Edward VI - Duke of Somerset

Background

Duke of somerset

Brother of Edward VI’s mother Jane Seymour

Risen through the ranks under Henry VIII through his military skill

Protestant reformer and encouraged Edward to make religious changes

Economy

Debasement of coinage and earned £537,000

Inflation rose

Poor harvest and stripped resources

Rising price of food

Value of wages fell by 50%

Investigated enclosure but didn’t change anything

taxed sheep to try and change enclosure

Foreign policy

Somerset wanted to isolate Scotland and sign a defensive agreement with France

French king Henri II saw alliance with Scotland as a weakness

Henri sent 4,000 troops to Scotland so Somerset lead an attack against Scotland (Battle of Pinkie) which he won in 1547

Somerset relied on garrisons to control Scotland which were attacked often

Mary Queen of Scots married Henri’s son and was declared that Scotland and France were one nation

Relations between Scotland and France soured by 1549 however somerset was too broke to fight so the foreign situation remained in limbo

Religion

Denunciation of Images 1547

Treason Act 1547

Royal injunctions 1547

Dissolution of chantries

Act of uniformity

Introduced common book of prayer

Government

Gave his court household key positions

Cut off many men at court from politics angering them

Very progressive ideas

His protector ship was rife with infighting

Executed his brother Thomas for attempting to seize power

Held regency council at his home Somerset House

Rebellions - Kett

Kett’s Rebellion

Caused by sheep tax, increase in rent, impact of enclosures

Hated local government

Lead by Robert Kett

rebels took Norwich city

army lead by john Dudley failed to take back Norwich

Finally defend by forces lead by earl of Northumberland on 1549

Rebellion - Western

Caused by the new prayer book and sheep tax

Held city of exeter under siege for eight weeks

Somerset sent his men and rebeelion was ended with leader hung

Downfall

Somerset was arrogant and had enemies at court

Lost support from John Dudley

Somerset agreed to hand himself in and was arrested in 1549 after the Kett’s rebellion

Executed 1552

Overall

Somerset’s policies on enclosure had no effect

Ignored warnings on his economic policy and debasement

Caused two rebellions

Foreign policy in limbo