Chapter 13: Royal Authority, Succession + Relations with Foreign Powers Flashcards
1
Q
Context of HVIII’s legacy ?
A
- secured succession (although Edward was a minor)
- religious division within court + people/country
- crown has compromised its own long-term security by selling off monastic lands (often at considerable discount) ➡️ need to raise £
- ineffective FP➡️ no land gained by 1547 except Boulonge + crown finance ruined by expensive wars (France & Scotland)
- debased the coinage from 1544 (pay for wars), ❗️raised £363,000 in HVIII’s reign ➡️ considerable rise in rate of inflation + decline in real incomes (❗️raised £1.27mil in E’s reign)
- total expenses 1544-47 came to £2.1 mil (❗️only raised £650,000 in subsidies + £270,000 in forced loans) ➡️ Edward inherited deep financial problems
- debt owed domestically and abroad eg.❗️£100,000 owed to Antwerp market
- 1532-1540 ❗️883 people arrest for treason of 308 executed
- streamlined govt, privy council etc
2
Q
How did Henry set up a Regency Council ?
A
- set up to govern England during Edward’s minority, was balanced between Protestants & religious conservatives:
- Protestants:
Earl of Hertford (Duke of Somerset).
Archbishop Cranmer
Sir Anthony Denny (keeper of the Dry Stamp) - Religious conservatives:
Thomas Wriothesley.
Marquis of Winchester - quickly delegated power to Somerset,(balanced regency did not last long)
- the government was fearful for good order + security security
3
Q
How did Somerset govern England ?
A
- awarded himself title of Lord Protector 4th Feb 1547 + Duke of Somerset within weeks of H’s death
- governed with members of his household (only Sir Thomas Smith appointed a member of the Privy Council)
- reinforced power by controlling Privy Chamber (through appointment of his supporter, Sir Michael Stanhope as Chief Gentleman ➡️ further est. his control but increased resentment in the Privy Council)
- arrested members of the Privy Council eg. Southampton arrested within weeks
4
Q
How successful was Somerset during his time in power ?
A
- arrogant + dictatorial manner alienated many (style of govt + policy failures would ultimately weaken him with those who originally supported him)
- no guarantee of public acceptance of Somerset’s protectorate ➡️ widespread fears about breakdown of law and order
- atmosphere soured by fractional rivalries eg. Thomas Seymour (Somerset’s brother) sought to turn Edward against Somerset + also tried to plot with Earl of Southampton against Somerset (Somerset forced to charge him with treason) ➡️ readmission to the council
- problems reinforced by policy failings, especially in relation to FP (➡️ war with Scotland) + mishandling rebellion of 1549 (gave Earl of Warwick (Northumberland) the opportunity to strike)
5
Q
How did Northumberland come to power ?
A
- Somerset’s response to rebellions of 1549 gave Northumberland the opportunity to strike ➡️ pressured to reign by Southampton, Northumberland, the Earl of Arundel and the Marquis of Winchester, he eventually surrendered on the 11th Oct 1549 (reassured that no treason charges would be pressed against him)
6
Q
How did Northumberland govern ?
A
- appointed himself Lord President of the Privy Council (to avoid the connotations of being Lord Protector that had come with Somerset) ➡️ anxious to avoid the excessive concentration of power that had done much to bring down Somerset
- appointed his own hardman, Sir John Gates as Vice-Chamberlain of the household to ensure his control over the court
- for a time, operated an effective government through the Privy Council (partially due to some of Paget’s guidelines for the more effective operation of the Privy Council being instituted by Northumberland, even though Paget himself was increasingly isolated from the decision making process)
- William Cecil able to transform himself (originally prospered as one of Somerset’s men) became one of Northumberland’s key administrators
- purging of the conservative Southampton and Arundel, coupled with Cramner’s support and the King’s own increasingly assertive Protestantism, determined the religious character of the regime
- Somerset (readmitted to the Council) plotted to recover his old position ➡️ whilst his attempt at a counter failed, it did signal and end to the broadly collective approach to government
- Northumberland become less conciliar in his approach to government ➡️ power increasingly lay in his hands + those of his henchman Gates (who had possession of the the dry stamp) + presumed enemies, eg. Paget, were sent to the Tower
- after starting to behave in precisely the way that saw Somerset’s removal from power, Northumberland would be executed for treason on the 22nd August 1553.
7
Q
Traditional historiography of Somerset ?
A
- Somerset ‘good duke’
- established court of request at his own London house to hear cases of poor people
- refused to allow anyone to be tortured or burned
- had a progressive social policy, wanting to fix rents and abolish enclosure
- Criticised wealthy, self seeking men
- ‘Great man whose magnanimity + high idealism never to be forgotten’
- ‘Ambitious yet an ambition animated by no mean or selfish motives but the desire to achieve aims that were essentially noble.’
