Mid Tudor crisis: Actions and Policies of Northumberland and Somerset

When was Somerset in power?

1547-1549

When did Somerset launch a naval invasion of Scotland?

June 1547

What was the result of the naval invasion?

It was a decisive victory (Battle of Pinkie)

Why was Somerset forced back to England after the naval invasion?

Due to domestic concerns

How else did Somerset act against Scotland?

Established 25 garrisons on the Scottish border

Why was England no match for Scotland?

The French sent Scotland 10,000 troops

How did Somerset try to unite England and Scotland?

Betrothal between Mary and Edward VI - but this agreement is not upheld as Mary married the French prince

How expensive were the fortifications needed in Boulogne?

£580,000 - heavy military expenditure by Somerset

Why were the fortifications in Boulogne worthless?

Boulogne was not strategically valuable to England, just a symbol of status

Which policy of Henry VIII did Somerset continue?

Debasement of coinage

When was the Vagrancy Act?

1547

What did the Vagrancy Act do?

• Able-bodied people out of work for three days should be branded with a "V" and sold into slavery for two years

• All local officials were ordered to provide for the idle and impotent poor that were not considered vagabonds

What was the effect of the Vagrancy Act?

Won the support of the nobility who did not want to pay for the provisions of the poor, but Somerset did not provide aid to local officials to enforce the act

What were Somerset's actions towards enclosure?

He attacked enclosure with a 5% tax on personal property and a special tax on sheep

What were the effects of Somerset's actions towards enclosure?

Popular among the poor, viewed as the "poor man's friend"

What did the slow investigation of enclosure lead to?

Kett's rebellion

When was the Duke of Northumberland in power?

1550 - 1553

When were Lord Russell and Lord Paget sent to France?

In January 1550

Why were Lord Russell and Lord Paget sent to France?

In order to negotiate a settlement with a French team who were in a much stronger bargaining position, leading to the Treaty of Boulogne

What actions spurred Northumberland to negotiate with France?

• Henry II (the King of France) had attacked Boulogne whilst the English countryside was in rebellion

• The English navy retained control of the Channel due to a decisive victory at sea

What did the Treaty of Boulogne achieve?

• England gave up control of Boulogne

• England and France made a defensive alliance and England agreed to remove all troops from Scotland

• Marriage was agreed between Edward VI and the daughter of Henry II but this never took place

What did England gain in return for giving up Boulogne?

400,000 crowns

What was the agreed dowry of the daughter of Henry II?

200,000 crowns

When was the Treaty of Boulogne?

28th March 1550

Who was appointed Lord Treasurer in 1550?

William Paulet, Marquis of Winchester

When did Northumberland decide to end debasement?

April 1551

What actions did Northumberland take to end debasement?

Northumberland did not call in the debased coinage and collect it - he only told people to lower prices and trust the coinage without giving them a concrete reason to do so

How did Northumberland reduce expenditure?

• Drastic reductions were ordered in military and household expenditure

• Garrisons removed from Scotland

• The "privy coffer" an emergency household fund was established

How was Northumberland forced to reward his supporters?

With grants and land

When were debts at their worst and how much was the country in debt?

£300,000 in 1550

What had the debt been reduced to by 1553?

£180,000

How was the reduction of debt achieved?

• The sale of crown and chantry lands had continued

• Debasement until 1551

What were Northumberland's actions towards enclosure?

Commissioners were withdrawn, the sheep tax was repealed and existing enclosure legislation was enforced

How much money did parliamentary taxes raise?

£336,000

When was the sheep tax repealed?

1550

What were Northumberland's actions surrounding the Vagrancy act?

It was repealed, but its provisions for care of the disabled were retained

How did Northumberland relieve the crisis caused by harvest failures?

Controlled stocks of grain

When were new treason laws introduced?

1550

What did the new treason laws achieve?

They stopped people from challenging Protestantism