3 Section 3 'The Mid-Tudor Crisis': Edward VI 1547-1553

Government- red, Foreign policy- orange, Social- yellow, Religion- green, Blue- economy, Key dates- italics, Key info- underlined

Royal Authority under Somerset (H8 legacy, rise to power)

==Edward VI, Somerset and Northumberland==

**H8 legacy**

* religiously divided country
* expensive wars → bad crown finances
* debasement → inflation
* selling of monastic lands → compromised long-term security

**Rise to power**

* regency council set up by H8- ruled council on EVI’s behalf
* mixed protestants + conservatives but short lived
* Somerset made protector of EVI- headed regency council
* Jane Seymour’s brother, EVI’s uncle (connections/ factions)

Somerset’s Government & Fall of Somerset

(governing style, council, character, Ketts)

==Edward VI, Somerset and Northumberland==

**Government**

*1547* H8 dies → EVI 9 y/o king

* After H8 death → Somerset dominates regency council
* Ruled using dry stamp + proclamations (laws w/o parliament)
* Government w/ own household members in ‘New Council’ bypassing Privy Council
* mainly ruled on his (tyrant) → caused divides/ resentment in council (alienated)
* weak political figure- ‘better soldier than politician’

**Fall of Somerset**

* personality- arrogant, dictatorial manner → resentment
* bad governance + policy failure
* Bad fp handling esp. w/ Scotland + France
* Failure to handle *1549* Ketts Rebellion
* *Aug 1549* coup by E.Warwick planned
* *Oct* standoff → retreat to Windsor w/ EVI
* Somerset eventually surrendered

Royal authority under Northumberland- government

(style, coups, Somerset, key people)

==Edward VI, Somerset and Northumberland==

* Lord president of Council (not protectorate as it led to S downfall)
* already Lord Chamberlain → Gates as vice- chamberlain
* 1st coup- conservative supporters wanted Mary’s regency
* 2nd coup- purging of conservatives, Cranmer’s support, EVI’s relgious beliefs → protestant regime
* initially effective gov through privy council
* Paget’s guidlines for effective operation of council
* Paget excluded from decision making → Cecil key administrator
* Somerset counter coup


* S executed + N became less conciliar
* Paget + enemies removed from council
* Power → Northumberland + Gates (control of dry stamp)

Royal authority under Northumberland- problems with succession/ Devyse

==Edward VI, Somerset and Northumberland==

* worried about EVI- sickly condition, short life expectancy
* N reputation tarnished- seen ad ‘evil councillor’
* Mary (Catholic) named next heir if EVI had no heirs
* EVI + N wanted to continue Protestantism → Devyse

**Devyse**

* Lady Jane Grey chosen as heir (EVI’s cousin)
* Married N’s son Guilford
* *June 1553-* Mary + Liz declared illegitimate
* *6 July 1553-* EVI dies w/o ratifying new succession in parliament
* w/o parliamentary sanction Devyse = illegal
* *9 July 1553-* LJG proclaimed queen
* initially accepted by Privy Council
* N failed to stop Mary’s military expedition → Privy Council lost faith + supported Mary
* 9 days queen→ LJG imprisoned then Northumberland executed (*Aug 1553*)
* LJG executed in *Feb 1554*

What were foreign relations like under Somerset?

@@Foreign Policy@@

* inherited ruinous FP from H8- wars w/ Scotland + France (costly)

**Aims/ approach**

* Scotland main priority
* aggressive fp to Scotland → EVI’s claim to Scottish throne → possible marriage between EVI + MQS
* Garrisons + forts on Scottish borders to force submission
* initial success at Battle of Pinkie 1547
* forts expensive to upkeep + unable to capture significant castles
* underestimated France’s help → Franco-Scottish Alliance → 1558 marriage alliance w/ MQS + French heir


* Franco-Scottish Alliance = devastating effect of S
* financial pressure → military strategies unaffordable
* Somerset downfall partly due to poor FP handling

What were foreign relations like under Northumberland?

@@Foreign Policy@@

* reversed Somerset’s failures
* reduced foreign expenditure → restore crown finances
* ended wars w/ Scotland + France → improved finances
* 1550 Peace Boulogne- returned Boulogne to France → 133k paid by France in return
* 1551- Treaty of Norham ended English military presence in Scotland
* abandoned garrisons in Scotland → peace w/ Scotland

What was religion like under Somerset?

