c 13: Edward somerset and northumberland Flashcards
Early Life: When did Edward accede the throne? Coronation?
-25th Jan 1547.
-Coronation on 20th Feb 1547.
Early Life: What were some similarities in Henry and Edward’s upbringings?
-Edward’s childhood was luxurious, with many tutors and scholars, just as Henry’s was.
-He was very studious, and loved the Hundred Year’s War. He was tutored by protestants, Coxe and Cheke.
-He was involved in hunting and other such sports.
-Edward was a fairly healthy child, only had a fever at 4, and smallpox at 14.
Early Life: What were some differences between Henry and Edward’s upbringings?
-Edward was “among women” for much of his life, cared for by his nurse as his mother had died in childbirth and Henry’s other wives had little to do with him.
-Edward was not allowed to “incur the angers of contact sports,” a rule likely put in place by his father.
-He was a very devout, serious child, one of the few examplesof him laughing came when e saw a tight-rope walker at St Paul’s.
-He was not close with his family - Elizabeth only appeared twice in his chronicles.
Early Life: Who was Somerset? When was he in charge?
-Edward Seymour, Jane Seymour’s brother.
-He had been a member of the PC since 1537, and became Earl of Hertford after Edward’s birth.
-Fought in Scotland in the 1540s.
-He was elected as Protector by the PC after Henry’s death. He essentially ruled with royal authority.
-Feb 1547, Edward & 13 executors signed a document giving him sovreign authority until Edward turned 18. He also became the Duke of Somerset.
-In October 1549, he was dismissed from office and imprisoned, beforce being tried and executed in 1552.
Early Life: How did the PC (and other important figures) react to Somerset’s actions?
-Members of the PC felt resentment towards the protectorate. Within a few weeks, the Earl of Southampton had been arrested.
-There were also widespread fears about the breakdown of law and order, as they couldn’t guarantee the public’s acceptance.
-Factional rivalries, too, soured the regime. Thomas Seymour, his brother, tried to turn Edward against Somerset, and tried to plot with Southampton against Somerset.
Early Life: What was the situation like for Somerset by 1549?
-He had mishandled foreign policy, and the rebellions in the summer of 1549, so sentiment had been growing against him.
-The Earl of Warwick (John Dudley), who particularly disliked Somerset, thought his failure in dealing with rebellions provided the perfect opportunity to strike. He, along with two other noblemen (Arundel and Lord St John).
-Initially, they wanted to secure Princess Mary, but she stayed clear of the conspirancy.
-There was a stand-off between them but, with the promise that he would not be pressed with treason charges, he surrendered
Early Life: Who was Northumberland? When was he in power?
-John Dudley. He recieved various court posts under Henry VIII, including Master of the Horse for Anne of Cleeves.
-In 1540s, he earned a military reputation in battles against Scotland and France.
-Feb 1547, on Henry VIII’s death, he became Earl of Warwick and Lord Great Chamberlain.
-October 1549, he planned Somerset’s removal.
-Jan 1550, he became Lord President of the Council.
-1551, he became Duke of Northumberland.
-1553, he was tried and executed (under Mary).
Early Life: Who had Northumberland’s key supporters been?
-Most of them had been conservative Catholics, who had hoped that his rise would mean the establishment of Princess Mary.
-However, as a result of the purge of the conservatives Southampton and Arundel, Cranmer’s support, and Edward’s own Protestantism, his religious reform was far more Protestant than they had hoped.
Government: What evidence is there that Edward had no role in government under Somerset?
-Somerset had ignored Edward’s demands for a concilliar government and had appointed himself Lord Protector of the council.
-He reduced the no of servants in Edward’s household, ruling with the dry stamp (which he had sole custody of) & proclamations (which he used 70+ times, more than any one else in the Tudor period).
-Edward was more involved in his education than politics at this stage.
-The Letters Patent in March 1547 gave quasi-royal powers.
-Tried to insist the King’s signature was invalid without his counter-signature.
-He controlled the Privy Chamber through the appointment of Sir Michael Stanhope as Chief Gentleman.
-Som. used his household servants as government officials. Sir Thomas Smith was the only one who was a member of the Privy Council.
Government: What evidence is there that Edward had a role in government under Somerset?
-Autumn 1549, Somerset took Edward with him to Windsor Castle, and Edward said “Methinks I am a prisoner here.”
-Amid Somerset’s falling power, Edward abandoned him & it was influential in ensuring his downfall.
-He also said that Somerset had threatened to create riots if he were overthrown.
Government: What evidence is there that Edward had no role in government under Northumberland?
-Northumberland was still in control, and could place limits on the aspects of Government that Edward was involved in.
-He did also manipulate the council to some extent, placing his own men in key roles.
-Staffed the household with his men who could control access to Edward. Sir John Gates was Vice Chamberlain & commanded the King’s guard.
-As LP, he could fix the agenda of PC meetings, bar councillors (which he did to all Catholics on his first day).
-1551, there were no Parliamentary sessions.
Government: What evidence is there that Edward had role in government under Northumberland?
-Aug 1551, Edward attended some PC meetings & by Nov 1552, he was regularly there, evening drawing up some agendas.
-In spring 1552, they announced that Edward would reach his majority at 16, not 18.
-Northumberland was ‘Lord President of the Council’, a more diminshed title than Somerset’s.
-Northumberland’s pursuit of Protestantism was largely a product of Edward’s beliefs.
Policy: How did Henry VIII influence economic & social policy?
