Edward VI, Somerset and Northumberland

What is a Protector?

the term used to describe Edward Seymour, the Duke of Somerset, who was in charge of the kingdom as Edward was too young to rule in his own right; Somerset’s rule is described as a ‘protectorate’ or ‘protectorship’

In what way did Edward VI have a difficult inheritance?

the country was divided on religious grounds

Crown finances had been ruined by expensive wars against France and Scotland

to pay for the wars the coinage had been debased, leading to a considerable rise in the rate of inflation and a substantial decline in real incomes for many

the Crown had comprised its own long-term security by selling off monastic lands, often at a considerable discount, in order to raise money quickly

Who seized the reins government on behalf of the nine-year-old king?

an uncle, Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford and subsequently Duke of Somerset

What had Henry VIII set up in his will to govern England during Edward’s minority?

a Regency Council

sixteen members, supported by a further twelve who were required to assist as required

decisions of the Council were to be by majority

Was the Regency Council balanced?

YES

balanced between Protestants such as Hertford and Cranmer and religious conservatives such as Lord St John (later Marquis of Winchester)

several administrators and lawyers who might have been expected to ensure the interests of good government

the great noble families were under-represented

Did the Regency Council last long?

NO

it promptly delegated its power to Hertford who was appointed Protector

What was the government fearful for?

good order and security

made clear by Archbishop Cranmer’s homily ‘on Obedience’ in which the clergy were required to reinforce to their congregations that obedience to the authority of the king was in accordance with the will of God; disobedience was, therefore, a mortal sin

Who did Hertford count on the support of?

Archbishop Cranmer, Viscount Lisle (later Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland) and Sir William Paget

he rewarded his supporters and himself with promotions within the peerage (he became Duke of Somerset) and substantial grants of Crown lands

Within weeks, how was Somerset approaching governing?

he had awarded himself control, governing largely with members of his own household, only one of whom was appointed a member of the Privy Council

he reinforced this power by controlling the Privy Chamber through the appointment of his supporter, Sir Michael Stanhope, as Chief Gentleman

How did members of the Privy Council feel towards the protectorate?

resentful, within a feel weeks one of them, the Earl of Southampton, had been arrested

Why were there widespread fears about the breakdown of law and order regarding Somerset’s protectorate?

members of the Privy Council felt resentment at the protectorate

there could be no guarantee of wider public acceptance of Somerset’s protectorate

What was the atmosphere within Somerset’s regime quickly soured by?

factional rivalries

first victim = Somerset’s brother, Thomas Seymour, who not only sought to turn Edward VI against Somerset, but also tried to plot with the Earl of Southampton against Somerset - Somerset brought treason charges against Seymour

Somerset assisted by Southampton who denounced Seymour and thereby achieved his readmission to the Council

What were problems such as factional rivalries reinforced by?

policy failings under Somerset

What was at the heart of policy failings under Somerset?

his approach to foreign policy, especially with regard to Scotland

also badly mishandled the rebellions that broke out in 1549 - even before 1549 misgivings about Somerset had been growing

Why had misgivings about Somerset been growing even before 1549?

his arrogant and dictatorial manner created enemies, especially Southampton who resented his earlier imprisonment

his style of government and his policy failures combined to weaken him in the minds of many who had originally supported him - most important enemy = Earl of Warwick, and the apparent feebleness of Somerset’s response to the rebellions of 1549 gave Warwick the opportunity to strike

What was decided at some stage in August 1549?

What then happened in October 1549?

Warwick and Southampton, along with two other conservative noblemen - the Earl of Arundel and Lord St John - decided that Somerset’s control should be brought to an end

initially tried to secure the support of Princess Mary, but she decided to steer well clear of any conspiracy

by October ready to strike, was a stand-off between the conspirators, based in London, and Somerset, who was at Hampton Court but who crucially still had control over the King

Somerset and Edward retreated to Windsor where Somerset was arrested on the orders of the Regency Council, he surrendered, having been promised that no treason charges would be pressed against him - he was promptly committed to the Tower

Who gained power after the coup against Somerset?

How did he deal with this power?

Warwick, the leader of the plot

anxious to avoid excessive concentration of power that had done so much to bring Somerset down, so no attempt to re-establish a protectorate

Warwick presided as Lord President of the Council - first unclear what type of regime he was going to preside over, many key supporters in coup had been conservatives, some hoped for a regency led by Princess Mary

What was the nature of Warwick’s regime made clearer by?

his second coup, this time directed at the conservatives - it was later assumed that Warwick always intended this second coup so that he could exercise unlimited power, but seems more likely that Warwick acted because he feared that he himself might be ejected by the conservatives

What determined the religious character of Warwick’s regime?

purging of the conservatives Southampton and Arundel

Cranmer’s support

the king’s own increasingly assertive Protestantism

Who was Warwick promoted to?

