Northumberland, John Dudley, duke

Northumberland, John Dudley, duke of

(born 1502—died Aug. 22, 1553, London, Eng.) English politician. After serving as deputy governor of English-occupied Calais (1538) and lord high admiral (1542), he fought in the invasion of Scotland (1544) and captured the French city of Boulogne (1544). He was created earl of Warwick (1546) and in 1547 became a member of the regency council that governed for the young Edward VI. After engineering the fall of the duke of Somerset, Warwick assumed control of the regency (1550). He made himself duke of Northumberland in 1551 and ordered Somerset's arrest and execution in 1552. He imposed strict conformity to Protestant doctrine in support of the Reformation. In 1553 he persuaded the dying Edward VI to will the crown to Northumberland's daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey; thwarted by supporters of Mary Tudor (Mary I), he was arrested and executed for treason.