-Henry’s economic policy dictated a large portion of Edward’s policy. The deep trouble he had left the country in gave no option but to attempt to address these problems.
-In 1544, Henry had pursued large-scale debasement of the coinage, raising £363,000, in his own reign. This resulted in massive inflation!
-Expenditure was heavy - he had completely exhausted the funds gained from dissolution, and by 1547 almost half the land they had gained (from dissolving) had been sold.
-Henry owed £100,000 to the Antwerp money market.
Foreign Policy: What was the situation in 1547?
-Treaty of Greenwhich ahd been signed in 1543.
-Habsburg-Valois War between Charles V & Henry II.
-Treaty of Ardes had been signed in 1546, ensuring peace with France.
-The Auld Alliance was still in tact.
-England were in massive debt.
Foreign Policy: What were the main events in Edward’s foreign policy?
-Mar ‘47, Henry II became King of France.
-Apr ‘47, Charles V defeated German princes at the battle of Muhlberg.
-Sep ‘47, England defeated Scot at Battle of Pinkie.
-47-49, English garrisons were established in Scotland.
-Jun ‘48, 10,000 troops arrived in Scotland.
-Jul ‘48, MQS removed to France.
-‘49, Western and Ketts Rebellion.
-Aug ‘49, France declared war on England.
-Mar ‘50, Treaty of Boulogne.
-Jul ‘51, Treaty of Angers was signed.
Foreign Policy: What were Somerset’s aims?
-He was focusing on Scotland, hoping to achieve Edward’s marriage with MQS.
-He wanted to conquer Scotland, as had been started under Henry VIII. Every yearsince 1541, there had been an attack on Scotland.
-He wanted to avoid war with France, and prevent the revival of the auld alliance.
Foreign Policy: What happened in June 1547? What did this lead to?
-The new French monarch, Henry II, sent a fleet of 4,000 soldiers to Scotland.
-Then, in September, Somerset launched a naval and land invasion of Scotland.
-Success was found at the Battle of Pinkie.
-However, domestic concerns forced him to return to London.
-In January 1548, he made an appeal to Scots to agree to the marriage of Ed & MQS.
Foreign Policy: What was the policy of garrisoning?
-Somerset recognised that Henry’s Scottish policy had been very expensive, and ineffective. He felt that Henry didn’t maintain consistent pressure on the Scots.
-Somerset decided to use garrisons as an alternative strategy.
-Between 1547-49, 25 garrisons were established, and a further 14 planned.
Foreign Policy: What ruined the garrison system? What happened next?
-The arrival of 10,000 French troops in June 1548, made it unworkable. They were poorly defended, and easily defeated by the French.
-A treaty was quickly signed between France and Scotland, guaranteeing the marriage of Henry II’s son (Francis II) and MQS. In July, Mary was taken to France, and English interest drastically diminished.
-France then started besieging Haddington, and English garrisons.
Foreign Policy: What did Somerset decide to do about Haddington?
-He worried that sending troops to Haddington might give France the opportunity to take Boulogne.
-He sent troops, led by the Earl of Shrewsbury, to Scotland, where they temporarily succeeded in relieving the garrison.
-However, as a result of rebellions in 1549, he was forced to abandon Haddington by August, but France had also withdrawn from Scotland.
Foreign Policy: What happened with Boulogne?
-In August 1549, France had made use of England’s dometic trouble (the rebellions) and launched an attack of Boulogne.
-Northumberland, now in power, had little option for what to do. England were bankrupt, he couldn’t get support from Charles V, and he was still trying to secure a strong power-base at court, so needed all the support he could get.
-In January 1550, Lord Russel and Lord Paget were sent to France to negotiate a settlement with a French team, and the Treaty of Boulogne was signed on the 28th March 1550.
Foreign Policy: What were the terms of the Treaty of Boulogne?
-England gave up control of Boulogne for 400,000 crowns. Under the Treaty of Ardes, they were due to pay 2million for it at the end of 1554.
-Marriage was arranged between Edward VI and Elizabeth, Henry II’s daughter, with a dowry of 200,000 crowns.
-England agreed to pull all its troops out of Scotland, and not to declare war unless provoked.
-England and France were in a defensive alliance, with England agree to remain neutral in continental wars.
-Fortress at Boulogne was passed intact to France, with the English artillery and stores remaining there.
-The English claim to the French throne was not abandoned.
-King of France was no longer to pay a pension to the King of England.
Foreign Policy: What was the Treaty of Angers? What happened in Autumn 1551?
-Angers was the marriage treaty between Edward and Elizabeth of France.
-In Autumn 1551, Charles, angered by the protestant reform carried out by Northumberland, and by the treatment of his cousin, Mary Tudor, had begun to consider an invasion of England.
-He had also been angered by the English ambassador at the Imperial Court, Sir Richard Morison, who had lectured Charles and demanded to hold Protestant services at his residence.
-England then put a temporary embargo on the sale of cloth to the Netherlands, but trading relations had improved by June 1552.
Succession: How did succession change Northumberland’s legacy?
-In his will, Henry VIII stipulated that Edward, if without issue, would be succeeded by Princess Mary.
-When it was reported that Edward was dying, Northumberland realised that, as a result of his Protestant campaign, his life would be in danger if Mary succeeded the throne.
-A plan, known as the Devyse, was produced to alter the succession. Lady Jane Grey was the preferred choice to be the next monarch.
-Edward died before this could be ratified by Parliament - it took Northumberland three days to carry out his plan, and nine days to proclaim her as queen.
