Chapter 5: The stability of the monarchy 1547-58 Flashcards
What was England like in 1547 (positive)
- Captured Boulogne from the French
- Henry established a regency council to run for Edward
What was England like in 1547 (negative)
- England at war with France and Scotland (Auld Alliance furthered threat)
- Edward only a child — no image of powerful king (vulnerable)
- council gave rise to faction
- Henry spent all money from dissolution of monasteries on war
- population rising => pressure
How did Edward become king?
1543: 3rd Succession Act => Ed then Mary then Liz
1546: Act confirmed
1546: regency council becomes reformist dominated
What problems did a minor on the throne create? SERIOUS
- Edward cannot lead troops into war => counties could exploit weakness, risk of civil war (previous minors seen unrest)
- fears of factional struggles
- image of king to public not a strong one
- questionable about legality of Somerset taking control
What problems did a minor on the throne create? NOT SERIOUS
- transfer of power to Somerset = smooth and council of 16 may not have made any decisions/ encouraged factional unrest
- Ed not sickly - expected to become adult and have heir
Timeline of instability during Edward’s reign
1547: Somerset takes over regency council successfully
1549: Somerset tries to hold onto power. Northumberland takes over, Somerset removed from court
1550: Somerset returned to court, continues to plot and executed
1553: Edward dies & Northumberland tries to keep power from Mary
Was Somerset’s attempted coup in 1549 a threat to stability? YES
anti-Somerset faction formed
Oct 6th 1549: he took Edward to Windsor Castle. Edward fell ill
Council unstable + stories of Catholic plot emerged (did not trust Warwick)
Warwick becomes Lord President
Somerset gets lots of power restored
Somerset plots again to take over (obtained supporters within council and plot to kill Northumberland)
Was Somerset’s attempted coup in 1549 a threat to stability? NO
Edward escaped Somerset and had him arrested
Somerset returned to council once released from prison and initially does not plot
Executed in 1550
Some evidence to suggest accusations fabricated
How seriously did the attempts to alter the succession in 1553 threaten dynastic security? SERIOUS
Edward’s health began to deteriorate so Northumberland developed plot to alter succession (to preserve power)
-> married son to LJG and named her as Ed’s successor
(some evidence to suggest Ed on board with plot to keep Eng. Prot.)
Devise for the Succession in May 1553 made changes
June 1553 devise altered to make LJG heir not her children as Ed dying
6th July 1553: Ed dies and death kept quiet until devise signed
Privy Council responded to Mary’s claims of her legitimacy saying LJG = heir
10th July 1553: LJG proclaimed ruler
How seriously did the attempts to alter the succession in 1553 threaten dynastic security? NOT SERIOUS
Mary responded to alter and sent letter to Privy Council claiming she was the rightful ruler
Mary proclaimed herself queen in East Anglia and managed to muster large army
Northumberland had to leave London, gained no support and privy council reconsidered views
Northumberland retreated to Cambridgeshire and proclaimed Mary queen
Northumberland, LJG & Dudley = executed in Feb 1554
How serious a threat to the power of the monarchy was a female ruler?
Was:
- previous rule by Matilda in 1100s resulted in civil war
- fears women would be unable to control faction, lead army and marry husband who they would become subservient to (biggest fear)
if Mary marry Englishman: his family increase in power
marry foreigner: dominate FP and F affairs
-fears Philip lead Mary into wars
Was not:
-Mary’s skill defeated Wyatt
Did the marriage of Mary to Philip cause a crisis?
Philip = Mary’s preference over Courtenay due to link to mother.
27th Oct 1553: announced she would marry him to Parliament
7th Dec 1553: marriage treaty presented to council despite petition from House of Commons
January 1554: treaty approved
Main concern = Philip drag Mary into wars due to her ‘subservient position’
-> Act of Parliament sorted it out
Wyatt’s rebellion
Wyatt’s rebellion - Threat
6 months after defeat of LJG
plotting began as soon as rumours of marriage started
involved members of political elite (Sir Croft, Sir Wyatt, Sir Carew)
-> held office under HVIII & Ed but feared they would loose influence to Spaniards
initial plan = four pronged rising in Devon, Kent, Wales and Leicestershire.
perhaps religiously motivated -PvsC
planned to marry Liz to Courtenay
Wyatt raised 3000 men
royal force sent under Duke of Norfolk deserted & joined rebels
Wyatt’s rebellion - not a threat
only Kent uprising came into fruition
Wyatt forced to raise forces earlier than planned in middle of winter
Wyatt cautious when marching => gave gov. time to prepare
M refused to leave London
Rebels halted @ London Bridge and Tower where Wyatt surrendered
less than 100 rebels executed including Wyatt & Suffolk
rebellion did not stop marriage and failed to end dislike of Spaniards
