Mid-tudor crisis Flashcards
Edward VI - inheriting the throne
1547- inherited throne at just 9 years old
As a minor, Edward’s rule was marked by the governance of his regents, primarily his uncle, Duke of Somerset and then John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland
Position of the country by the end of HVIII reign
1534- Act of Supremacy
1536- Pilgrimage of Grace
1538- Excommunication
1540- Fall of Cromwell
1543- Treaty of Greenwich- rough wooing
1544- War with France, Debasement of coinage
1545- Defeat at Ancrum Moor. Invasion of Isle of White. Norfolk arrested
1546- Peace with France
1547- context
debasement of coinage- raised Henry £363,000, however short sighted- left country with massive inflation problems
Heavy expenditure- H8 spent lavishly and ordinary income didn’t match his outgoings. money collected from dissolution of monasteries had been spent on wars against France and Scotland [H8 spent 1bill on fighting wars during his final years]
Debt- H8 borrowed heavily at home and abroad, by end of his reign he owed Antwerp £100,000
Economic changes under Edward VI
- regents continued with the debasement of coinage, started by his father- led to rampant inflation + economic instability [Somerset raised £537,000 from the practice]
-1548 poor harvests contributed to inflation - Debasement finally halted in 1551, but damage was done
Social discontent under Edward VI
- inherited a country with an increasing feeling of class antagonism (due to enclosure) which gov discussion of enclosure + taxation fuelled
- extreme poverty
- introduced tax on sheep to deter enclosure but limited economic benefit for crown, placed financial pressure on small upland farms
- 1549: East Anglia and Midlands riots and uprooting of enclosures, major cause of Kett’s rebellion + present in Western rebellion
Crown income under Edward VI
- expensive French war crippled crown finance and increased reliance on taxation.
- crown sunk into debt- resorted to drastic measures
- End of French war raised pension of £133,333, melting down church plate for bullion increased income
Religious changes under Edward VI
- continued the policies of his father but intensified
- abolition of Catholic Mass and it’s replacement with the Protestant Book of Common Prayer
-met with significant resistance from the populace- led to Prayer Book Rebellion in 1549
Foreign Policy under Edward VI
- Regents unsuccessful attempts to secure England’s northern border with Scotland, known as ‘Rough Wooing’ and expensive + untimely futile war with France added to England’s burdens
Timeline of Edward FP
1547- Somerset, invasion of Scotland with 16,000 men and 30 warships, victory at Battle of Pinkie, built garrisons along Scottish border to maintain control (expensive and didn’t work). French + Scottish form alliance
1548- 19th June H2 of France set 6000 troops to Scotland. set up their own garrisons, defended Edinburgh + moved Mary QofS to France for marriage. Somerset aim of TofGreenwich= impossible
1549- Somerset military= £1.3 mill (£350,000 on mercenaries). faced rebellions at home, forced to remove troops from Scottish border
1550- Northumberland sought peace + conceded defeat in war. signed peace treaty w France [Treaty of Boulogne- returned Boulogne + agreed marriage between E6 and H2 daughter] abandoned Scottish garrisons
territory lost= defeat
Western rebellion, 1549
- involved Cornwall, Devon + Dorset
- predominantly caused by religious grievances (1549 Act of Uniformity + First Book of Common Prayer)
- also known as Prayer Book rebellion
- also provoked by poor economic conditions and distrust between labourers and landowners
- Sheep tax- introduced by Somerset 1549 was added burden to West country (sheep farming= main source of income)
- 6000 rebels besieged Exeter, standstill
- Somerset distracted in Scotland and coast against France, enabled another major rebellion to begin in the East
Kett’s rebellion, 1549
- East Anglia (Norfolk)
- class antagonism, fuelled by economic discontent due to: enclosure, left peasants homeless and without land, wanted gov intervention and promises of reform made by Somerset in his proclamation against enclosure.
- In contrast to Western rebellion which wanted to reverse government policy, Kett’s rebellion aimed to push through gov reform
- Somerset sent 1500 men w Earl of Northampton to put down rebels, failed so sent stronger army of 14,000 men under Earl of Warwick, rebels brutally suppressed, 4000 deaths on both sides
Consequences of 1549 rebellions
- Somerset mishandled the rebellions: response was slow, almost to point of paralysis
- distracted by Scottish campaign + France
- whilst both rebellions put down by end of August, criticism of Somerset continued to intensify
- initial procrastination led to accusation of overt leniency, sympathy with the rebels
- rebellions failed to force change in policy, but they did shake the core of Gov, Somerset was arrested on orders of council + imprisoned
Somerset
- Lord Protector
- regency ended in 1549, put in Tower of London, released to Privy council, arrested fro treason + executed
- not radically Protestant as distracted by foreign affairs, feared popular discontent, needed uniformity, Cranmer in charge of theology
- used more proclamations than any other ruler (over 70 in less than 3 years) creating laws without parliament
- obtained sole custody of dry stamp
- by-passed Privy council
Northumberland
- John Dudley
Regency= 1550-1553 - Lord president of the council
- played role in downfall of Somerset
- once in power, organised Gov and Council to secure his position
- extended use and importance of Privy council, assumed the King’s power to create new councillors
‘revival of gov’ - main financial problems of debasement/expenditure/debt were partially tackled by N’s administration
