John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland

John Dudley
Born	1504 London
Died	22 August 1553(1553-08-22) (aged 48–49) Tower Hill, London
Cause of death	Decapitation
Resting place	Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London 51°30′31″N 0°4′37″W / 51.50861°N 0.07694°W / 51.50861; -0.07694Coordinates: 51°30′31″N 0°4′37″W / 51.50861°N 0.07694°W / 51.50861; -0.07694
Title	Duke of Northumberland
Tenure	1551–1553
Other titles	Viscount Lisle Earl of Warwick
Known for	De facto ruling England, 1550–1553
Nationality	English
Residence	Ely Place, London Durham House, London Dudley Castle, West Midlands
Locality	West Midlands
Wars and battles	Italian War of 1521–26 Italian War of 1542–46 • Siege of Boulogne • Battle of the Solent The Rough Wooing • Battle of Pinkie Cleugh Kett's Rebellion Campaign against Mary Tudor, 1553
Offices	Vice-Admiral Lord Admiral Governor of Boulogne Lord Great Chamberlain Grand Master of the Royal Household Lord President of the Council Warden General of the Scottish Marches Earl Marshal of England
Spouse(s)	Jane Guildford
Issue	Sir Henry Dudley Thomas Dudley (died as a child) John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester Lord Guildford Dudley Henry Dudley Charles Dudley (died as a child) Mary Dudley, Lady Sidney Katherine Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon Temperance Dudley (died as a child) Margaret Dudley (died as a child) Katherine Dudley (died as a child)
Parents	Edmund Dudley Elizabeth Grey, 6th Baroness Lisle
Signature

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 organisation 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 Cleugh. 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.

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