Edward VI under Somerset and Northumberland

Question 1

Legacy of Henry VIII

Answer 1

-Complicated will
-split from Rome (head of Church)
-Financial difficulty: debasement of the coinage (causing inflation) AND the fact monastic lands had been sold cheaply and quickly in order to raise money
-increased cloth trade
-new schools of though being developed as a consequence of the reformation
-Divided country but Edward had no problems with legitimacy

Question 2

Background of Edward VI

Answer 2

Son of Jane Seymour
Popular among the people
received a full education, influence of protestant tutors
Edward was a radical reformist, seen by his papers

Question 3

Regency

Answer 3

a period of time in which someone OR a collective rules on a kings (Edwards) behalf because they are too young

Question 4

Protector

Answer 4

The title given to the person ruling Edward (lord protector)

Question 5

Who was Edwards protector

Answer 5

Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset- he was named protector by Henry VIII regency council

Question 6

Thomas Seymour

Answer 6

was left out of the succession due to his marriage to Paar
1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley

Question 7

Duke of Northumberland

Answer 7

John Dudley
Soldier with a political career
had a good relationship with Somerset to begin with but this soon deteriorated and he overthrew Somerset in 1549 to become Lord President of the Council

Question 8

Sir Michael Stanhope

Answer 8

Married to Somerset’s sister
close to king but imprisoned after Somersets downfall
Later executed for his involvement in somersets coup

Question 9

When was Somerset in Power

Answer 9

1547-1549

Question 10

Somerset’s rise to power

Answer 10

Supported by influential figures like Cranmer and William Paget (a successful advisor to Henry after Cromwell’s death)
Lord Protector of Edward

Question 11

Somerset’s actions

Answer 11

made his family members his governors
Gave himself and his supporters peerage
brought treason charges up against Thomas Seymour (wanted to turn the King against him- worked and later denounced by Southampton)

Question 12

Somerset’s failures

Answer 12

mishandled foreign policy
incited and failed to handle rebellions well
arrested members of the privy council which made him unpopular (earl of Southampton)
had an arrogant and dictatorial style of governing
began to look weak in the eyes of previous supporters

Question 13

Regency council

Answer 13

made of a balance of conservative (eg Lord St John) and protestant influencers (eg Archbishop Cranmer)
however, noble families were underrepresented and the regency council did not last long and it was Hereford (title before Somerset) who took charge

Question 14

Hertford’s supporters

Answer 14

earl of Warwick- later Duke of Northumberland
Cranmer
Sir William Paget (diplomat/administrator who served Henry VIII, Edward and Mary I)

Question 15

How did everyone else feel about Somerset’s takeover

Answer 15

People genuinely feared the breakdown of law and order (not helped by the rebellions)
Cranmer’s homily on obedience from 1547 reflected this, the homily was to be read in all parish churches

Question 16

downfall of Somerset

Answer 16

Plotters include Warwick and Southampton
Originally tried to gain the support of Princess Mary
When this failed they prepared to overthrow Somerset and in October 1549, there was a stand-off in London
Eventually ended with a deal that Somerset would not be charged with treason and he was thrown in the tower.

Question 17

Why did Warwick/Northumberland choose not to be Protector

Answer 17

centralisation of power made Somerset so unpopular, Northumberland chose to be Lord President of the Council instead (presiding over it)

Question 18

Northumberland’s time in power

Answer 18

1549-1553

Question 19

Northumberland’s successes

Answer 19

Appointed his own men to important positions in the household to maintain control (eg Sir John Gates as vice-chamberlain)
Operated an effective government through the privy council (for a while)
the 2nd coup
Implements reformations to the privy council suggested by Paget
Extends the council to 33 men

Question 19

Northumberland’s 2nd coup

Answer 19

1550
while planning his first coup with conservatives (Southampton) Northumberland himself was a strong protestant
Conservatives hoped for a regency led by Mary
In fear of being kicked out by conservatives, Northumberland had a second coup (supported by Cranmer) to kick the conservatives out of court

