Northumberland 1550-53

Question 1

Government and administration

Answer 1

1. Lord president of privy council - able to appoint and dismiss councillors and had COMPLETE control over procedure
2. Changes to privy council - Enlarged, military experience, smaller inner committee
3. Parliaments over proclamations - to confirm legislation where possible
4. Later years - became more like Somerset by becoming less counciliar

Question 2

Finance and economy

Main issues?

Answer 2

Population rises
Poor harvest
Social unrest after popular uprisings of 1549
Cloth trade in Netherlands declining
Gov was virtually bankrupt
Courage was debated for final line may 1551

Question 3

Population rise Northumberland’s solution:

Answer 3

Wars in France had ended - drastically reduced expenditure

Question 4

Poor harvests Northumberland’s solution:

Answer 4

Acts were passed to protect arable farming

Question 5

Social unrest Northumberland’s solution:

Answer 5

Treason act of 1550, re-imposed censorship which helped to restore law and order

Question 6

Gov bankrupt Northumberland’s solution:

Answer 6

Sale of chantry lands and church goods was recommended by Cecil to start paying off governmental debts

Question 7

Courage debated Northumberland’s solution:

Answer 7

The coinage was reissued in may 1662 which helped to SLOW the rise of inflation

Question 8

Successes of Northumberland’s economic policies (3)

Answer 8

• ended debasement
• he substantially reduced the govs expenditure
• he markedly reduced the debt

Question 9

Limitations of Northumberland’s economic policies (3)

Answer 9

• didnt take the full measures to restore full confidence in the currency
• he was forced, by political necessity, to compromise in order to reward his supporters
• weakened the govs long term financial position

Question 10

Northumberland Years 1550-53 foreign policy BRIEF SUMMARY

Answer 10

France - treaty of boulogne 1550

HRE - Charles outraged english merchants by introducing catholic inquisition

Scotland - withdrawal english garrisons = Scottish nobles hostile w/ France, survey of border ordered to attempt to end constant minor disputes

Europe - wars Charles V and Henry II France March 1552, France uninterested in making peace so continued Jan 1553

Question 11

Treaty of boulogne

Answer 11

March 1550
English withdraw troops from boulogne
French paid ransom 400k crowns
Eng remove garrisons in Scotland and not renew war unless provoked by Scot’s
Perpetual alliance between eng and France

Question 12

Northumberland’s successes (3)

Answer 12

Immensely improved economic situation in only 2 and 1/2 years
War with France and Scotland ended
He showed ability to control a state

Question 13

Northumberland failures (2)

Answer 13

Hostility amongst European nations
Was under partial control by France

Question 14

How successful was Northumberland’s foreign policy overall?

Answer 14

Fairly successful since he ended wars with france and Scotland however was still in a hostile position in Europe

Question 15

To what extent was Northumberland’s foreign policy determined by an overwhelming desire to appease?

Answer 15

Strong extent - wanted to make peace in Europe (specifically France and Scot’s) to improve England’s international position, reduce expenditure and to calm the social discontent

Question 16

Was England’s foreign position stronger in 1553 than it had been in 1547? Why?

Answer 16

Yes
- henry sent 4000 troops to Scotland as a threat to english boarder
- no longer at war

No
- battle of pinkie
- was a possibility england may have to interfere

Question 17

Consequences of the treaty of Boulogne 1550

Answer 17

• removal of danger of french invasion
• ended the crippling expense of the war
• boulogne was costly and strategically useless
• national disgrace to agree to a humiliating peace
• trade resumed
• england international position weak
• england had to submit to almost all the french demands

Question 18

Relations with the Holy Roman Empire summary
(Cause and conseq)

Answer 18

Cause of relations
- improved relations in France led to deterioration in relations w/ HRE
- Charles annoyed by attempts of eng reformers
- Charles issued edict allowing catholic inquisition

Conseq of relations
- breakdown in trade w/ Netherlands
- collapse of Antwerp cloth market

Question 19

Relations with Scotland summary

Answer 19

Anglo-Scottish relationships in a poor state

When english garrisons withdrawn from Scotland - Scottish nobles became increasingly hostile to french

Survey of border to try end constant minor disputes

Question 20

Relations in Europe : Foreign policy 1551

Answer 20

Northumberland maintained policy of neutrality towards continental powers

Charles V continued to disapprove of increasing Protestantism of the COFE

Question 21

Relations in Europe : Foreign policy march 1552

Answer 21

War between Charles V and Henry II of France
(Anglo-imperial relations improve)

Northumberland resisted french pressure to join in war against HRE, Charles V was more conciliatory over English trade with the Netherlands

French invade Netherlands + eng relations with France deteriorated

Question 22

Relations in Europe : Foreign policy Jan 1553

Answer 22

Northumberland proposed to act as mediator between France and HRE
French not interested in making peace, negotiations collapsed and hostility resumed

Question 23

Exploration

Answer 23

Beginning of english exploration which continued in reign of Mary and flourished in the reign of Eliz

Northumberland encouraged the expansion of trade routes :
- by 1553 English ships were trading as far as the Gold Coast in West Africa
- interest in renewing search for north-east passage
- 1552 company set up, supported by city merchants and members of the privy council

Question 24

Relations with Scotland : English garrisons

Answer 24

English garrisons withdrawn from Scotland in 1550
Fall of Somerset led to confusion - northern lords had no clear policy to follow

Question 25

Relations with Scotland : the border

Answer 25

Surgery of the border ordered to try and end constant disputes
- march 1552 agreed that the border would be restored to the line held before HVIII’s Scottish campaigns of 1540’s

Question 26

Relations with the HRE : cause of their relations

Answer 26

Improved relations with France led to deterioration in relations with HRE

Charles V annoyed by attempts of english reformers to force princess mary to abandon her Catholicism

April 1550 charles issued an edict allowing catholic inquisition to arrest heretics in Netherlands - outraging english merchants

Question 27

Relations with HRE : consequences of their relations

Answer 27

Breakdown in trade with the Netherlands

Collapse of Antwerp cloth market