accession of edward vi and the duke of somerset

how old was edward when he inherited the throne

9

why did edward have a difficult inheritance

• country divided on religious grounds

• crown finances ruined by expensive wars

• coinage had been debased to pay for war leading to rise in inflation

• crown had compromised its long term security by selling off monastic lands to raise money quickly

how many members were in the regency council set up in the will of henry viii

• 16 members

• 12 who were required to assist as required

example of religious balance in regency council

• protestants such as hertford and cranmer

• conservatives such as thomas wriothesley and lord st john

who was under represented in the regency council

the great noble families

who was somerset

edward seymour, earl of hertford

when was edward seymour elected as the lord protector

31st january 1547

when did edward seymour become the duke of somerset

february 1547

who did somerset count on

• archbishop cranmer

• john dudley

• sir william paget

what did somerset reward his supporters and himself with

promotions within the peerage and substantial grants of crown lands

what were somersets primary aims

• advancing protestant reforms

• addressing social issues

• securing englands position abroad

when did somerset become head of the enclosure commission

1548

what was introduced in march 1549

a 5% tax on personal wealth and property

what do historians see somerset as

‘the good duke’

what was the effect of somersets enclosure policies

miniscule effect on the lives of the people of england and he was met with hostility from the gentry and landowners

what was the vagrancy act 1547

a ‘v’ was branded on the heads of ‘undeserving beggars’ and there was a duty for towns to provide more outdoor relief

were any of the proposed policies of the vagrancy act put into effect

no but it showed the governments desire to get involved with poor relief

what was somersets financial planning based around

the financing of his foreign policy

what were somersets economic changes driven by

his concern for society

what did the crowns revenue stand at

£200,000 a year

hardly enough to cover royal expenses

how much did somerset spend on the war in scotland

half a million pounds

what did somerset continue leading to significant inflation

the debasement of the coinage

how did the debasement of the coinage hit the lower classes hard

• it reduced the purchasing power of their wages

• increased the cost of basic goods

what was the style of somersets government

personal - he used his own household officials and bypassed the privy council

what were somersets household servants nicknamed

‘the new council’

how many proclamations did somerset issue

77

what did somerset obtain the sole custody of and what did he try to insist

the dry stamp

tried to insist the kings signature was not valid without somersets own

what did somersets fall occur due to

• poor leadership

• mismanagement of foreign policy

• favouritism

• money making and extravagance

• social policy

• religious policy

example of somerset’s favouritism

sir michael stanhope was made groom of the stool in august 1547 and chief gentleman of the privy chamber in 1548

how much did somerset add to an already substantial income

£5000

what happened in august 1549

warwick and southampton along with the earl of arundel and lord st john decided somersets control should be ended

when did somerset take edward to windsor castle

6th october 1549

what did conservative lords accuse somerset of doing on the 7th october

• rousing the commons

• kidnapping the king

when was somerset imprisoned after surrendering

14th october 1549

by when had somerset returned to court after northumberland attempted to reconciliate with him

1550

when was somerset executed

january 1552