Edward VI

upbringing

• typical of a Renaissance king

• only male heir - protected (3 gentlemen + 5 grooms, 1 in bedchamber at night, never allowed to incur the dangers of contact sports)

• little involvement with H8’s wives, cared for my nurse Mother Jack - only received maternal affection from C.P

character

• wide range on interests (esp in trains)

• naturally studious, intelligent + devout

• serious

• cold - no reference to death of grandma or 2 sisters, terse entry on death of Somerset

  • only showed warmth to aristocrat friend Barnaby Fitzpatrick

education

• prominent humanist + Prot teachers e.g. R. Coxe, J. Cheke

• v devoted to studies

• allowed to develop interests aa teacher Coxe was progressive + though learning should be enjoyed not driven through beatings

• statecraft + gov to prep for future role

• encyclopaedic knowledge of nobility + main gentry

Seymour - overview

• J.s’ brother - political life began w her marriage to H8 in 1536

  • member of PC IN 1537, EoHertford after EVI born

• 1540s:

  • diplomatic experience + battlefield (Scot, France)

  • Jan 1547: “elected” Protector by PC after H8’s death - 4th Feb: EVI + 13 executors signed agreement giving him sovereign authority until EVI 18

• Oct 1549: dismissed from offices + imprisoned

• April 1550: released + returned to PC

• Jan 1552: tried + executed

issues with role of Lord Protector

short term

• cannot create lasting impact through long term policy changes

cannot change previous King’s laws but H left country:

• religiously mixed

• great fallout from policies economically - poor harvests, increasing food prices

• great fallout from f.p. - at war with France + Scotland

Somerset’s f.p. - considerations

considerations:

• bound by H’s wish for E to marry MQoS + by need to retain support of war-like nobility

• policy of periodic invasions of Scotland had failed to achieve overall objectives + war v expensive

• S had been leader of successful attacks in 1540s + had plan to save money on invasions by by garrisoning the Scottish lowlands

• pursuing war would require large sums of money

• ending war would be highly unpopular

Somerset’s fp - Scotland + France UNFINISHED

• bound by H8’s will (ToGreenwich, marriage of E + MQoS)

  • but Scot didn’t want this

• Isolated Scot by allying with F

  • but Francis I died in 1547

  • New king HII keen to assert himself - renewed

Western Rebellion - causes

• religious grievances

  • new Book of Common Prayer

  • wanted to reverse religious reform

  • traditional rituals gone

• resentment of sheep tax implemented by local officials

Western - monarch response

• Lord Russell defeated rebels at Clyst Heath + final defeat at Stamford Courtenay

• used foreign mercenaries

Kett’s rebellion - causes

• little conservative religious tendencies

• hatred of local govt officials

• resentment of landowners abuse of fold course system

• frustration locally with Howards

Kett’s - monarch response

• EoNorthampton sent to recapture Norwich

  • humiliating failure

• rebels finally defeated by forces led by EoNorthumberland

• Kett convicted of high treason + executed

impact of rebellions

• 1549 = worst year in Tudor period

  • 2 major rebellions + considerable disorder throughout country

• S’s govt found it hard to cope w troops garrisoned at Scot + south east to ward off F (consequence of f.p.)

• most rebellions died out quickly due to local nobility + gentry

  • but whole affair reflected poorly on Somerset

somerset downfall

• very slow to respond to both rebellions

  • western: mid-Aug

  • Kett’s: end of month with 4000 deaths

• neither forced change in policy but shook govt

  • gave those who disliked his leadership style to strike

  • arrested on orders of the Council + imprisoned in ToL in Oct 1549

  • released and allowed to rejoin PC in Feb 1550 (didn’t commit crimes just incompetent)

  • rumours he was gathering support to take power back from council

  • arrested + tried for treason, particularly plotting to assassinate council members (EoNorth)

• executed Jan 1552

why did people want him out

• insisted on ruling w dry stamp, failed to delegate

  • arrogant, dictatorial - created enemies of crucial members of Kings Trust e.g. EoWarwick, EoSouth, Cranmer - they decided his rule should end

