Elizabeth Grey, Viscountess Lisle facts for kids
Elizabeth Grey, 5th Baroness Lisle, also known as the 3rd Viscountess Lisle (born March 25, 1505 – died 1519), was an important English noblewoman and a wealthy heiress. She lived during the time of King Henry VIII.
Early Life and Inheritance
Elizabeth Grey was the daughter of John Grey, 2nd Viscount Lisle and Lady Muriel Howard. Sadly, her father passed away in 1504, even before Elizabeth was born. This meant that when she was born in 1505, she became a very rich heiress. Being an heiress meant she would inherit a lot of land and money.
Because she was so young and her father had died, Elizabeth became a "ward of the Crown." This meant the King, Henry VII at first and then Henry VIII, was legally responsible for her and her wealth until she grew up.
Guardianship and Royal Connections
In 1509, Elizabeth's uncle, Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, arranged to manage her lands for the King. This was like renting her properties.
A few years later, in 1512, Elizabeth's stepfather, Sir Thomas Knyvet, and then her mother, passed away. After this, her guardianship was bought by Sir Charles Brandon. He was a very close friend and favorite of King Henry VIII.
Sir Charles Brandon planned for Elizabeth, who was only eight years old at the time, to marry him. This plan helped him become a nobleman himself, taking the title of Viscount Lisle in May 1513.
A New Marriage and Title Changes
However, in 1515, Sir Charles Brandon married Mary Tudor. She was the younger sister of King Henry VIII and had been the Queen of France. Brandon married her without getting the King's permission first, which was a big deal!
Since Brandon no longer needed to marry Elizabeth himself, he sold her guardianship. He sold it to Katherine Plantagenet, Countess of Devon for a large sum of £4,000.
The Countess of Devon then arranged for Elizabeth to marry her son, Henry Courtenay. Henry was a cousin of King Henry VIII and a grandson of Edward IV of England.
Elizabeth Grey passed away in 1519 when she was only fourteen years old. After her death, the title of Lisle passed to Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle. He was married to Elizabeth's aunt.