Duke of Northumberland

Already Lord Chamberlain, who did Northumberland appoint as Vice-Chamberlain of the household?

his own Hartman, Sir John Gates, to ensure his control over the court

What reputation did Northumberland leave behind?

seen as particularly ruthless and unscrupulous on account of his coups against Somerset and then the conservatives, his securing of Somerset’s execution and his failed attempt to alter the succession

but some argue that Northumberland was no more unscrupulous than any other leading Tudor politician, and he did solve many of the problems which he had inherited from Somerset

Did Northumberland operate an effective government through the Privy Council?

for SOME time, although his task in this respect was undoubtedly made easier by the expulsion of the Earl of Southampton

Paget had drawn up a set of guidelines for the more effective operation of the Privy Council, some of which Northumberland instituted, although Paget was to find himself increasingly excluded from decision-making processes

Who, after a brief period of imprisonment, was able to transform himself into Northumberland’s key administrator?

William Cecil - had originally prospered as one of Somerset’s men

Who attempted a counter coup against Northumberland?

Somerset

having been readmitted to the Council, Somerset plotted to recover his old position, but was outwitted by Northumberland, who had him executed - saved England from a revival of the chaos that had characterised the protectorate

How did Northumberland react to Somerset’s attempt at a counter coup?

became less conciliar in his approach to government, meaning the broadly collective approach to government did not survive

Northumberland started to behave in precisely the way that Somerset had before he was removed

presumed enemies such as Paget were removed from the Council and Paget himself was sent to the tower

power lay increasingly in the hands of Northumberland and his henchman Gates, who had possession of the dry stamp with which he could affix the king’s signature to documents

While Northumberland restored stability, what had his reputation been tarnished by?

his attempt to alter the succession

What had Henry VIII laid down in his will regarding succession?

he should be succeeded by his son Edward, but that if Edward should die without children, then he should be succeeded by Princess Mary

What happened in February 1533 regarding Edward VI?

he was taken ill and by the end of March it was reported that he was dying

What did the reports that Edward was dying mean for Northumberland?

created an immediate problem for him - it was obvious that if Mary were to come to the throne, Catholicism would be restored

Northumberland, who had enthusiastically supported a more radical form of Protestantism, would thus be ruined and his life would be in danger

What was the plan to alter the succession?

called the Devyse

original idea may well have come from Edward rather than Northumberland - Edward was anxious to ensure the continuation of Protestantism and was prepared to exclude both his half-sisters (Mary and Elizabeth) from succession - to Edward, both were illegitimate

Northumberland’s preferred choice was Lady Jane Grey, who was married to his son Guildford Dudley and was a great-granddaughter of Henry VII

What happened in June 1553 regarding succession?

+HOWEVER

Mary and Elizabeth both declared illegitimate + preparations made to call a parliament to ratify the new succession

However, Edward died July 1553 before parliament could meet - without parliamentary sanction to Devyse was patently illegal

Who was declared queen on 9 July 1553?

Lady Jane Grey

What kind of foreign policy did Somerset inherit from Henry VIII in 1547?

a potentially ruinous one

What was Somerset’s aggressive approach to Scotland determined by?

the strategic objective of reasserting the ancient claim of Edward I to the Sottish throne

What was Somerset’s aim regarding Scotland?

to enforce the marriage between Edward VI and the infant Mary, Queen of Scots, and thereby unite the crowns of England and Scotland

What was the difference between the approaches of Henry and Somerset regarding the Scots?

for Henry an aggressive policy towards the Scots was a sideshow with the main action being in France

for Somerset, Scotland was his main priority

Was was Somerset’s chosen strategy for Scotland?

to defeat the Scots in battle, build and garrison a number of forts in the border and south of Scotland, and once the Scots into submission

How did the situation with Scotland go for Somerset?

at first, matters began well, defeated the Scots at the battle of Pinkie in September 1547

however, strategy soon began to unravel - forts proved difficult + expensive to garrison, the English could not capture the strategically significant castles at Dunbar and Edinburgh,

Somerset underestimated the amount of cooperation between Scotland and France and failed to block the Firth of Forth properly, thereby enabling the French to relieve Edinburgh

French were able to gain control of the young Queen Mary, who was taken to France in August 1548 to marry the Dauphin, the heir to the French throne

How did the situation with Scotland (and then France) have disastrous consequences for Somerset?

he had engaged in a military strategy that proved unaffordable at a time of financial pressure

he had failed in his political objective: to secure the marriage of Queen Mary and King Edward

What made matters worse for Somerset after the failure with Scotland?

the deteriorating relationship with France led in 1549 to the threat of war and the prospect of a French invasion of southern England - at precisely the moment when he was at his most vulnerable as a result of the rebellions which in turn heightened resentment among members of the Privy Council about his autocratic style of government

What did Northumberland achieve in terms of foreign policy?

was able to reduce foreign policy expenditure in order to help stabilise the Crown’s finances

ended the wars against Scotland and France

How did Northumberland end the French war?

was forced to return Boulogne to the French - might have been perceived as a humiliating defeat but served to bring about an immediate improvement in the Crown’s financial position as occupation of Boulogne had proved a constant drain on resources

French were willing to pay the substantial sum of £133,333 to recover the port - this financial gain was reinforced by the abandonment of the remaining English garrisons in Scotland

the financial benefit clearly outweighed any fears about continuing French influence over affairs in Scotland