1551. As Lord President of the Council, Dudley headed a distinctly conciliar government and sought to introduce the adolescent King into business. Taking over an almost bankrupt administration, he ended
