Welcome to House Grey

The Grey name | Overview | Military History of the House Grey | Notable Personalities, Past & Present

Arms: Gules, a lion rampant, within a boudure engrailed, argent, in dexter chief point a mullet of the last.

Crest: A naval warship anchor, sable.

Supporters (full arms): Dexter, a lion guardant purple, ducally crowned or; Sinister, a tiger guardant, proper.

Motto: "De Bon Vouloir Servir Le Roi" (French: Goodwill In Service To The King)

The Grey family is one of great antiquity, dating back to Sir Thomas Grey, a knight married to Jane, daughter of John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk. Among the sons of Thomas and Jane was Sir John Grey of Heaton who was styled Earl of Tankerville in Normandy. Later descendant, William, was created a Baronet in 1619 and later raised to the Peerage as Lord Grey in 1623. Those titles fell extinct when that branch of the family tree died off with the 4th Lord Grey in 1706. Of the surviving line, Sir Henry Grey, High Sheriff Northumberland was created a Baronet in 1746. He had three sons; 1-Henry, who died unmarried in 1808, 2-Thomas, who was killed in a duel with Lord Pomfret, and 3-Charles, the 1st Earl Grey. Throughout England's history, the Earls of Grey have been instrumental in Royal politics and the military.

In 1580, the Catholic governments of France, Spain, and Rome allied against England, and the Crown ordered Catholic Ireland subdued. The reason was that Ireland could not be used as a back door to England by the alliance. When the Parliament heard of a Spanish fleet bound for Ireland, they sent Lord Grey with a huge force to stop them.

Before the Irish could arrive however, an English fleet sailed in from the west, and Lord Grey arrived from the east with 4,000 men and the best siege artillery in Ireland. On the morning of November 7, the bombardment of the fort began on all sides. By nightfall, it was over, and the fort surrendered.

The fort surrendered, the occupants marched out, and laid down their arms. All were then marched back into the fort, and gallows were erected. The women were hanged first, then the Irish men were led to a blacksmith's forge where their arms and legs were broken in three places each. After suffering for two days without food and water, they were thrown onto flat carts and bounced over the rough roads back to the English camp, where they were half-hanged, drawn, and quartered.

As for the rest of the prisoners, at Grey’s command, Captains Mackworth and Walter Raleigh led 200 men into the fort, and slaughtered them all. The vicious manner, in which the Smerwick massacre was executed, made the term, "Grey's Promise" a byword for treachery in Europe.

The House Grey put early history behind them by the 31st century and over the years they became a well-respected yet quiet knighthood. The Grey representatives fought in almost every major conflict and usually contributed to turning the battle in favor of their side. Even though they have seen many victories, the knights of Grey were known as reserved in expressing their thoughts.

When General Alexandr Kerensky called for Exodus, the Grey house followed in great numbers as they were historically tied to the military. With their love for politics as strong as military prowess, Greys found their home with Clan Wolverine, the not named clan, in the Kerensky Cluster. Not much is known about the events that followed until the appearance of Minnesota Tribe within the Inner Sphere corridor.

Within the Minnesota Tribe, Grey military oriented mind helped plan the raids and led the assaults on Clan invasion planets. However, their tendency to be the first to enter the battle reflected on the numbers of house knights. With numbers reducing, Mord, as house leader, declared an open knighthood tournament to popularize the Grey name and increase recruitment.

Many able warriors entered the tournament in search for knighthood and its privileges but there was only one knight opening. Although the details cannot be found in the official records, the final fights had several irregularities. The new knight served the Grey house for only a short time until he mysteriously disappeared. Search parties found nothing and he was eventually forgotten. However, when Minnesota Tribe encountered pirates in the Magistracy of Canopus space, their every tactic was swiftly countered. Captured warriors spoke of someone with Grey crest piloting a BattleMech attached to pirate command lance.

Grey house leadership was disturbed by the news and ordered detailed investigation. Soon it was discovered that the young warrior has defected and joined enemy ranks. Mord Grey ordered the warrior to be discharged from Minnesota Tribe and removed the knighthood from him.

A new tournament was declared to find a warrior worthy of Grey knighthood and many have entered to compete. However, as if the name was cursed almost half of the warriors forfeited on the tournament day. History was also repeating itself with the final battle being fought on the same grounds as the abjured treachery final. The winner was immediately declared and recognized by the command staff except the Grey house leader. It could be that the news did not reach him in time for the joint announcement but no clear explanation was given to this date.

House of Grey continues to keep low profile and attempts regain honor and old glory despite recent setbacks.