8
Q
Modern perspective of Somerset ?
A
- ‘He had indeed failed in Scotland and France, he had mishandled his colleagues in the crisis of 1549’
- ‘Underlying the policy of Somerset’s regime was the Scottish wars … .the war determined the nature of his regime’s domestic as well as foreign concerns… preventing the government from proceeding against inflation with a monetary solution… it made a decisive effect upon the religious settlement’
9
Q
Traditional historiography of Northumberland ?
A
- ‘bad duke’ (ruthless/unscrupulous)
- too faced on religion, fro coup posed as catholic after which he became a radical protestant, when he was going to be executed he became catholic again
- ‘Was in the most unprincipled gang of political adventurers and predators that England has seen for many centuries.’
- ‘Arguably the most evil statesman to govern England during the 16th century, he was greedy and rapacious, corrupt, cruel and unscrupulous.’
10
Q
Modern perspective on Northumberland ?
A
- 🔔 more favourable
- Dale Hoad: asserted that he was no more unscrupulous than any other leading Tudor politician, went as far as describing him as ‘one of the most remarkably able governors of any state during the sixteenth century.’
- Loades: acknowled his significance as a major figure in English government for a ‘crucial decade’, whilst also highlighting how his major political miscalculation (The Devyse) left both his reputation and career as discredited
11
Q
What were the problems with the succession ?
A
- 1553 clear that E’s health was failing quickly ➡️ HVIII’s will clearly stated that if Edward died childless, Mary Tudor should succeed the throne (HOWEVER her strong Catholic sympathies were at offs with the way the Church had been reformed since 1547)
- Edward + Northumberland drew up plans to alter the succession (know as the ‘Devyse’) ➡️ aimed to put Lady Jane Grey (married to Northumberland’s son) on the throne in order to ensure continuation of Protestanism
- Edward anxious to ensure the continuation of Protestantism was prepared to exclude both his sisters (Mary & Elizabeth) from the succession ➡️ to Edward, both were illegitimate
- June 1553, Mary and Elizabeth were declared illegitimate + preparations made to call a parliament to ratify the new succession
- However, Edward died on 6 July 1553 (before Parliament could meet and ratify the new succession) w/o Parliamentary sanction, the Devyse, was illegal)
12
Q
What mistakes did Northumberland
A
- Northumberland (a skilled political operator) seemed to have no plan in place for what to do when Edward died
- took him 3 days to carry out his plan, not until 9 July 1553 did he proclaim Lady Jane Grey as Queen
- made two major other mistakes: failed to appreciate the support among to people for Mary to be the legitimate ruler + before announcing Lady Jane as queen, Dudley failed to secure Mary, leaving her free in Suffolk to rally support (too late he marched with ❗️2,000 soldiers to arrest Mary HOWEVER many soldiers deserted along the way) ➡️ aware of very weak position, the Privy council announced Mary as Queen
- Northumberland arrested in Cambridge, tried + executed on Aug 22nd
13
Q
What was Somerset’s FP like ?
A
- inherited ruinous FP from HVIII ➡️ key issue: cost + wider impact
- aggressive approach to Scotland (main priority) ➡️ change to Henry in which France was main priority
- his strategic objective was to reassert the ancient claim of Edward I to the Scottish throne
- aim was to enforce the marriage between Edward I + infant MQS in order to unite the nations
- ❗️his policy: was to defeat the Scots in battle (Battle of pinkie, 1547) & garrison a number of forts & force the Scots into submission
- outcome: forts were difficult/expensive to garrison, couldn’t capture strategically important castles (Dunbar/Edinburgh) + alliance between the Scots & the French remained strong (MQS taken to France in August 1548 to marry the Dauphin)
14
Q
Conclusion of Somerset’s FP ?
A
- disastrous ➡️ expensive, failed to secure marriage alliance + threat of war with France/ possibility of French invasion in 1549 due to deteriorating relations
- context: happening at worst time possible ➡️ rebellions of 1549 & led to greater resentment (in the Privy Council) of his autocratic style of government
15
Q
What was Northumberland’s FP like ?
A
- reduced FP expenditure (help stabilise the Crown finances)
- ended the wars against Scotland & France
- forced to return Boulogne to the French as part of this. ✅ immediately helped improve the Crown’s financial position (occupation of Boulogne was a drain on resources + French paid a substantial sum of ❗️£133, 333 to recover the port)
❌ perception of this as a humiliating defeat/psychologically giving up ‘English’ territory in France - Scotland: abandoned remaining English garrisons
