MARGARET AUDLEY

KEY EVENTS

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1540 - Birth of MARGARET AUDLEY, only surviving daughter and heir of Thomas Audley, Lord Chancellor of England and his wife Elizabeth Grey, sister of HENRY GREY, 3rd Marquess of Dorset. 

1541 - Birth of younger sister Mary Audley; she was baptised at All Saints's Church, Terling, Essex (near one of father Thomas Audley's properties) on 02 Oct 1541 - as "Mary Audley, d. of my Lord Chancellor & Lady Eliz. his wife"

30 Apr 1544 - Death of father Thomas Audley at Aldgate, London; wardship of MARGARET AUDLEY and sister Mary are granted to Sir Anthony Denny, member of King's Privy Council by Henry VIII. Mother Elizabeth Grey is primary recipient in husband's will and continues to reside at Walden Abbey, Essex (renamed 'Audley End' in 1616), until her death in Apr 1564. Will stipulates Margaret is to inherit when she turns 15yo.

Jan 1545 - Yearly valuation of properties belonging to late father Thomas Audley in counties of Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire, and city of London, "descended in possession and reversion to his daughters Margaret and Mary". Yearly total £561-6-3 1/2. 

10 Sep 1549 - Death of Sir Anthony Denny; MARGARET AUDLEY and Mary Audley's wardships are granted to King Edward VI (document dated '3 Ed VI' confirms Mary is still alive).

Aft. 1550 - Death of sister Mary Audley. 

c. Spring 1553 - Marriage of MARGARET AUDLEY to HENRY DUDLEY. (Harry's elder brother GUILDFORD DUDLEY married Margaret's cousin JANE GREY in May 1553, so marriage likely to have taken place around the same time).

Jul 1553 - Attempted coup lead by JOHN DUDLEY to place MARGARET AUDLEY's cousin JANE GREY on the English throne. Subsequent imprisonment of Dudley and his sons, including Margaret's husband HENRY DUDLEY.

09 Jul 1553 - Arrival of JANE GREY at Syon House; husband HENRY DUDLEY known to have been at Syon, with family, as well as 'Margaret Dudley' (this is likely to be MARGARET AUDLEY, although as sister-in-law Margaret who died aged 4, appears to have been second daughter, and therefore born before 1549).

22 Aug 1553 - Execution of JOHN DUDLEY after being convicted of high treason.

13 Nov 1553 - Husband HENRY DUDLEY is found guilty of High Treason and is subject to Act of Attainder.

Oct 1554 - Release of husband HENRY DUDLEY and brothers from Tower of London; eldest brother JOHN DUDLEY dies 10 days following release.

Jan 1555 - Death of mother-in-law JANE GUILDFORD; husband HENRY DUDLEY is able to inherit despite still being subject to Act of Attainder.

Jan 1555 - HENRY DUDLEY and brothers AMBROSE DUDLEY and ROBERT DUDLEY are formally pardoned by MARY I.

Jul 1557 - Husband HENRY DUDLEY, and brothers AMBROSE DUDLEY and ROBERT DUDLEY leave England for France, to fight in Philip II's war against the French.

23 Aug 1557 - Death of cousin (and wife of future husband Thomas Howard) Mary FitzAlan, at Arundel House, The Strand (formerly Seymour Place), likely from puerperal complications following birth of son Philip 8 weeks earlier. 

27 Aug 1557 - Death of husband HENRY DUDLEY at Siege of Saint-Quentin, France, fighting for Spanish forces against the French - 2 weeks after the Battle of Saint-Quentin, was killed by a cannonball attempting to take the scale the wall of the city.

Early 1558 - Betrothal of MARGARET AUDLEY to Thomas Howard; papal dispensation is applied for as Thomas Howard's first wife Mary FitzAlan was Margaret's cousin (mother was Lady Katherine Grey, sister to Elizabeth Grey).

Late Nov/Early Dec 1558 - Marriage of MARGARET AUDLEY and Thomas Howard - marriage was delayed by request from Pope and death of MARY I in Nov 1558 - marriage took place without dispensation, with England turning away from Catholicism. 

14 Jan 1559 - MARGARET AUDLEY accompanied ELIZABETH I on procession from Tower of London to Palace of Westminster, the day before her coronation. 

15 Jan 1559 - MARGARET AUDLEY participated in coronation of ELIZABETH I at Westminster Abbey - bore the queen's train - accompanying husband Thomas Howard, who carried St Edward's Crown.

Mar 1559 - Marriage of MARGARET AUDLEY and Thomas Howard statutorily ratified by English Parliament.

c.Oct/Nov 1559- Birth of daughter Elizabeth 'Bess' Howard at Walden Abbey, Essex; daughter dies in infancy, and is buried at St Michael the Archangel Church, Framlingham. 

Christening is held on 03 Nov 1559, at which ELIZABETH I is nominated as godmother.

24 Aug 1561 - Birth of son Thomas Howard at Walden Abbey, Essex.

c.1562 - Birth of daughter Margaret Howard at Walden Abbey, Essex.

19 Dec 1563 - Birth of son William Howard at Walden Abbey, Essex.

Christmas 1563 - MARGARET AUDLEY leaves Walden Abbey, Essex, making her way to London to be reunited with her husband Thomas Howard, who was residing at their London home of Cree Church Place (built on site of Holy Trinity Priory by father Thomas Audley). Weak from childbirth, she reportedly contracts a respiratory infection and falls ill on the journey. 
 

10 Jan 1564 - Death of MARGARET AUDLEY in Norwich.

24 Jan 1564 - Funeral held for MARGARET AUDLEY at St John the Baptist Church, Norwich ('St John's Mattermarket'). Mother-in-law Frances de Vere, Countess of Suffolk was chief mourner at her funeral, which was preached by John Parkhurst (Bishop of Norwich). 

Aft. 1564 - Possible reburial of MARGARET AUDLEY at St Michael the Archangel Church, Framlingham; however, tomb was opened in 19thc and found to be empty. Tomb was erected, with joint effigy with Thomas Howard's first wife Mary Fitzalan (although she is not buried in the church), with space for Thomas Howard in the middle (likely plan for him to be buried at Framlingham; however, this did not take happen due to execution).