English nobleman. He became 3d marquess of Dorset on his father's death (1530), and in 1534 he married Frances, daughter of Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, and Mary of England (sister of Henry VIII). During Henry's reign he was active at court. Upon the accession (1547) of Edward VI, Grey at first supported the protectorship of the duke of Somerset but soon shifted his allegiance to John Dudley, earl of Warwick (later duke of Northumberland). He received favors at court and was created (1551) duke of Suffolk through his wife's claim. Lady Jane Grey was his daughter, and, upon the death (1553) of Edward, Suffolk joined Northumberland's plot to place her on the throne. However, when the plot failed, he deserted her cause and proclaimed Mary I queen. He was pardoned, largely because of his wife's friendship with Mary, but in 1554 he joined the rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyatt and was soon captured, convicted of treason, and executed.o

Queen of England for nine days. She was the daughter of Henry Grey, marquess of Dorset (later duke of Suffolk), and Frances Brandon, daughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary. She became a ward of Baron Seymour of Sudeley, who tried unsuccessfully to bring about a marriage between her and Edward VI. After Seymour's execution (1549) for treason, she fell under the control of John Dudley, duke of Northumberland, who married (1553) her to his youngest son, Lord Guilford Dudley. Northumberland persuaded the boy king, Edward, to change the order of succession and name Lady Jane to follow him on the throne. After Edward's death Lady Jane, only 15 years old, was proclaimed queen on July 10, 1553. The English people, however, rallied to the cause of Mary I, and Northumberland's army deserted. After nine days as nominal queen, Lady Jane was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Because of her youth and innocence her life would probably have been spared had not her father joined the rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1554). Lady Jane, her husband, and her father were beheaded.

Charles Grey was a distinguished Commanding Army Officer during the American Revolutionary War (1777), and also served in the war with France (1794) and raised to the Peerage in 1801 as Baron Grey of Howick. Lord Grey was further advanced in the Peerage to Viscount Howick and Earl Grey in 1806. In 1830 Grey was asked to form a ministry by the new king, William IV. He also created and helped pass the Reform Act of 1832 that was a major achievement for the Whig Party. However, the legislation that the Whigs saw as a conservative measure was regarded by many of his new supporters as a springboard for further extensive changes in church and state. The strains of the new era produced quarrels and resignations in his Cabinet, and Grey retired from politics two years later. He died on 17 July 1845 at Howick.

British statesman. British prime minister (1830-1834) and reformer of Parliament. He was born near Alnwick, England, and educated at the University of Cambridge. In 1786 he became a Whig member of the House of Commons. In 1797, when his proposals for electoral reform were rejected, Grey promoted the unsuccessful Whig secession from Parliament. In 1806, Grey became foreign secretary in the coalition government of Prime Minister William Wyndham Grenville and leader of the House of Commons. The government lost power after one year, however, and in 1807, Grey succeeded to his father's earldom. In January 1808 he took his seat in the House of Lords; from 1812 to 1830 he was the leader of the opposition.

The "Earl Grey" tea, common in stores today, comes from the 2nd Earl Grey. As Prime Minister, he sent a diplomatic mission to China and by chance the envoy saved the life of a Chinese Madarin. In gratitude, the Mandarin sent the Earl a delightfully scented tea, with its recipe. The special ingredient with which it was flavoured was oil of Bergamot. Earl Grey was delighted and in future always asked his tea merchant – the Tyneside company, Twinings, for that blend. His drawing room soon became famous for its tea and in due course the family gave permission for the blend to be sold to the public. Today, Earl Grey is the world’s most popular blend and is sold in more than 90 districts.

During the 1820s demands to make Parliament more representative of the nation as a whole increased. These demands were based on extending suffrage beyond the landed gentry so that men who had made their fortunes from industry would have the right to vote. By 1830, the agitation for reform had become a dangerous crisis, and King William IV summoned Grey to form a government. The first of the Reform Bills barely passed through both houses, and the House of Lords gutted many of the bill's provisions. The House of Lords feared that extending the suffrage would negatively affect the government and would decrease their own power. To counter this opposition Grey asked the king to create enough new peers to pass the original version of the bill. After initial reluctance, the king agreed. The threat of new peers was enough; in 1832 Parliament passed the original reform bill, which increased the number of men eligible to vote and eliminated corrupt voting practices. Grey continued his reform agenda, working to abolish slavery and to pass the poor law of 1834. He retired in 1834 after cabinet disagreements about forcing Irish Catholics to pay taxes to support the Anglican church in Ireland.

British colonial administrator. He explored the Swan River district in NW Australia (1838) and later was governor of South Australia (1841-45) and of New Zealand (1845-53). As governor of Cape Colony (1854-60), he advocated federation for the South African territories. When war broke out between Maori natives and English settlers, Grey returned to New Zealand as governor (1861-68), but his efforts to end the fighting were fruitless. After brief residence in London he returned to live in New Zealand, where as premier (1877-79) he advocated important social reforms. Polynesian Mythology (1855) is his most important book.

English statesman, nephew of the 3d Earl Grey. In 1880 he entered the House of Commons as a Liberal, but he lost his seat as a result of his opposition to Gladstone's Home Rule Bill of 1886. Grey returned to Parliament as a member of the House of Lords when he succeeded his uncle to the earldom in 1894. Administrator (1896-97) of Rhodesia, he was governor-general of Canada from 1904 to 1911.