%%The social impact of religious and economic change under Edward VI%%

* initially cautious approach- avoid increase in religious tensions
* Moderate ‘__Book of Common Prayer__’ *1549* by Archbishop Cranmer
* Established single form of service -English translated services
* Radical in other areas- sustained attack on popular religious practice
* *Jul 1547* __injunctions issued__- attacked popular features of Catholicism eg. lights, images + stained glass
* *Dec 1547* __Dissolution of Chantries + Guilds__- needed money for war → chantries/ guilds seized by crown
* *May 1549* __Introduction of Book of Common Prayer__ enforced by *1549* __Act of Uniformity__
* Western Rising aka Prayer Book Rebellion
* Significant impact - sustained attack on religious experience of ordinary people → widespread fear of systematic asset stripping of Church

What was religion like under Northumberland?

%%The social impact of religious and economic change under Edward VI%%

* more radical approach- more militant than comprehensive
* continued reform initiated by S
* sought to plunder Church’s wealth
* *1522-* __Second Act of Uniformity__- helped impose changes in Prayer Book
* *1522-* __Revised Book of Common Prayer__
* By Cranmer → more radical approach
* radical reform + removal of existing religious practices
* simplifying services + church eg. rewriting baptism + confirmation services, ban of vestments
* Radical senior clergy becoming influential eg. __Hooper__
* strained relationship between N + Cranmer → more influence form Hooper
* __Forty-Two Articles of Religion__- defined essentials of CofE confirmed firmly reformed path but never implemented
* Recover Crown finances → pursued __systematic stripping of assets + extracting Church’s wealth__

What was the impact of religious change?

%%The social impact of religious and economic change under Edward VI%%

* continued attack of Church (economically + religiously)
* decreased church attendance → less church wealth
* pace of reform hampered by uncooperative public opinion

What intellectual developments were there?

%%Humanist and religious thought%%

* Two reforming traditions
* radical forms of Protestantism
* Traditional evangelical humanism
* moderate humanism (Cranmer, Erasmus)

What was the economy like under Somerset?

(problems, approach- debasement, enclosure, taxation)

^^Economy^^

* Problems- inflation, agrarian issues + taxation

**Approach** 

* Continued disastrous policy of debasement (finance Scot war)
* Heightened __inflationary pressure__ → increased social distress
* __Poor harvest__ → more pressure
* **Enclosure** 
* Commission to investigate problem → proclamation against enclosure → enclosure commissioners appointed → little achieved
* Perceived profits from converting land from arable to pasture → increasing amount of enclosure
* More grazing sheep on pasture → more wool for wool export
* Deter enclosure → Somerset tax on sheep → huge financial pressure on small farmers → discontent → __Western rebellion__   
* *1547* __Vagrancy act__*- branded + enslaved unemployed*
* **Taxation** - great discontent
* Landsales + borrowing → raise money for Scotland war
* Added to long-term problem for Crown finances 

What was the economy like under Northumberland?

^^Economy^^

* Achieved relative financial stability 


* Repealed sheep tax/ Vagrancy act 
* 133k French payment for Boulogne 
* One final debasement then abandoned practice
* Increasing revenue from Church eg. melting their gold + silver 
* Plans made for streamlining financial administration but not implemented

What was the 1549 rebellion?

Social discontent & rebellion

**Causes**

* religious factors
* Midlands + east anglia- agrarian and social grievances eg. riots + uprooting of enclosures
* Resentment of taxation- most consistent factor
* most rebellions- insufficient support, quashed easily by local gentry

**Events**

* Major rebellion in East Anglia + South-west 


* Considerable levels of disorder throughout country 
* Somerset couldn’t handle rebellions - most troops garrisoning Scottish border + preparing for possible French invasion

What was the Western Rebellion rebellion?

Social discontent & rebellion

*Jun-Aug 1549* (Devon + Cornwall)

**Causes**

* religious - ‘prayer book rebellion’ grievances apparent year before, wanted to reverse reform 
* Economic- provoked by distrust btw rural labourer + landowners/ enclosure
* Grievances over ‘sheep tax’ used to deter enclosure
* Resentment exacerbated by insensitive local officials

**Events**

* Rebels groups converged + Exeter besieged on July
* Lord Russell began advance on rebels + defeated by foreign mercenaries + Russell’s forces in August

Impact- required larger military action but easily suppressed

What was the Ketts rebellion?

Social discontent & rebellion

*Jul-Aug 1549* (east anglia)

**Causes**

* Hatred of local gov officials 
* Abuse by landowners- denied access to foreclosure → enclosed piece of common land 
* Pent up frustration about maladministration locally by Howards
* Wanted gov to act on Somerset’s proclamations on enclosure

**Events** 

* July- rebels capture Norwich
* Kett convicted of high treason + hanged
* Aug- E. Northampton failed to recapture Norwich 
* N later defeated rebel forces- gained him power