General Flashcards
What type of council was established on behalf of Edward?
Regency council
How old was Edward when he inherited the throne?
9
How many members of the Regency Council were there? Who was it?
16
- Members of the reform faction (took lead) e.g. Seymour, Cranmer
- Members of the conservative faction, e.g. Wriothesley + Lord St John
What issues did Edward’s Regency Council inherit?
- Religious divide (Protestants + Catholics)
- Limited crown finances
- Ongoing wars in France + Scotland
- Rise in inflation
- Compromised security (nobles owned more land - monastic)
Give an example of how Edward’s Regency Council showed their concern about the security of their rule?
‘On obedience’ homily by Cranmer (1547) to discourage obedience - claimed disobeying King was disobeying God so a mortal sin
When did Edward VI become King?
28th January 1547
Who was the Duke of Somerset?
- Edward Seymour
- Edward VI’s uncle
- ‘Good Duke’
- First head of the Regency Council (‘Lord Protector’)
Who did the Duke of Somerset mainly rely on to help him administrate?
His own Household
Rest of the Council mainly objected to his self-imposed superiority
Give an example of an individual who tried to oppose Duke of Somerset
Thomas Seymour
- His brother
- Married to H.VIII’s widow K.Parr (+ grew close to princess E - affair?)
- Tried to appeal to young Ed by giving pocket money when Duke was withholding Crown finances
- Duke of Somerset caught him sneaking in - charged with treason
Why was the Duke of Somerset unpopular?
- Too authoritative + arrogant as ‘Lord Protector’ in the R.Council
- Failed, expensive foreign policy
- Enhanced financial crisis (e.g. sheep tax)
- Mishandled 2 rebellions of 1549 (Kett + Western)
Outline the downfall of the Duke of Somerset
- Somerset becoming unpopular (in Council + population)
- When John Dudley shout down Western Rebellion he found he had popular support to raise a rebellion against Somerset
- Somerset saw threat - moved Edward + Household to Windsor
- Led to Edward seeing his uncle as controlling and turning on him
- 8th Oct 1549 - Agreed to surrender
- 11th Oct 1549 - Arrested
Who was the Duke of Northumberland?
- John Dudley
- Shut down Western Rebellion + led anti-Somerset coup
- ‘Bad Duke’
- First among equals (‘Lord President’)
Why did Duke of Northumberland name himself Lord President not Lord Protector?
Wanted to avoid presenting himself as arrogant + being removed like Somerset
What did Northumberland do to the government immediately when he became Lord President?
- Second coup against the conservatives in the Council (for fear he would be opposed or ousted)
- Installed William Cecil as his key administrator
- Instituted some of the guidlines for conciliar improvement drawn up by Paget
What did Northumberland chose to do the government during the end of his period in power?
Abandon the conciliar approach
- Northumberland lost trust for members after Somerset was amicably reinstalled + then tried to start a coup
- Relied less on the council + more on his personal henchmen (e.g. John Gates - Chief Gentleman of the Privy Chamber)
What was the succession plan when Edward VI was dying in 1533?
H.VIII’s Succession Act 1544
Edward, then Mary, then Elizabeth
Why didn’t Edward want Mary to be his heir?
She would convert the country back to Catholicism
Why didn’t Edward want Elizabeth to be heir?
Saying Elizabeth was legitimate implied Mary was also legitimate
She was also likely to support Mary’s accession because she strongly valued statute law
What succession plan did Northumberland + Edward create to replace the 1544 Succession Act ?
The ‘Devyse’
- Mary + Elizabeth illegitimate
- Heir: Frances Grey (the granddaughter of H.VIII)
- Heir altered to: Lady Jane Grey
What religion were the Grey family?
Protestant
Who was Lady Jane Grey?
- Made heir in the Devyse when it was altered
- Great granddaughter of Henry VIII
Why did Northumberland want Lady Jane Grey to become Queen?
- Would put his family in a politically strategic position
- Northumberland’s son (Guildford Dudley) married to Lady Jane
Why did many people resent Northumberland at the end of his reign?
Thought he was working with politically selfish motives (trying to stay in power by promoting Lady Jane Grey)
Was Northumberland supporting Lady Jane Grey illegally?
Technically yes
- The Devyse wasn’t ratified by parliament in time before Edward’s death, so it wasn’t a legal succession document
