Edward VI Flashcards
Royal authority under Edward VI
The accession of a 9 year old king in 1547 left the crown insecure
Henry VIII’s will had established a Regency Council that would govern during Edward’s minority
Whether Henry named Somerset as Protector is unknown but within days the Regency Council had delegated its power to Somerset
Duke of Somerset
Rapidly promoted his supporters and initially relied on Cranmer, Paget and John Dudley
Governed largely with members of his own household and kept control of the Privy Chamber by appointing his brother in law Stanhope as Groom of the Stool and Chief Gentleman of the Chamber
Created enemies among former supporters due to his arrogant manner- policy failing particular in war against Scotland and mishandling of rebellion at home in 1549 weakened his position
Somerset’s fall from power
By Autumn 1549, even Warwick was convinced Somerset would have to go and joined a plot with Earl of Southampton and the Earl of Arundel to remove him
In October Somerset was arrested on the orders of the Regency Council and surrendered having been promised no treason charges would be pressed against him. He was committed to the Tower
The Duke of Northumberland
Dudley created himself Duke of Northumberland in 1551
Tried to avoid concentration of power that had led to Somerset downfall so took title of Lord President of the Council
Moved away from conciliar government
More pragmatic and capable than Somerset e.g. he crushed rebellion in 1549 and brought stability to the country
Not universally popular and power rested entirely on Edward’s survival
Problems of succession
Edward’s health declined rapidly in 1553
Under the 1544 succession act Mary was next in line to the throne
However if Mary succeeded Catholicism would be restored and Northumberland would be ruined
Northumberland therefore encouraged Edward to write the Devyse to alter the succession
The Devyse
June 1553 Mary and Elizabeth were declared illegitimate in favour of the Protestant Lady Jane Grey who was married to Northumberland’s son Guildford Dudley
Before Parliament could ratify this Edward died on 6 July 1553
Without Parliamentary sanction the Devyse had no status. Nevertheless Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed queen 9 July
Privy council initially agreed but when crews aboard Northumberland’s ships sent to prevent Mary sailing changed allegiance it was a lost cause.
Elites deserted Jane and she was put in the tower after 9 days as queen
Northumberland executed on August 1553
Relations with foreign powers
Somerset inherited a state of war with both Scotland and France, threatening security and the succession
Despite the costs Somerset chose to continue this hoping to unite England and Scotland by a marriage between Edward and Mary queen of Scots (infant)
Scotland and France
Somerset’s armies defeated the Scots at Battle of Pinkie in Sept 1547 but it proved too expensive to garrison border forts and he failed to prevent the French from relieving Edinburgh. This allowed the French to take Mary to France in August 1548 to marry their heir
Weaknesses of foreign policy
Somerset’s military strategy proved costly and unpopular
By 1549 England was threatened by invasion from France
Northumberland negotiated peace: he abandoned the remaining English garrisons in Scotland and returned Boulogne to the French
He ended the wars but at the cost of a humiliating climb down
Religious change under Somerset
Treason Act 1547 allowed religious issues to be discussed and removed censorship
1547 act subsequent to 1545 dissolution of chantries put an end to masses for the souls of the dead
1549 Cranmer introduced the Protestant Book of Common Prayer to be used in all church services and enforced by an Act of Uniformity
Religious change under Northumberland
Removal of altars and reforms to Church services combining Lutheran and Calvinist elements
1552 book of common prayer accompanied by another act of uniformity which removed remaining conservative ceremonies and gave Protestant from to baptism, confirmation, burial and communion services
Impact on society of the religious changes
Services became plainer and traditional practices declined. People became less inclined to leave money to their parish church on the basis that their bequests were likely to be confiscated
Traditional practices not entirely destroyed as pace of reform was hampered by uncooperative public according to John Hooper Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester
Loss of charitable functions of monasteries and chantries would have impinged on the community
Economic changes
Englands economic situation in 1547 was poor, following Henry’s expenditure on war and inflation. Unemployment levels were high partly because of the growth of the population at a time of increasing enclosure in the countryside and partly because of a fall in demand for English cloth exports in the 1540s
Debasement of coinage
Commission to improve royal financial administration
