edward vi, somerset and northumberland

what were the cirumsatnces of edwards accession?

accession of 9 year old king caused problems.
-government seized by his uncle, edward seymour, and subsequently the duke of somerset.

what were the issues faced at the start of edwards reign?"

-country divided on religious gounds.
-crown financed damaged by expensive wars against france and scotland, coinage had been debased which led to rise in inflation and decline in real wages.


-crown compromised long term security by selling discounted monastic lands.

what was the regency council?

regency council to govern during edwards minority as under Henry VIIIths will

what was the religious/political balance of hte reggency council?

regency council was balanced between protestants such as hertford and cranmer, and catholic conservatives such as thomas wriothesly and lord st john.

was the government well ordered?

the government feared for good order and security.
-reflected in archbishop cranmers homily on obdedience (1547)
-clergy and their pulpits required to reinforce that obedience to the king was in accordance with the will of god.

duke of somerset
-how did resentmnet begin growing against the duke?

-members of the privy council resented the protectorate. within a few weeks the earl of southampton, privy council member, was arrested.

-no guarentee of wider publicacceptance of somersets protectorate.

-fears over the breakdown of law and order.

duke of somerset
how did the atmopshere in somersets regime begin to quickly sower?

-coherence of government worsened by factional rivalries.

-somersets brother, thomas seymour attempted to plot with Edward VIth against Somerset, with the help of the earl of southampton.

-somerset prosecuted thomas seymour and was instead assisted by southapton, who was readmitted to the council.

duke of somerset
what were the policy failings under somerset?

-Somserset had a poor approach to foreign policy, especially scotland.

-poorly handled the rebellions of 1549

-arrogant and dictatorial style created enemies such as southampton.

duke of somerset
-how did hte plot against somerset start?

by august 1549, warwick and southampton along with other conservative nobleman had prepared ap lot against somerset.

-by october Somserset was arrested on orders of the regency council, and swiftly committed ot the tower.

duke of northumberland
-how did warwick establish control following the plot against somerset?

as a result of the coup against somerset, warwick found himself first among equals, as he wanted to avoid the excessive power that brought somerset down.

-no attempt to restablish a protectorate, and warwick presided as lord president of the council.

duke of northumberland
-did northumberland operate an effective government? why?

northumberland, for some time was able to operate a coherent government via the privy council:

-the earl of southampton was removed
-paget drew up guidelines for a more effective privy council

-william cecil emerged as an effective administrator for northumberland

duke of northumberland
-how did northumberland react after the counter coup?

following somersets failed counter coup in 1551, northumberland became less consilliar oin his government:

-enemies such as paget were removed from the council and committed to the tower

-northumberland and his henchman gates used the dry stamp to affix the kings signature on documents

issues of succession
-what did henrys will say about hte succesion?

Henry’s will laid out that if edward were to die early, he shall be succeeded by princess mary.

-this was not an issue for most of northumberlands time in power - edward was expected to reach adulthood.

issues of succession
-when and why did issues of succession start toappear?

-in feburary 1553 he was taken ill and by the end of march the ventitan ambassdor reported that he was dying.

issues of succession
-why was edwards health situtaiton a problem for northumberland?

Northumberland feared that the accession of mary would lead to his downfall and perhaps execution, due to his staunch protestantism, and her radical catholcism.

issues of succession
-what was the plan that was devised duriong issues of succession?

northumberland and edward prepared the devyse:

-planned to alter the succession, declaring elizabeth and mary as illegitimate, with the protestant lady jane grey to be the new queen

issues of succession
-how were prepartions to make lady jane grey queen harmed?

Edward died on the 6th july 1553 before parliament could sanction the devyse.

-devyse therefore unconstitutional

-it was not until 9th july 1553 in whcih lady jane grey was proclaimed queen by northumberland

relations with foreign powers
-what agressive foreijgn policy did somerset inherit from henry viii?

aggressive approach to scotland by somerset
-aimed at reasserting the ancient claim of Edward Ist to the scottish throne.

relations with foreign powers
-how did somerset plan to united scotland and england?

somersets plan was to force a marriage between Edward Vith and Mary queen of scots to unite the crowns of england and scotland

relations with foreign powers
-what was somersets military strategy against scotland?

somersets plan was to simply defeat the scots in battle, construct and garrison a number of forts on the border, and force the scottish into unification.

relations with foreign powers
-how did somersets attack on scotland begin?

somersets efforts initally successful, scots defeated in the battle of the pinkie in september 1547

relations with foreign powers
-how did somersets strategy in scotland begin to collapse?

forts were highly difficult and expensive to garrison

english failed to capture strategic castles in edinburgh and dunbar

-somerset underestimated cooperation between scotland and france and failed to blockade the firth of forth

relations with foreign powers
-how did france start causing trouble for somerset?

France helped relieve edinburgh
-through this they gained custody of the young queen mary, who was taken to france in august 1548 to marry the dauphin heir to the french throne.

relations with foreign powers|
-jfollowing frances taking of the young mary of scots, how was this disasterous for somerset?

military strategy was expensive at a time of financial pressure

-he failed in the objective of securing a marriage between edward and mary

-deteroriating relationship with france by 1549 led to the threat of invasion of southern england, makig somerset more unpopular among the council

relations with foreign powers
-how did northumberland change foreign policy?

northumberland ended wars against scotland and france
-returned boulogne to the french as a price for peace, however the port was a general drain on english resources. france also was willing to pay £133,333 pounds a year to recover the port.

-financial gain reinforced by abandonment of garrisons in scotland.