Grey family

The Grey family is an English family, descending from the Anglo-Norman de Greye family. The patriarch of the family was Anchetil de Greye, a Norman chevalier and vassal of William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford, one of the few proven companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
In the 13th century, the Greys were ennobled as Barons Grey of Codnor, and of Ruthyn, and of Wilton. Some members of the family were later elevated as viscounts, earls, marquesses, dukes, and in the 16th century, one member became monarch. Among them, King Edward VI declared his cousin Lady Jane Grey, "the Nine Days Queen", to be his successor as monarch of England and Ireland, and on his death, she reigned from 10 July through 19 July 1553, until she was deposed by her cousin Mary I, Queen of England, Ireland and Spain. Notably, Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and abolished slavery in the British Empire in 1833.

Grey lineage

11th century

Anchetil de Greye is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as the lord of six Oxfordshire manors. His descendant was Sir Henry de Grey.

13th century

Reginald de Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton was the son of Sir John de Grey and the namesake of one of the four Inns of Court, being Gray's Inn, which became of Reginald de Grey's Portpoole Manor. He was one of three commanders appointed by Edward I of England in his 1282 campaign against Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the rebellious last native Prince of Wales.

14th century

John de Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Rotherfield is listed in the Bruges Garter Book as a founding knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and a companion of Edward the Black Prince. He was Lord Steward of the Royal Household of King Edward III.

16th century

Lady Jane Grey '"the Nine Days' Queen"' was the daughter of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Queen of England and Ireland. Lady Jane was the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII through his daughter Mary Tudor, Queen of France. Due to this and her avowed Protestantism, King Edward VI nominated Lady Jane as his successor to the Crown, and she became Queen of England and Ireland on 10 July 1553, until her deposition on 19 July 1553 by Mary I of England. In February 1554, both she and her father were executed for treason.

19th century

Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey was the son of Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Lord Grey's government enacted the abolition of slavery in the British Empire by initiating the mass purchase of slaves from their owners in 1833. He had previously resigned as foreign secretary in 1807 to protest the King's uncompromising rejection of Catholic Emancipation. He is the namesake of Earl Grey tea.

20th century

Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon is Britain’s longest serving Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He was the main force behind British foreign policy in the era of World War I, the centrepiece of his foreign policy being the defence of France against German aggression, while avoiding a binding alliance with Paris. His most consequential achievement in foreign policy was otherwise securing the Anglo-Russian entente of 1907.