Career
His mother endeavoured to improve his estates by the conventional means of their class and time, through his marriages and purchase of custodies and wardships.
On the death of his stepfather, Edward IV, and his 12 year old half-brother's, Edward V's, accession to the throne on 9 April 1483 Grey proved unable to maintain his family's position. It was not possible to arrange a Yorkist regency. Internal fighting, particularly the long established battle for ascendancy in Leicestershire between the Grey and Hastings families, now on the national stage, allowed Gloucester to seize power and usurp the throne. On 25 June an assembly of Parliament declared Richard to be the legitimate king. Later in the summer, learning of the apparent murder of both his young half-brothers, Grey joined the Duke of Buckingham's rebellion against Richard III. When the rebellion failed he fled to Brittany to join Henry Tudor, the future Henry VII, who pledged to marry Grey's half-sister Elizabeth and heal the Yorkist/Lancastrian division.
However, just before Henry's successful invasion of England in August 1485, Grey learned his mother had come to terms with Richard III, and was persuaded to desert Henry Tudor. He was intercepted at Compiègne on his way to England and played no part in the overthrow of Richard III. Grey was instead left at Paris, as security for the repayment of a loan made to Henry Tudor by the French government, unable to return home until Henry VII was safely installed as king of England.
Thereafter Henry VII took good care to keep his Queen's brother under control and Grey was not permitted to recover his former influence. Thomas Grey was confined in the Tower in 1487 during Lambert Simnel's rising and not released until after the battle of Stoke. Though he accompanied the King on his expedition to France in 1492 he was obliged to commit himself in writing to ensure he did not commit treason. He was permitted to assist in suppression of the Cornish rising in 1497.
Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset, died in London on 30 August 1501, aged about 45, and was buried in the collegiate church of Astley, Warwickshire. His wife survived him and married Henry Stafford, later earl of Wiltshire.
Read more about this topic: Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess Of Dorset
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