The Stability of the Monarchy 1547-48

Question 1

What did Henry issue in 1543?

Answer 1

The Third Succession Act, it stated that if Edward was to die without Heirs then the throne would pass to Mary and her heirs, if there were none then Elizabeth

Question 2

What did Henry do in 1546? Why did he do this?

Answer 2

He confirmed the third succession act, he did this knowing his health was rapidly decreasing

Question 3

What did Henry attempt to establish to balance English politics for when Edward ascended? Why did this not work?

Answer 3

A regency council, the events of 1457 undermined this

Question 4

What was the biggest problem with a minor King?

Answer 4

They could not lead an army into battle, others may take advantage of this weakness

Question 5

What would a minor king be unable to control?

Answer 5

Factional disputes

Question 6

Why did Somerset assume power instead of a regency council?

Answer 6

Somerset was uncle to the King, whose father’s death wasn’t announced until he was in the possession of Somerset. It also made more sense to have a single man dictate happenings as opposed to 16 people with an equal voice

Question 7

Why was Somerset’s ascension likely to cause unrest?

Answer 7

It was directly against the wishes of Henry VIII

Question 8

Why did Somerset’s personal style of government lead to?

Answer 8

The creation of an anti-Somerset faction

Question 9

What did King Edward accuse Somerset of that led to his arrest?

Answer 9

He claimed Somerset had taken him prisoner

Question 10

Why did Warwick struggle for power even after the removal of Somerset?

Answer 10

The rest of the council did not trust Warwick

Question 11

What did Warwick do to try and form a majority in the council?

Answer 11

He bought in his own allies and removed opposition to form a Protestant majority

Question 12

What did the Catholic plot against Warwick say about him? How did Warwick handle this?

Answer 12

It claimed Warwick was friends with Somerset, he claimed this, proposing that anyone who attacked Somerset was also attacking him

Question 13

Who had been removed from council by 1550?

Answer 13

The leading Catholic members of council

Question 14

What happened to Edwards Health in 1553? What changed as a result which threatened the succession?

Answer 14

His health began to decline. Northumberland altered the succession to exclude Mary, name Lady Jane Grey as the successor so his son, Guildford Dudley, could marry Jane

Question 15

Who else is said to have altered the succession to phase Mary out?

Answer 15

Edward himself, he was invested in Protestantism

Question 16

What was first issued in May 1553 which altered the succession?

Answer 16

The Devise for the Succession

Question 17

What evidence is there to suggest the succession alteration wasn’t Northumberland’s work?

Answer 17

Northumberland would have raised an adequate force and not allowed Mary to escape to East Anglia like she did

Question 18

When did Edward die? How long was it hidden? What did Mary do?

Answer 18

6th July, 2 days, she sent letters proclaiming herself queen to the Privy council, ensuring the knew if they stood against her they were opposing the rightful queen to the throne

Question 19

Why was it important that the Ruling classes support the right monarch?

Answer 19

If they didn’t then all laws were subject to question and it may have led into a civil war

Question 20

What happened on the 10th July?

Answer 20

Lady Jane Grey was declared Queen, Mary issued letters of summons and asked the HRE Charles V for help.

Question 21

What did Charles V do for Mary?

Answer 21

Allowed her a large force to stand against those who supported Lady Jane Grey

Question 22

Charles V’s intervention meant what for Northumberland?

Answer 22

He’d lost his advantage

Question 23

What did Northumberland do when he realised he lacked support?

Answer 23

Proclaimed Mary rightful queen

Question 24

What did the Privy council do once Northumberland had left London?

Answer 24

Agreed Mary should be queen

Question 25

Who did Mary arrest and execute as a result of the Lady Jane Grey affair?

Answer 25

Northumberland, Lady Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley

Question 26

What main 5 concerns were there about a female ruler?

Answer 26

1- A woman could not control faction
2- A woman could not leave an army into battle
3- A woman would have to marry for an heir making her the 2nd most powerful figure in England
4- If she was to marry a Brit the family of the Brit would become the most powerful family
5- If she was to marry a foreigner then they would no longer live under British rule

Question 27

Who did Mary marry?

Answer 27

Philip of Spain

Question 28

When did she announce her planned Marriage to Philip?

Answer 28

1553

Question 29

When did her and Philip marry?

Answer 29

1554

Question 30

Who opposed this marriage in 1554?

Answer 30

Sir James Croft, Sir Peter Carew and Sir Thomas Wyatt

Question 31

Why were the political elite opposed to the marriage of Mary and Philip?

Answer 31

They thought they would be replaced by spaniards

Question 32

How many men did Wyatt rise?

Answer 32

3000

Question 33

Why was the situation serious for Mary?

Answer 33

The force she raised joined the rebels and marched for London

Question 34

What happened when Wyatt surrendered?

Answer 34

Mary executed less than 100 of those involved, Wyatt, Suffolk, Lady Jane and her husband were among them

Question 35

What was established in 1554?

Answer 35

Committees, these excluded the councillors

Question 36

What was established in 1555?

Answer 36

The ‘inner council’

Question 37

Who left in 1555? Whose death let who establish a conciliar form of government?

Answer 37

Philip, Gardiner, Paget

Question 38

What 7 key pieces of evidence is there that there was a political crisis?

Answer 38

• Somerset was only able to seize power through manipulating Henry’s Will
• Somerset changed the nature of government so it ran through his family
• The rebellion of 1549 resulted in the political elite abandoning their support of the government
• Somerset’s overthrow in 1549 created instability
• The struggle for power between Gardiner and the Catholics
• The LJG affair resulting in forces being raised
• Wyatt came close to toppling Mary

Question 39

What 7 key pieces of evidence is there that there wasn’t a political crisis?

Answer 39

• The legitimate monarch triumphed
• The crown passed peacefully from Henry to Edward to Mary to Elizabeth
• Even during factional struggles government continued
• Henry VIII’s will was upheld in the end
• Somerset’s coup of government was short-lived
• Lady Jane Grey was only queen for nine days
• The ruling elite supported the rightful monarch