Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset facts for kids

Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset, was an important English nobleman who lived from 1455 to 1501. He was the oldest son of Elizabeth Woodville and her first husband, Sir John Grey of Groby. When his mother married King Edward IV, she became Queen of England. This made Thomas Grey the King's stepson, which greatly increased his importance in the royal court and the country.

His mother helped him arrange two good marriages to rich heiresses. He first married Anne Holland, the King's niece, and later Cecily Bonville, 7th Baroness Harington, the King's cousin. With Cecily, he had 14 children.

Who Was Thomas Grey's Family?

Thomas Grey was born in 1455 near the Palace of Westminster in London. His father was John Grey (who lived from about 1432 to 1461). His mother, Elizabeth Woodville, later became Queen when she married King Edward IV.

What Was Thomas Grey's Career Like?

Thomas Grey's mother worked hard to make sure he gained more land and wealth. She did this by arranging his marriages and buying rights to control young heirs' properties. King Edward IV also liked Thomas. Thomas fought bravely in the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471.

Through his second marriage to Cecily Bonville, Thomas became Lord Harington and Bonville. In 1475, he was given the important title of marquess of Dorset. He also became a Knight of the Garter and a member of the King's special advisory group, the Privy Council.

Challenges After King Edward IV's Death

After his stepfather, King Edward IV, died, Thomas Grey found it hard to keep his family's high position. It was not possible for his mother's family, the Woodvilles, to control the government. There was a lot of fighting among powerful families, especially between the Grey and Hastings families. This local rivalry became a big national problem.

Richard III became king after it was decided that Edward IV's sons were not legitimate heirs. The Grey family had been loyal to Edward IV.

On June 25, 1483, Parliament declared Richard III the rightful king. Thomas's uncle, Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, and his brother, Richard Grey, were executed. Later that summer, Thomas heard rumors that his young half-brothers, the Princes in the Tower, had been killed. He then joined a rebellion against Richard III, led by the Duke of Buckingham.

Exile and Return to England

When the rebellion failed, Thomas Grey escaped to Brittany. There, he joined Henry Tudor, who later became King Henry VII. Henry Tudor promised to marry Thomas's half-sister, Elizabeth of York. This marriage would help unite the warring families of York and Lancaster.

However, just before Henry Tudor's army left to invade England in August 1485, Thomas Grey heard rumors. He was told that his mother had made peace with Richard III. Because of these rumors, he was convinced to leave Henry Tudor. He was stopped in Compiègne on his way back to England. He did not take part in the invasion that overthrew Richard III. Instead, Thomas Grey was held in Paris. This was to make sure Henry Tudor repaid a loan from the French government. He could not return home until Henry VII was safely on the throne of England.

After Henry VII became king, he made sure to keep Thomas Grey under close watch. Thomas was not allowed to get back his old power, even though his past crimes were forgiven. In 1487, Thomas Grey was held in the Tower of London during a rebellion led by Lambert Simnel. He was not released until after Henry Tudor's victory in the Battle of Stoke Field.

In 1492, Thomas went with the King on a trip to France. But he had to sign a paper promising he would not commit treason. In 1497, he was allowed to help stop the Cornish uprising.

Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset, died in London on September 20, 1501. He was about 46 years old. He was buried in the church at Astley, Warwickshire. His wife later married his cousin, Henry Stafford.

Marriages and Children

Thomas Grey's mother worked hard to arrange marriages for him with wealthy heiresses.

He first married Lady Anne Holland in October 1466. She was born in 1461 and was the only daughter of Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter, and Anne of York. Anne of York was the sister of King Edward IV, Thomas's stepfather. Anne Holland died young, and they had no children.

After Anne Holland's death, Thomas married Cecily Bonville on September 5, 1474. She was the richest heiress in England at the time. Cecily Bonville was born in 1461. She was the daughter of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington. Her mother, Katherine Neville, was the sister of the powerful Earl of Warwick.

With his second wife, Cecily, Thomas Grey had seven sons and seven daughters:

• Lord Edward Grey, the oldest son, who died before his father. He was buried in St Clement Danes church in London. He married Anne Jerningham but had no children.
• Anthony Grey, who also died before his father.
• Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset (1477–1530). He married twice and had four sons and four daughters with his second wife, Margaret Wotton. One of his sons was Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, who was the father of Lady Jane Grey.
• Sir Richard Grey, who married Florence Pudsey.
• Sir John Grey, who married twice but had no children.
• Leonard Grey, 1st Viscount Grane (about 1490–1541). He served as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
• George Grey, who became a priest.
• Cecily Grey (died 1554), who married John Sutton, 3rd Baron Dudley.
• Bridget Grey, who is thought to have died young.
• Dorothy Grey (1480–1552), who married twice and had children with her first husband.
• Elizabeth Grey, who married Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare.
• Margaret Grey, who married Richard Wake.
• Eleanor Grey (died by 1503), who married Sir John Arundell.
• Mary Grey (1493–1538), who married Walter Devereux, 1st Viscount Hereford.

What Titles Did Thomas Grey Hold?

Thomas Grey held several important titles during his life:

• Baron Astley: He inherited this title in 1461 after his father died.
• Earl of Huntingdon: He was given this title from 1471 to 1475. He later gave it up.
• Lord Harington and Bonville: He gained this title through his second wife in 1474. His wife could not sit in Parliament herself.
• Marquess of Dorset: This title was created for him on May 14, 1475. It replaced his earlier earldom of Huntingdon.
• Lord Ferrers of Groby: He inherited this title in 1483 after his grandmother Elizabeth Ferrers died.
• Attainted: In 1484, he lost his titles and lands because he tried to remove Richard III from the throne.
• After his titles were restored by Henry VII, he was known as Marquess of Dorset, Lord Ferrers of Groby, Bonville, and Harington.

Arms

The coat of arms for the Grey family.

The coat of arms for the head of the Grey family looks like this: It has six horizontal stripes, alternating silver and blue. At the top, there are three red circles.

Thomas Grey in Stories

Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset, appears in these works of fiction:

• Shakespeare's play Richard III
• The novel The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman