Editing Lord Guildford Dudley (section)

==Claimed kingship==
[[File:The Crown Offered to Lady Jane Grey after Leslie.jpg|thumb|left|380px|''The Crown Offered to Lady Jane Grey'', as imagined in the 1820s: Guildford and Jane are in the centre]]
King Edward, in his "[[Edward_VI#Devise_for_the_succession|Devise of the Succession]]", settled the Crown on Jane Grey, his first cousin once removed, bypassing his half-sisters, [[Mary I of England|Mary]] and [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth]]. After Edward's death on 6&nbsp;July 1553, the Duke of Northumberland undertook the enforcement of the King's will.<ref>Alford 2002 pp. 171–172</ref> The envoys of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] and France were sure of the plan's success.<ref>Loades 1996 p. 256–257</ref> Jane was reluctant to accept the Crown: she gave in after remonstrances by an assembly of nobles, including her parents and in-laws, while Guildford chimed in with a lovelier approach, with "prayers and caresses".<ref>Ives 2009 p. 187</ref> On 10&nbsp;July Jane and Guildford made their ceremonial entry into the [[Tower of London]].<ref>Ives 2009 p. 188</ref> Residing in there, Guildford wanted to be made king; according to her own later account, Jane had a long discussion about this with Guildford, who "assented that if he were to be made king, he would be so by me, by [[Act of Parliament]]".<ref name="Ives p. 189">Ives 2009 p. 189</ref> However, Jane would agree only to make him [[Duke of Clarence]]; Guildford replied that he did not want to be a duke, but the king.<ref>Ives 2009 p. 189</ref> When the Duchess of Northumberland heard of the argument, she became furious and forbade Guildford to sleep any longer with his wife. She also commanded him to leave the Tower and go home, but Jane insisted that he remain at court at her side.<ref>Chapman 1962 pp. 117–118; Ives 2009 p. 189</ref>

According to later remarks by the Imperial ambassadors, the daily Council meetings were presided over by Guildford, who allegedly also dined in state alone and had himself addressed in regal style.<ref>Ives 2009 pp. 189, 241</ref> [[Antoine de Noailles]], the French ambassador, described Guildford as "the new King".<ref>Chapman 1962 p. 121</ref> The Imperial court in [[Brussels]] also believed in the existence of King Guildford.<ref name="Ives p. 189"/>