The Regency Council and Somerset Flashcards
What illnesses led to Edward’s death?
- 1552 = contracted measles, then smallpox
- recovered well - 1553 = died of tuberculosis (more accurate = chronic infection disease of the chest)
What was Somerset’s link to the King?
- Edward Seymour = brother of Jane Seymour
- Edward = King’s uncle
How did Somerset rise to power?
- Became Lord High Admiral
- Became Lieutenant-General of the North
- Following H’s death, took charge of Regency Council
- Became Duke of Somerset
- Became Lord Protector
- Had important supporters within the Regency Council who wanted moderate religious reform to continue
What were the dilemmas facing Somerset in 1547?
- Should war with Scotland be resumed?
- Should religious reform along Protestant lines be encouraged officially?
- Should the gov make economic and financial reform a priority?
What were the Pros for continuing the war in Scotland?
- H8 had revived conflict to prevent France using Scotland to weaken England
- Over £2 million already been spent on war = no real result = could gov risk national pride by withdrawing?
- Nobles and gentry raised forces and led troops in 1540s campaigns - anxious to see war continue to win personal fame = could gov afford to alienate powerful families?
What were the Cons of continuing war in Scotland?
- H8 already in debt and brought England closer to bankruptcy
- Attacking Scotland = likely France would be drawn into conflict = risk of invasion in South whilst dealing with Scots in North
What were the Pros for encouraging religious reform towards Protestantism?
- Reform group dominated council and key government posts
- Protestant minority in parts of country (London and South-East) who were anxious to see further change
What were the Cons of encouraging religious reform towards Protestantism?
- In most regions, people followed traditional Catholic rituals and practices = Gov could create open rebellion by using law to change people’s faith
- Too much change could alarm European Catholic powers (England already at war w/ France and Scotland)
What were the Pros for the government making economic and financial reform a priority?
- Growing discontent over enclosure, price rises and breakdown of traditional village communities
- Action could reassure people that something was being done
What were the Cons of the government making economic and financial reform a priority?
- Making changes (e.g.: enclosure rights_ would attack gentry class on whom gov depended for support
- Trying to improve national finances by raising tax = unpopular and lose support
What was Somerset’s approach to religious reform?
- Sympathetic with Protestant ideas
- Realised sensitivity of making religious changes = adopted moderate and cautious approach
- Happy that Cranmer (Archbishop of Canterbury) supported him in this
Why was there mounting religious tension?
- News of H8’s death = exiled Protestants who’d fled persecution returned from Netherlands and Germany, settled in towns on east coast and brought radical demands = clashes
- Reform faction in control of gov but English bishops evenly split on whether to support further changes
- Press censorship relaxed –> increase in number of writings against Catholicism and free circulation of Martin Luther and John Calvin’s writings
What was the government’s initial reaction to religious tension?
- Logical policy to stall for time
- Launched full-scale inquiry into state of Church of England
- Measures undid the Six Articles Act
- Rules meant services and Bibles to be in English
What was the Act of Uniformity?
- 1549
- Designed to imposed a single standard of worship across England to end religious argument
- English to be used as language of worship
- Congregations should be offered bread and wine during communion (Catholicism = wine reserved for priests)
BUT
- Services conducted along familiar lines
- Priests dressed and acted same as always
Why was Cranmer’s Prayer Book vague?
- Set out the form services should take
- Didn’t deny central Catholic idea that priests transformed bread and wine into Jesus’ body and blood
- BUT it gave impression that Priest was simply commemorating an event = reassuring Protestants
What were the initial failure of Somerset’s approach to France?
- Hope to isolate Scotland by agreeing alliance w/ France
- BUT Francis I (French King) died 1547
- New King (Henry II) renewed Anglo-Scottish alliance
- H2 sent fleet of warships w. 4,000 troops to Scotland
How did Somerset intervene in Scotland?
- Joint land and naval invasion
- Used Berwick as base and marched from Carlisle across border into Scotland
Invaded with:
- 16,000 infantry
- 4,000 cavalry
- 30 warships
- 50 supply ships
- 2,000 troops
- 500 Cavalry
What was the outcome of English intervention in Scotland?
SUCCESS:
- Scottish army large yet poorly equipped compared to English army
- Scots defeated at Battle of Pinkie
- Gave S control of border region
NOT SUCCESS:
- English army not strong enough to occupy whole of Scotland
- French troops continued arriving in Scotland and Scottish nobles united against English threat
= MQS moved to France to be married to heir of French throne
What was the outcome of Somerset’s foreign policy?
- Spent £600,000
- Cemented links between France and Scotland w/ prospect of future marriage to unite the 2 thrones
- In summer, withdrew troops from Scotland to deal w/ rebellions that had broken out, ALSO to protect south coast against French invasion
- Somerset criticised for not being decisive enough in leadership
What were enclosure commissioners?
- Established to investigate legality of recent enclosures
How were enclosure commissioners greeted?
- Poor families who’d lost open land to enclosure expected commissioners would order reversal of enclosure = welcomed them
- Gentry landowners made wealth from sheep farming = seared loss of their livelihood = resented commissioners