• he took king captive in Windsor Castle until promise of no treason

  • desperation

humanism

• educated elite

  • began in Cambs

• works of erasmus translated and published

• neither cath nor prot

  • but becamed linked to emerging Prot doctrines

UNFINISHED

Issues facing Northumberland

1. Foreign policy

   • how to handle relations with F and Scot

2. Economy + finance

   • how to raise money + improve govt finances

3. Religion

   • what approach to take towards reformation

4. Social order

   • how to deal with enclosure, vagrancy and other threats to public order

foreign policy - possible options + considerations

Possible options

• continue to wage ear against Scot + F

• End wars

Considerations

• Somerset’s policy of garrisoning soldiers was a costly failure

• Aristocracy viewed war as way of achieving status + prestige

• Holding on to Bourgogne had become symbol of H8’s legacy

• Pursuing wars would require money

  • ending would ease financial situation

Economy + finance - possible options + considerations

Options:

• debasement

• Sale of crown lands

• Borrowing

• Reform govt’s financial situation

• Raise taxation

Considerations

• war w Scot = expensive

• Debasement known to cause damage to economy

• Sale of crown lands increases funds but decreases yearly rent

• Borrowing could increase interest

• Somerset didn’t attempt economic reform

  • unpopular cuts in expenditure, changes to structure + efficacy of crown’s finances etc cld lead to opposition

• Increased taxation could cause social unrest + hard to justify when not at war

Religion - possible options + considerations

Options:

• push towards Prot

• Maintain Somerset’s mildly Prot position

• Back to Cath

Considerations:

• 1st book of common prayer 1549 established moderate Prot but provoked a rebellion

• Pressure from reformers (EDVI, Cranmer) was mounting

• Radical prots gaining influence in London + elsewhere

• Keeping current position wld dissatisfy radicals on both sides

• Return to Cath would be supported by Mary + some leading court figures

  • might also ease foreign situation (Charles V)

Social order - possible options + considerations

Options

• continue S’s anti-enclosure policy

• Continue to act against vagrants

• take actions to relieve hunger of the poor

Considerations:

• rebellions increase fear amongst ruling elite

  • S’s anti-enclosure policy seen as cause of rebellions

  • N = central role in crushing Kett’s

• Expectations high among ppl that action would be taken against enclosure

• S’s policy against vagrants seen as too harsh but problem of large number of poor ppl + belief this led to disorder

• Harvest of 1549 was bad but 1550 was worse

Religious reform 1550-1553

• 1552 treason act - offence to question royal supremacy or any beliefs of the E church

• 2nd act of uniformity - offence for both clergy and laity to not attend cofE services

  • offenders imprisoned

• 1552 prayer book - removed all traces of Cath + mass

  • signif of Eucharist reduced, baptism, confirmation + burial services rewritten (to be simple)

• 1553: altars replaces w communion tables, no vestments during services

• Attack on church wealth (partly bc of govt needs)

  • removal of all gold and si;ver in parish churches

• Conservatives e.g. gardiner lost prominent positions (imprisoned in ToL)

  Basically politically doctrinally + representation-wise: more Prot

Foreign policy 1549-1553

• withdrew troops from Scot to focus on more urgent internal problems

  • Realised friendship w France may be valuable during a time of counter-reformation - esp against enemy of Spain/HRE

• 1550 ToBoulogne - B returned for £133,000

  • ended H8’s policy/vision of extending E territory in F

  • Garrisons removed from Scot - border restored to pre- H8 campaigns

  • Alliance of EVI with HII of F’s daughter

• Poor relations with CV

  • anger abt reformation

Economy, trade, exploration

• forced to borrow from European banks

• W.Cecil + Thomas Gresham put in charge of financial planning

  • incl sale of charity lands to start paying off loans

• Debasement of coinage under H8 encouraged inflation

  • coinage called in + re-issued with same silver content as 1527

• Increased customs + excise rates

Pressing social + economic problems

• pop continued to increase causing pressure on food supplies

• Poor harvest in early 1550s made grain prices increase rapidly

• Issues w Netherlands cloth trade - sudden decrease in exports in summer 1551

Responses:

