The Stability of the Monarchy

Question 1

What year was the third succession act?

Answer 1

1543

Question 2

What year was the treason act repealed?

Answer 2

1547

Question 3

What year was the chantries act?

Answer 3

1547

Question 4

What year was the vagrancy act?

Answer 4

1547

Question 5

What year was Northumberland made lord president of the council?

Answer 5

1550

Question 6

When was the ‘act declaring Mary I legitimate?’

Answer 6

1553

Question 7

When was the ‘act concerning the regal power’ and what did it do?

Answer 7

1554, reinforces fact woman can rule over a country

Question 8

Who were Mary’s two marriage prospects?

Answer 8

Edward Courtenay, favoured by Gardiner and Philip of Spain, supported by Paget

Question 9

Who was against Mary’s marriage to Philip?

Answer 9

Gardiner

Question 10

Where did Somerset take Edward to?

Answer 10

Windsor castle

Question 11

What were the events leading to Somerset’s eventual execution?

Answer 11

Plot with earls of derby and Shrewsbury

Question 12

Where did Northumberland take lady Jane after Edwards death?

Answer 12

Syon House

Question 13

Significance of the Third Succession Act

Answer 13

Reintroduced Mary and Elizabeth to the line of succession. Reversed the previous succession acts

Question 14

Somerset religious reform

Answer 14

Anxious to keep support from reformers such as Ridley and Latimer but also to stop Catholics like Mary from rebelling

Question 15

Long term problems to Somerset

Answer 15

Population increase caused inflation, poverty and vagrancy

Question 16

Somerset’s Treason Act

Answer 16

1547- abolished the idea that word could be treason

Question 17

Somerset’s Vagrancy Act

Answer 17

1547- able-bodied workers unemployed for 3 days were sold into slavery for 2 years

Question 18

Northumberland’s finances

Answer 18

end debasement, reduce expenditure, pay debts

Question 19

Edward’s involvement in government

Answer 19

Attended privy council meetings 1551 onwards and wrote various papers showing his close interest in policy

Question 20

Proclamation Act

Answer 20

1539- stated royal proclamations should be obeyed as if they were Acts of Parliament

Question 21

Revenue and finance

Answer 21

By 1550 the government was virtually bankrupt, Somerset had spent 1,356,000 on the war. By 1553 (under Northumberland) the finances had been stabilised

Question 22

Foreign policy under Northumberland

Answer 22

Treaty of Boulogne with France- English had to withdraw from Boulogne and had to remove their garrison from Scotland= unpopularity

Question 23

Who was Simon Renard?

Answer 23

Spanish embassador in England. Exercised considerable influence over Mary to the point where some believed he was virtually directing English affairs. Arranged Mary’s marriage to Philip

Question 24

Mary and her privy council

Answer 24

Large council, divisions between moderates led by Paget and Catholics led by Gardiner, Renard jealous of the council, Mary frequently did not consult the council until she had decided matters of policy with Renard

Question 25

Somerset’s coup

Answer 25

Edward Seymour (Earl of Hertford and later Duke of Somerset) and Paget secretly agreed that, regardless of Henry’s wishes for a balanced Regency Council, the earl would take power as Lord Protector. Bribed other councillors

Question 26

Somerset’s unpopularity

Answer 26

Preoccupation with war abroad distracted him from mounting problems at home. Somerset seemed unable, or unwilling, to solve the problems in 1549. Unwillingness to act maybe out of sympathy. Lack of money made it difficult to raise a new mercenary troop but Somerset was reluctant to withdraw troops from his garrisons in Scotland and France. Members of the Privy Council were offended by Somerset’s arrogance in using his own household instead of the council to conduct business- nicknamed ‘the new council’

Question 27

Somerset’s fall

Answer 27

John Dudley (Earl of Warwick and later Duke of Northumberland) had crushed Kett’s rebellion and returned to London, where he immediately began to negotiate with Henry Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel, and Thomas Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, leaders of the conservative party. Somerset issued a proclamation ordering all troops in England to return to their garrisons in Scotland and France but there was no response, and Somerset removed the royal household from Hampton court to Windsor Castle for security. The Privy Council issued a proclamation blaming Somerset for the rebellions. Eventually, Somerset agreed to negotiate and was taken into custody October 1549.

Question 28

Northumberland’s coup

Answer 28

Pretended to be a Catholic sympathiser, he successfully conspired with the conservatives, which gave him control of the council. Plotting with the progressives at the same time, particularly Cranmer. With Cranmer’s help he gained control over the administration to the royal household, which gave him access to Edward. This enabled him to win the confidence of the king and consolidate his power, becoming Lord President of the Council. He achieved complete power in October 1551 when Somerset had been executed and he had assumed the title of Duke of Northumberland