Chapter 13: Edward VI, Somerset & Northumberland Flashcards
Regency Council, Somerset, Northumberland, Foreign Policy
What years did Edward reign between?
1547 - 53
When was Edward born?
1537
What age was Edward when he came to the throne and when he died?
9
15
What was the state of the England that Edward inherited?
- Religious division
- Ruined crown finances - wars with France and Scotland
- Debased coinage - inflation
- Lost crown security - sold monastic land cheaply for influx of finances
What was the regency council?
- 16 members
- Decisions made by majority
- To rule while Edward was a minor
Who were members of the regency council (religious ideas etc) ?
- Balanced with protestants (Hertford, Cranmer, Denny) and religious conservatives (Wriothesly, Lord St John)
- Quickly delegated to Hertford
What were all of Somerset’s names?
- Edward Seymour (Jane Seymour’s brother)
- Hertford
- Duke of Somerset
How did Somerset come to power?
- Supported by Cranmer, Dudley, William Paget
- Rewarded supporters and self with promotions and grants of crown lands
- Controlled Privy chamber - appointed supporter as chief gentleman
How were there problems under Somerset’s rule with other nobles?
- Resentment - Southampton arrested
- Factional rivalries - treason charges against brother Thomas Seymour - plotted against him with Southampton
What were Somerset’s policy failings?
- Scotland
- Mishandled rebellions
- Domestically - 2 rebellions - is blamed
What was Somerset’s personality?
- Arrogant
- Dictatorial
- Created enemies
How was Somerset removed?
- Aug 1549 - John Dudley (Warwick) and 2 other conservatives wanted to end Somerset’s power
- Wanted Mary’s support - she refused
- Stand off with Somerset - arrested by regency council and sent to tower
What years did Somerset rule between?
1547 - 9
What years did Northumberland rule between?
1550 - 5
What were all of Northumberland’s names?
- John Dudley
- Viscount Lisle
- Earl of Warwick
How did Northumberland come to power?
- Result of coup against Somerset - Dudley became Lord President of the Council
What does Northumberland do once he takes power?
- Second coup - against conservatives - removes Southampton and Arundel
- Promotes Sir John Gates as Vice Chamberlain (Dudley = Lord Chamberlain) to ensure control of the court
How is Northumberland no longer seen as the ‘bad duke’?
- No more unscrupulous than any other leading Tudor politician
- Solved many problems inherited from Somerset
What was the succession crisis for Edward?
- In Henry VIII’s will - if Edward died childless the crown would pass to Mary –> problematic as Mary was catholic
What was Edward’s solution to the succession crisis?
- The Devyse - leaves the crown to the sons of Lady Jane Grey - didn’t believe in women being ruler - she had no sons though
- Forced to just leave it to Jane
How did Northumberland stand to gain from the Devyse?
- Lady Jane Grey was married to Northumberland’s son - would be related to the royal family
How was the Devyse flawed?
- Was not sanctioned by parliament
- Technically illegal
What was Somerset’s foreign policy in Scotland?
- To marry Edward and Mary Queen of Scots
- Wanted to defeat the Scots in battle to force their submission
- Did win at battle of Pinkie 1547
- Build forts but can’t secure Dunbar and Edinburgh, don’t block the Firth of Forth properly
- Allows the French to help the Scots and take Mary to France to marry the Dauphin
What were the consequences to Somerset’s foreign policy?
- Couldn’t afford to garrison and maintain the Scottish forts
- Failed in goal of marriage and uniting the countries
- Ruin French relations
What were Northumberland’s foreign policy aims?
- Reduce foreign policy expenditure
- Stabilise crown finances
What is Northumberland’s foreign policy with France?
- Return Boulogne to France - humiliating defeat for England
- Removed the drain on finances
- French paid £133,000 to get it back
What was Northumberland’s foreign policy with Scotland?
- Abandon the remaining garrisons
- Financial benefit outweighed fears of continuing French influence in Scotland