• 1548 sheep tax repealed in 1550

• New treason act 1550 reimposed censorship - law+order

• Anti-enclosure legislation enforced, acts passed to protect arable farming

• Poor law 1552 - made parishes responsible for raising money for deserving poor

EVI role in govt under Somerset

• Somerset was strict with EVI

  • decreased no. Of servants + kept him under close control of bro-in-law sir Michael Stanhope

• S mainly ruled w dry stamp + proclamations

• Based at Somerset house not court

  • but assumed autocratic govt control + alienated court members

• EVI only 12 when S fell from power

  • virtually no involvement in politics - most of time spent in education

• But still some influence

  • 1549: S losing favour so took EVI to Windsor castle

  • EVI: ‘me think i am a prisoner here’

  • EVI abandoned support for him - public support for S could have saved him

  • Instead condemned hin saying he threatened to create riots if overthrown

Ultimately, failure to cultivate relationship contributed to S’s downfall

EVI role in govt under North

• regularly attending PC meetings by Nov 1552 + setting some agendas

• Took lead in some business + had own clearly thought out views on some of most pressing matters

• Council announced he would reach majority at 16 not 18 in recognition of his maturity

• Mid 1552- learning through practice not lessons

• Entries of foreign affairs in Chronicle using some info beyond natural flow available to council + made independent use of secretaries (Cecil)

• N recognisers S’s mistake + was sure to consult EVI

  • but retained overall control + placed limits on aspects of govt he was involved in - e.g. no fp

  • Placed own men around EVI + packed PC with his supporters

• But pursuit of Prot = reflection of EVI’s support for it

Ultimately, recognised importance of relationship with EVI so manipulated him to give impression of being highly involved

Evaluation of how successfully E was governed during E’s reign

Somerset:

• ideologically motivated, used genuinely held beliefs

  • alienated too many nobles, lack support of EVI, overstretched himself w Scot + anti-enclosure policies

• Ultimately left social unrest, financial mess, unachievable domestic + foreign situation, religious ambiguity

North:

• pragmatic

  • cultivated relationship w EVI - guaranteed him royal favour when EVI became king

  • Prioritised PC + govt finances - both would make his position more secure

• Ultimately left Crown w healthy finances, stable domestic + foreign position + strong religious position

Succession crisis of 1553

• Jan 1553: TB/chest infection - seemed to recover but relapsed in May

  • death predicted

• Long-term planning unlikely as predicted full recovery until May (died 6 July)

‘Devise’

• initially LJG’s male heirs

  • when realised she would not have kids before EVI died, switched to LJG as heir

  • Man-made change to line of succession violates divine right of kings - god-chosen monarch favourited by ports + Caths

  • Also problematic as H8’s will still law + EVI not old enough to change Parl law - and Parl does not vote on it before EVI’s death

Why did Mary I succeed in gaining the throne

• divine right = legitimate claim

  • esp compared to man-made LJG esp bc parl hadn’t voted + approved it yet

• Legitimacy of the English - supersedes religion

• Well-known w English public

  • LJG is an unknown noble

• North’s alienation of the nobility made his position weak

  • Caths support Mary, Prots don’t like him

  • And Mary also had some key nobility support (EoOxford, EoSurrey) + foreign support (CV)

What could North have done differently

• backing down basic let Mary take the throne

• conversion to Cath + trying to convince PC they needed him made him look desperate

• Shld have utilised military troops at his disposal

• Shouldn’t have alienated nobility

• Didn’t build strong position for LJG

• Leaves London to confront Mary - Parl then abandons his plan + supports Mary

• Didn’t realise legitimacy of the English/heritage supersedes religion (so couldn’t rely on prots to support LJG purely bc she was Prot asw)