History Trivia

February 12, 881 Pope John VIII crowned Charles the Fat, the King of Italy, Holy Roman Emperor. 1429 English forces under Sir John Fastolf defended a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Comte de Clermont and Sir John Stewart of Darnley in the Battle of Rouvray (also known as the Battle of the Herrings). 1554 Lady Jane Grey, the nine day queen of England, was executed. An extraordinarily accomplished and brilliant young woman, Lady Jane was eligible for the throne of England as the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII. Her misfortune was to become the pawn of her father (the Duke of Suffolk) and father-in-law (John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland) in their plans to control the crown.Upon the death of her cousin King Edward VI, Suffolk and Northumberland maneuvered Jane onto the throne, then removed her when Mary obviously had the support of the populace. Jane was arrested, but her sentence of death was suspended until Jane's father participated in Sir Thomas Wyat's rebellion, whereupon Jane was beheaded. She was 16.