Question 20

Impact of Somerset’s countercoup

Answer 20

Northumberland panics and his government starts to fail
power moves into the hands of Northumberland and his vice-chamberlain, Gates
In a reaction to Somerset’s coup Northumberland becomes less and less conciliar, expels presumed enemies from his court (Paget was sent to the tower) and essentially rules like Somerset did

Question 21

Somerset’s countercoup

Answer 21

1551
Readmitted to the privy council
plotted a takeover but was outwitted by Northumberland
Somerset is executed in 1552

Question 22

How effective was Somerset’s ruling

Answer 22

not at all
he was very unpopular
caused France to declare war on them
battles with the Scottish
didn’t solve financial issues
caused 2 rebellions

Question 22

How effective was Northumberland’s governing

Answer 22

partially, for the period prior to Somerset’s counter coup (1549-52) he led a rather successful government
made peace with France and scotland
Stopped the debasement of the coinage and reduced inflation
However, in his final years powershifts and changes to the succession made him increasingly unpopular

Question 23

Northumberland’s Devyes

Answer 23

Henry VIII will states that after Edward, Mary then Elizabeth should following in succession
Both instances would oust Northumberland from power
in an attempt to retain his power, Northumberland tried to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne (who he made marry his son)

Question 24

Edward’s health

Answer 24

rapidly declines following an illness in the start of 1553, by February he is set to die- as a strong protestant (like Northumberland) he does not want Mary on the throne as she would restore Catholicism

Question 25

Succession (what actually happened)

Answer 25

in June 1553, both Mary and Elizabeth are declared illegitimate
Plans to call parliament to ratify the Devyes are put in place but the Kings sudden death in early July meant the document was never sanctioned and officially illegal
3 days later, Lady Jane Grey is declared queen

Question 26

Somerset and Scotland

Answer 26

Rough wooing
restated the ancient claim of Edward I to the Scottish throne
high priority for Somerset
wanted a marriage between Edward and Mary Queen of Scots (MQS)
built numerous garrisons to beat the Scots into submission

Question 27

impact of Scottish policies

Answer 27

although the Scots were defeated at Pinkie in 1547, this was their only significant victory
the policy was expensive and unpopular

Question 28

Somerset, Scotland AND France

Answer 28

Auld alliance, the French get involved and due to English failure to block the firth, the take Edinburgh back (under English from Henry VIII)

Question 29

France

Answer 29

France- gain control of MQS and take her to France to marry the Dauphin
real threat of a French invasion since they declared war on England in August 1549
Recent rebellions left England vulnerable

Question 30

Northumberland and Scotland

Answer 30

Ends the war and abandons remaining garrisons

Question 31

Northumberland and France

Answer 31

Ends aggression by returning Boulogne to the French, while this looked like a humiliating defeat, it massively improved crown finances as the French paid £133,333 to recover the port

Question 32

Summary of Somersets foreign policy

Answer 32

engaged in an unaffordable military strategy at a time of financial pressure

Question 33

How did Somerset change relations with foreign powers

Answer 33

didn’t really
still aggressions towards France, although through a Scottish lense
increased aggression towards to Scots

Question 34

How did Northumberland change relationships with foreign powers

Answer 34

made peace with both France in Scotland, greatly improved relations at the expense of English prestige. However, this allowed him to focus inward on national policies to improve England’s dire situation

Question 35

In the rule of Edward, how was succession secured

Answer 35

It wasn’t really
Devyes was a work of both Edward and Northumberland but how much say Edward has is unclear- he was very ill BUT a very strong protestant
a new line of succession was created however, many advisors (like William Cecil) were loyal to the Tudor line and not Northumberland. This resulted in Northumberland loosing support- in favour of Mary- in the time he most needed it

Question 36

Historiography of Northumberland

Answer 36

Previously seen as ruthless and amoral/unscrupulous (coups) as well as incompetent (Devyse)
Recently, these opinions have changes (Dale Hoak) claim he was much more remarkable in his handling of the problem inherited by Somerset