British statesman. He entered Parliament as a Liberal in 1885 and became (1905) foreign secretary in the difficult period preceding World War I. Coming to office in the middle of the Moroccan crisis (see Morocco), Grey continued the policy of support of France initiated by the 5th marquess of Lansdowne and authorized secret military conversations with France. In 1907 he concluded the Anglo-Russian entente, thus completing the so-called Triple Entente against Germany (see Triple Alliance and Triple Entente). He again stood firmly in support of France during the Agadir crisis (1911). Having successfully convened a conference of the Great Powers during the Balkan Wars, Grey attempted the same course after the assassination (1914) of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria. This time he failed, however, and World War I began. Remaining as foreign secretary until 1916, Grey maintained good relations with the United States and concluded the secret Treaty of London (1915), which brought Italy into the war. He was created a peer in 1916. Grey was president of the League of Nations Union from 1918 and served (1919-20) as a special ambassador to the United States. His chief publications are Twenty-five Years, 1892-1916 (1926), Fallodon Papers (1926), and Speeches on Foreign Affairs, 1904-1914 (1931).

The first woman to hold the Grey knighthood was inducted into the Royal Navy and served two consecutive terms on the H.M.S. Victory. During her second term of service, although no official records confirm the incident, it is said that while on a routine check of the deck ordnance station, she was trapped underneath one of the 10-inch deck guns for almost 48 hours in the hot sun. When they found her she was dehydrated and delerious, and after she recovered, her mood had changed to one of increasing paranoia, until, one day at breakfast, she took a knife and stabbed three of her fellow officers to death. The Captain called for an immediate court martial, and she was executed on the deck of the ship, her body thrown in to the ocean and her official record marked MIA, missing in action.

The long-standing house leader, Mord Grey is very much about honor and skill. Not known as a man of many words and fully aware of Grey history, his approach has been that actions speak for themselves, "Achieve Much, Appear Little". Throughout the years, Mord has led many troops into combat and returned victorious, becoming the most decorated member still living. Knighthood is considered sacred in his eyes although his stand towards other knighthoods has been controversial at best. When General Kristoffer “Sheik” deVega announced the revival of long lost knighthoods Hallis and McEvedy, Mord was the most vocal opponent stating that these names have no standing ground with Minnesota Tribe. A solution that put the two disputed knighthoods on trial basis was reached in an effort to maintain troop interest.

Recent events have forced Mord Grey to take a semi-detached approach to combat. However, his combat skills and experience have made him a valuable part of the Minnesota Tribe command staff.

A former Smoke Jaguar bloodnamed warrior, Leopard Osis was captured during early Minnesota Tribe probes into clan territory. Time and extensive training in the Tribe has not curbed Osis' aggressive nature neither on nor off the battlefield. His almost continual altercations with both Command officers and fellow Tribesman, in addition to his silent and brooding nature, makes this warrior both highly unpredictable and extremely dangerous even at the best of times. Nevertheless, his skills and leadership ability are an important contribution to the unit.

One of his most extraordinary battlefield performances was against Clan Hell's Horses. The highlight was Leopard's single-handed elimination of three opposing Shadowcats, while post battle analysis confirmed additional four kills. As the news started to circulate the barracks, the nickname “Horse Slayer” was quickly associated with Osis.

Feared by the opponents and respected by fellow Tribesmen, Leopard Osis recently won the Grey knighthood. He is closely watched by the House Leader in an attempt to prevent another Grey debacle.

A former Draconis Combine soldier, Tango Grey displays unusual affinity for democratic approach to leadership. He is also known to voice his opinions honestly and without reservation, which often led him to trouble with the superiors. Despite these run-ins with the command, he continued to rise in rank all the way to the 331st Division Executive Officer.

While Tango’s battlefield skills are not extraordinary by any means, his tactical and strategic planning has helped the Tribe on numerous occasions. Probably one of his greatest accomplishments was developing the “Lighting Strike” campaign, which increased Tribal planetary holdings to the level of a minor clan or a periphery kingdom.

In February 3065, Tango won the House Grey knighthood title by defeating six participants in a series of grueling duels. During the final match, he demonstrated the effectiveness of the newly acquired rotary autocannons. His modified Highlander Battlemech remains in the current configuration for further testing.

Biography sketch to follow.

Being once a rogue warrior from an uncharted planet, Nailor spent his first year quiet amongst the ranks. He proceeded slowly through the ranks till after 3 years a young Colonel noticed that Nailor had potential in a leadership role. Nailor was commissioned to Executive Officer of the 382nd regiment where he sat by the right hand of Leopard Grey. After a few years Nailor excelled to the Rank of Colonel and the duties of a shared Executive Officer of the Minnesota Tribe.

On 19th August 3069 Nailor entered the Tournament for House name “Grey”. There he showed his experience with a KitFox , Bushwacker, and a Avatar. He fought back 5 other contestants and won the honor of being a Knight. Tribesmen came from far away to witness this highlighted time in his career. In an emotional evening of presentation, it was only fitting that Leopard Osis of Grey commenced the ceremony into “House Grey”.