L3 - factional rivalry at beginning of edward vi’s reign

what are the typical topics of exam questions regarding government and the succession under edward?

• extent of weakness of english government

• causes of the mid tudor ‘crisis’

• involvement of councillors and the nobility in government

  • MUST be aware of different date ranges can ask, need to assess change and continuity with different monarchs

what were the 2 main factions at court? religious beliefs?

• conservative faction → primarily catholic

• reform faction → primarily protestant

key members of the catholic conservative faction (3)

• thomas howard, duke of norfolk

• stephen gardiner, bishop of winchester

• thomas wriothesley

key members of the reform faction (3)

• edward seymour (earl of hertford & duke of somerset)

• archbishop thomas cranmer

• sir anthony denny

what reforms were the catholic conservative faction associated with? (5)

• 1539: passing of the six articles

• 1540: fall of thomas cromwell

• 1540: marriage of katherine howard

• 1543: plot against cranmer

• 1546: plot against katherine parr

what reforms were the protestant reform faction associated with? (5)

• 1542: foreign policy success against scotland

• 1542: fall of katherine howard

• 1543: marriage of catherine parr

• 1544: plot against gardiner

• 1546: arrest of norfolk

what 4 events served as major turning points for the loss of conservative catholic factional influence in court?

• 1541: beheading of catherine howard

• 1543: failed coup against cranmer

• july 1543: marriage to catherine parr

• 1544: removal of rival claimants of pole family and measures to secure protestant succession

when was katherine howard beheaded for treason? impact?

• 1541 - beheaded for treason due to adultery

• severely introduced influence of duke of norfolk and conservative faction over the king

• major turning point in factional rivalry

how did the 1543 conservative plot against cranmer indicate their waning influence over henry?

• conservatives attempted to convince henry that cranmer should be arrested for heresy for promoting protestant beliefs

  • was first protestant archbishop of canterbury

• failed as henry remained steadfastly loyal to cranmer

• demonstration of personal loyalty founded in long-term trustful relationship from success of fulfilling henry’s will

what event served as killing blow to conservative faction in july 1543?

henry’s marriage to catherine parr in july 1543

how did henry’s marriage to catherine parr weaken the influence of the conservative faction?

• she was a protestant sympathiser → increased reformist power and influence at court

• acted as mother to henry’s 3 children → re-established position of mary and elizabeth

• nursed henry on his deathbed → closest confidant?

• ensured elizabeth and edward received protestant education, and so would support their reforms unlike mary

• 1546: henry protected parr from conservative faction’s accusations of heresy

what steps did henry make in 1544 to secure the succession and limit the future influence of the conservative faction?

• removed rival claimants by executing remaining members of the pole family

• 1544 act of succession passed by parliament → legally ensured accession of edward

• 1544: stephen gardiner lost favour when accussed of suggesting reinstatement of pope and attempted plot against parr

what was the succession provided by the 1544 act of succession?

• edward as heir, then mary, then elizabeth (should edward fail to produce an heir)

• after that, succession went to the suffolk family

• eliminated mary QoS from succession

when was mary i declared illegitimate? why?

• 1533 - declared illegitimate

  • when henry married anne boleyn, wanted to ensure her children would be heirs instead

• 1544 act of succession nullified illegitimacy

when was elizabeth i declared illegitimate? why?

• 1536 - declared illegitimate

  • when her mother, anne boleyn was executed for treason by adultery

  • henry went on to marry jane seymour

• 1544 act of succession nullified illegitimacy

which faction was dominant in the final years of henry’s reign? (1546-1547)

• REFORM - protestants

• were led by jane seymour’s brother → edward seymour, earl of hertford and duke of somerset

how did sir anthony denny gain power and influence?

• initially henry viii’s groom of the stool

• had sole individual access to king, developed incredibly strong rapport

• 1537 onward - when henry became too unwell to sign documents, became keeper of the dry stamp

what did sir anthony denny’s rise to power demonstrate about henry and court in the final years of his reign?

• henry was absolutely distrustful towards other nobles

• had utmost trust and faith in denny to deliver henry’s will

  • had been carefully established through denny serving as groom of the stool

• reform faction were experiencing vast and increasing power in court in late 1540s

when was denny made chief gentleman of the privy chamber?

october 1546

what powers came with denny being made chief gentleman of the privy chamber (october 1546)?

• able to decide which visitors were admitted to see the king

• able to control use of the dry stamp to authorise official documents

  • can do so without the king’s knowledge of approval

  • massive increase in useage of the dry stamp under denny

who was arrested on charges of treason in december 1546? why?

• duke of norfolk

• earl of surrey (duke of norfolk’s son)

• supposedly spoke of surrey’s own claim to the throne → denying? authorised succession

what occurred following the arrests of the duke of Norfolk and the earl of Surrey?

• both had acts of attainder imposed upon them

• surrey was executed

• norfolk survived due to the death of henry on 28th january 1547, prior to order for his execution

• reform faction triumphed and could dominate the regency council

what did henry intend for the succession to be?

• evenly split, balanced council of 16 members, to rule until edward was 16 years old

• altered will mid december 1546 - remove any rewards for the disgraced howard faction

  • possibly by denny

• 26th december - will amended to leave line of succession as edward, mary, elizabeth

how long was henry’s death kept a secret for?

2 days

what were the 4 main changes did denny make to henry’s will using the dry stamp?

• one clause gave the council “full power and authority” to take whatever action necessary for welfare of country during edward’s minority

• another clause gave council the power to award ‘gifts’ henry had intended to make but was unable to do so before his death

• hertford (edward seymour) used clauses to seize power for himself and reward own supporters

  • ‘lord protector’ of edward

• hertford also took title of duke of somerset