Henry VIII’s younger daughter, Elizabeth (I) was rigorously educated, as were various girls from noble families attached to the court, which was a centre of culture and learning.

These examples proved that an educated woman could also be a virtuous woman, and they set a trend. Sir Thomas More broke the mould by affording his daughters a classical education, and was emulated by Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, who provided a similar curriculum for their daughter, the future Mary I.

Until the sixteenth century, noble English girls were rarely well-educated. Is Jane’s rigorous education beyond the norm for girls of her position and bloodline? If so, why did her parents encourage such an advanced education? Ellen, who is a more constant presence in her life, but her mother is all-powerful, and there is perhaps something of her in Jane, who is eventually driven to rebel against the Marchioness’s harsh rule. The lack of maternal affection is to a large degree compensated for by the love of Jane’s nurse, Mrs. Jane’s love of learning is at least in part a means of seeking refuge from her mother’s harshness. How does her mother’s marked lack of affection form Jane’s character and the girl’s love of learning?

Jane’s mother, the Marchioness of Dorset, is a cold and calculating woman, disappointed at not bearing a son and a harsh taskmaster to her daughter. As a female of the blood royal in a male-dominated age, she was powerless against those who schemed to use her for their own ends. She grew up bound by the formal manners of her day and was constrained to absolute obedience to her parents and to those of higher rank. Given the nature of the Tudor court, how was Jane’s young life determined by the times in which she lived? Jane is witness to history at a most fascinating period, notably the reign of Henry VIII, his frantic pursuit of a male heir, discarded wives and an increasingly erratic temperament.

And as I had limited time – I was researching Eleanor of Aquitaine when I first wrote this novel, back in 1998 - it was short. Interviewer Luan Gaines: As a first time novelist and noted historian, what attracted you to Lady Jane Grey’s story?Īlison Weir: It was dramatic and poignant – ideal for fiction. Leaders exploiting the innocent, and the liberation found in writing fiction Their exchange reveals Weir's thoughts on religious fundamentalism, ruthless Interview with historian Alison Weir, author of the recently released novel Innocent Traitor. contributor Luan Gaines conducted an email

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir