Biography of Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent 1495-1562

Paternal Family Tree: Grey

Maternal Family Tree: Elizabeth Merbury

1533 Birth and Christening of Elizabeth I

Before 1481 [his father] George Grey 2nd Earl Kent (age 27) and Anne Woodville Viscountess Bourchier (age 42) were married. See Woodville Marriages. She the daughter of Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers and Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford. He the son of Edmund Grey 1st Earl Kent (age 64) and Katherine Percy. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England.

Before 1485 [his father] George Grey 2nd Earl Kent (age 31) and [his mother] Katherine Herbert Countess Kent (age 20) were married. She the daughter of William "Black William" Herbert 1st Earl Pembroke and Anne Devereux (age 54). He the son of Edmund Grey 1st Earl Kent (age 68) and Katherine Percy. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 22 May 1490 [his grandfather] Edmund Grey 1st Earl Kent (age 73) died. His son [his father] George Grey 2nd Earl Kent (age 36) succeeded 2nd Earl Kent, 5th Baron Grey of Ruthyn. [his mother] Katherine Herbert Countess Kent (age 26) by marriage Countess Kent.

Around 1495 Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent was born to George Grey 2nd Earl Kent (age 41) and Katherine Herbert Countess Kent (age 31).

Between 01 Dec 1500 and 08 May 1504 [his mother] Katherine Herbert Countess Kent (age 40) died.

Around 1504 Philip Calthorpe (age 40) and [his future sister-in-law] Jane Blenerhasset (age 29) were married.

On 25 Dec 1505 [his father] George Grey 2nd Earl Kent (age 51) died. His son [his half-brother] Richard Grey 3rd Earl Kent (age 24) succeeded 3rd Earl Kent, 6th Baron Grey of Ruthyn. Elizabeth Hussey Countess Kent by marriage Countess Kent.

In or before 1511 Henry Warner and [his future sister-in-law] Mary Blennerhasset (age 30) were married.

Birth and Death of Prince Henry

                    In Feb 1511 Henry VIII (age 19) celebrated the birth of his son by holding a magnificent tournament at Westminster [Map]. The challengers included Henry VIII (age 19) who fought as Cuere Loyall, Henry Courtenay 1st Marquess Exeter (age 15) as Bon Vouloir, Edward Neville (age 40) as Joyeulx Penser, Thomas Knyvet (age 26) as Valiant Desyr and Thomas Tyrrell.                 

                    On Day 1 of the tournament the Answerers included: William Parr 1st Baron Parr of Horton (age 28), Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent (age 16), Thomas Cheney (age 26), Richard Blount and Robert Morton.                

                    On Day 2 of the tournament the Answerers included: Richard Tempest of Bracewell (age 31), Thomas Lucy, Henry Guildford (age 22), Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk (age 27), Thomas Boleyn 1st Earl Wiltshire and Ormonde (age 34), Richard Grey, Leonard Grey 1st Viscount Grane (age 32), Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 38), Edmund Howard (age 33) and Henry Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 32).                

In or before 1520 Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent (age 25) and Anne Blenerhassett (age 28) were married. He the son of George Grey 2nd Earl Kent and Katherine Herbert Countess Kent. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England.

In 1520 [his son] Henry Grey was born to Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent (age 25) and [his wife] Anne Blenerhassett (age 29).

In 1524 [his half-brother] Richard Grey 3rd Earl Kent (age 43) died at the Sign of the George having much wasted his estate by gaming. His half brother Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent (age 29) succeeded 4th Earl Kent, 7th Baron Grey of Ruthyn although by reason of his slender estate, declined to take upon him the title of Earl. Henry tried, with little success, to reacquire the property his brother Richard (age 43) had sold, and had to live as a modest gentleman, never formally taking title as earl.

On 17 Jun 1531 [his brother-in-law] Thomas Blennerhassett of Frens (age 70) died.

Birth and Christening of Elizabeth I

                    On 10 Sep 1533 the future Elizabeth I was christened at the Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map].                

                    Gertrude Blount Marchioness of Exeter (age 30), Walter Blount, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (age 44) and Margaret Wotton Marchioness Dorset (age 46) were Godparents.                

                    Henry Bourchier 2nd Earl Essex 3rd Count Eu carried the covered gilt basin. Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk (age 49) escorted the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk (age 56). Henry Grey 1st Duke of Suffolk (age 16) carried the Salt. Elizabeth Stafford Duchess Norfolk (age 36) carried the Chrisom. Agnes Tilney Duchess Norfolk (age 56) carried Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland. Henry Courtenay 1st Marquess Exeter (age 37) carried a taper of virgin wax.                

                    Edward Stanley 3rd Earl of Derby (age 24), Thomas Boleyn 1st Earl Wiltshire and Ormonde (age 56), Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent (age 38) and George Boleyn Viscount Rochford (age 30) supported the train of the mantle.                

                    Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 60), William Howard 1st Baron Howard (age 23), Thomas Howard (age 22) and John Hussey 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford (age 68) carried the canopy.

In or before 1537 Miles Hobart (age 41) and [his sister-in-law] Helen Blennerhasset (age 43) were married.

Around 1540 [his sister-in-law] Mary Blennerhasset (age 60) died.

In 1545 [his son] Henry Grey (age 25) died.

On 27 Apr 1550 [his sister-in-law] Jane Blenerhasset (age 75) died.

On 22 Feb 1556 [his sister-in-law] Helen Blennerhasset (age 63) died.

Around 1561 [his brother-in-law] Robert or Ralph Blennerhassett died.

On 24 Sep 1562 Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent (age 67) died. His grandson Reginald Grey 5th Earl Kent (age 22) succeeded 5th Earl Kent, 8th Baron Grey of Ruthyn.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 30 Sep 1562. The xxx day of September was raylles mad at sant Giles's withwtt Crepull-gatte [Map], and hangyd with blake and armes, [for the] gentyll knyght ser Hare Gray (deceased), and was brodur unto the earl of Kent [Note. Hare Gray (deceased) was Earl but didn't use the title.], with ij haroldes of armes, master Clarenshux (age 52) kynge, and , and he bare the helme and crest, master Clarenshux the cott of armes, and then the standard and [banners of] armes; and the clarkes syngyng; and then the corse covered [with a bla]ke velvett pall with a whyt crosse of saten and armes a-p[on it,] and many mornars in blake; and ther dyd pryche master (Nowell) (age 45) the [dean of] Powlles; and after he was bered home to the plase to d[inner, where] ther was good chere, dener after dener tyll iiij of the [clock.]

Note. P. 293. Funeral of sir Harry Grey, brother to the earl of Kent. Richard earl of Kent, having much wasted his estate by gaming, died at the sign of the George in Lombardstreet, in 15 Hen. VIII. and was buried at the White Friars in Fleet-street. Whereupon his brother and heir male, sir Henry Grey of Wrest, by reason of his slender estate, declined to take upon him the title of Earl. (Ralph Brooke's Catalogue of Nobilitie.) He died Sept. 24, 1562; and in his epitaph at St. Giles's, Cripplegate, was styled "Sir Henry Grey knight, sonne and heire to George lord Grey of Ruthen and earl of Kent." (Stowe's Survay.) The dignity was resumed by his grandson Reginald, in 1571. "Sir Harry Grey knight dyed at his howsse in London in Sant Gyles parishe the xvjth day of September, in the 4th yere of our soveraigne lady quene Elizabethe, and was buryed in the parishe churche there the xxijth of the same mounthe, and lyeth in the chapel of the south syde the quere. The said sir Henry maryd Anne doghter of John Blenerhasset, in the county of Suffolk." (MS. Harl. 897, f. 20b, where his issue is also stated.)

On 30 Sep 1562 Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent (deceased) was buried at St Giles without Cripplegate Church [Map]. His epitaph reads "Sir Henry Grey knight, sonne and heire to George lord Grey of Ruthen and earl of Kent."

On 06 Mar 1565 [his former wife] Anne Blenerhassett (age 74) died.

[his daughter] Katherine Grey was born to Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent and Anne Blenerhassett.

[his son] Henry Grey and Margery St John were married. He the son of Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent and Anne Blenerhassett. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England.

Ancestors of Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent 1495-1562

Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Grey 1st Baron Grey Ruthyn 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Reginald Grey 2nd Baron Grey Ruthyn 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Hastings Baroness Grey Ruthyn 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Reginald Grey 3rd Baron Grey Ruthyn 5 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Strange 2nd Baron Strange Blackmere 3 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Alianore Strange Baroness Grey Ruthyn 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ankaret Boteler Baroness Strange Blackmere 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Grey 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Ros 2nd Baron Ros Helmsley

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Ros 4th Baron Ros Helmsley 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margery Badlesmere Baroness Ros Helmsley 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Ros Baroness Grey Ruthyn 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Beatrice Stafford Countess Desmond 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Audley Countess Stafford Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

GrandFather: Edmund Grey 1st Earl Kent 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Holland 1st Baron Holand

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Zouche Baroness Holand 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Holland 1st Duke Exeter Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Wake Countess Kent 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Constance Holland Countess Norfolk and Nottingham Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward III of England Son of King Edward II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Lancaster Duchess Exeter Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Blanche Plantagenet Duchess Lancaster 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Father: George Grey 2nd Earl Kent 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Percy 11th and 3rd Baron Percy 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Percy 1st Earl of Northumberland 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Plantagenet Baroness Percy Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry "Hotspur" Percy 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Neville 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Percy 2nd Earl of Northumberland 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Mortimer 3rd Earl March, Earl Ulster 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa Montagu Countess March

Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Mortimer Baroness Camoys Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Lionel Plantagenet 1st Duke of Clarence Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Philippa Plantagenet Countess March 5th Countess Ulster Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Burgh Duchess of Clarence 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

GrandMother: Katherine Percy 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Percy 10th and 2nd Baron Percy 5 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Idonia Clifford Baroness Percy 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Eleanor Neville Countess Northumberland Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward III of England Son of King Edward II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Giles "Payne" Roet

Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster

Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: William ap Thomas "Blue Knight of Gwent" Herbert

GrandFather: William "Black William" Herbert 1st Earl Pembroke

Great x 4 Grandfather: Hywel Fychan Brecon

Great x 3 Grandfather: Llewellyn Brecon

Great x 2 Grandfather: Dafydd Gam Brecon

Great x 1 Grandmother: Gwladys ferch Dafydd Gam "Star of Abergavenny" Brecon

Mother: Katherine Herbert Countess Kent 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Walter "Elder" Devereux 4 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Walter Devereux 5 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Walter Devereux 6 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Walter Devereux 7 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Crophull

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Crophull 5 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Verdun Baroness Hussey 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Agnes Crophull 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England

GrandMother: Anne Devereux 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Merbury

Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent 1495-1562 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

Royal Ancestors of Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent 1495-1562

Ancestors of Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent 1495-1562