The Duke of Somerset

What title was Somerset goven after Henry dies?

Somerset, became Lord Protector immediately following the death of Henry VIII

How was England when Somerset came to power?

Somerset inherited a complex and potentially ruinous foreign policy legacy, characterised by an unfinished war against Scotland and ongoing tensions with France, particularly over the English-held port of Boulogne.

How did Somerset take to his role?

Within weeks Somerset had awarded himself control, governing largely with members of his own household, only one of whom, Sir Thomas Smith, was appointed a member of the Privy Council

Who was the only member of Somersets household that was appointed

Sir Thomas Smith

How did Somerset concolidate his authority?

Somerset consolidated his authority by appointing his loyal supporter, Sir Michael Stanhope, as Chief Gentleman of the Privy Chamber

This strategic move allowed Seymour to control access to the young King Edward VI, thereby reinforcing his own power

What reaction did this governing style gain amongst members of the privy council?

• However, this concentration of power and Seymour's autocratic style rapidly generated resentment among the members of the Privy Council

• Moreover, there could be no guarantee of wider public acceptance of Somerset’s protectorate resulting in a widespread fears about the breakdown of law and order.

• The atmosphere within Somerset's regime was quickly soured by factional rivalries

How did Somerset deal with the resentmnet?

Resulting in the swift arrest of one of its conservative members, the Earl of Southampton, within a few weeks of the protectorate's establishment

What was one of the firt major political casualty against Somerset?

• Somerset’s own brother, Thomas Seymour, became the first major political casualty

• Thomas tried to turn King Edward VI against Somerset and plot with the Earl of Southampton against Somerset’s authority

How did Somerset deal with the political betrayal ?

• These actions forced Somerset to charge Thomas Seymour with treason

• The Earl of Southampton helped Somerset by denouncing Thomas Seymour

How was Southamptom rewarded for his actions?

As a reward, Southampton was readmitted to the Privy Council

Poor leadership

What else was a weakness about Somerset ruling?

Somerset’s weaknesses as ruler were made worse by poor policy decisions

What was a key fail in Somersets foreign policy?

His main foreign policy failure was his handling of Scotland

How was Somersets credibility furthur damaged?

He also mishandled the 1549 rebellions, further damaging his credibility

What were the key atributes of Somertsts poor leadership style?

Even before the rebellions, doubts about Somerset’s leadership were growing

• His arrogant and dictatorial style created enemies

• Earl of Southampton particularly disliked Somerset, partly because of his earlier imprisonment

Overall what were they key fails in Somersets rule?

Policy failures + poor leadership style = loss of support from some original allies

Key enemies

Who was the most dangerous opponent to Somerset?

The most dangerous opponent was John Dudley, Earl of Warwick

What rebellion did John Dudley use to his advantage?

Warwick saw Somerset’s weak handling of the 1549 rebellions as the perfect opportunity to challenge him

Whose support did the Earl of Warwick gather/ try to gather?

• August 1549 Warwick and Southampton joined forces with Earl of Arundel, Lord St John

• All four were conservative noblemen who agreed Somerset’s power had to end

• The conspirators tried to gain the support of Princess Mary (Henry VIII’s daughter).

Why did Mary refuse to join?

• Mary avoided involvement in the plot to protect herself from political danger

• By October, the conspirators were ready to act

How was Somerset overthrown By Dudley

A stand-off occurred:

• Conspirators were based in London and Somerset was based at Hampton Court, but still in control of King Edward VI

• Somerset took Edward and retreated to Windsor

• Eventually, Somerset surrendered after being promised he would not face treason charge

Aims and Strategy

What were he general aims of Somerset’s foreign policy?

Somerset's foreign policy was fundamentally driven by his personal military experience and his commitment to fulfilling Henry VIII's strategic goals, particularly those relating to Scotland

What country was Somersets main priority?

Somerset’s main priority was Scotland

What was Somersets main aim with Scotland?

• Somerset’s main priority was Scotland, aiming to compel the Scots to agree to the marriage between King Edward VI and Mary, Queen of Scots

• The ultimate goal was to enforce the Treaty of Greenwich and unite the crowns of England and Scotland politically

How did attitudes towards Scotland differ from Henry

Unlike Henry VIII, who often treated the Scottish campaign as a "sideshow" to war with France, Somerset made it his central focus

What was Somersets strategy with Scotland

• Given his distinguished record as a general, Somerset pursued an aggressive military solution

• His strategy was to defeat the Scots in a major battle, then establish and garrison a string of forts along the borders and in southern Scotland to force the country into submission

What was Somersets initial strategy with France?

• Initially, Somerset sought to avoid open conflict with France and tolerated provocations, such as French military aid being sent to the Scots, in an attempt to prevent the full revival of the anti-English "auld alliance"

What battle did Somerset win against the Scots?

• Somerset began decisively, winning a major victory over the Scots at the Battle of Pinkie in September 1547

• This was a significant military achievement, comparable in magnitude to earlier English victories

In order to maintain on troll what policy did Somerset set up against the Scots?

Somerset put in place the Garrisoning Policy but despite the initial success, the strategy soon failed

Why did the Garrisoning fail?

The network of garrisons proved extremely difficult and expensive to maintain, consuming approximately £200,000 per year, an unaffordable sum for the Crown at that time

What Did to English fail to capture?

The English forces failed to capture the strategically vital castles of Dunbar and Edinburgh

Who was the foreign intervention seen on the Scots side?

• French King Henry II sent troops to Scotland and prevented English forces from capturing control of the Firth of Forth

When did the french troop capture from Scotland and how did this effect Somersets aims?

Critically, the French successfully gained custody of Mary, Queen of Scots, and transported her to France in 1548, effectively ruining Somerset’s central political objective of dynastic union.

Why did Somerset ultimately fail with Scotland?

• Somerset’s intense focus on subduing Scotland made him strategically inflexible

• He delayed releasing troops from the border garrisons to deal with the widespread domestic rebellions in the summer of 1549, which tragically allowed the uprisings to spiral dangerously out of control

Impact of foreign policy

What’s as the overall impact of Somersets foreign policy?

Somerset's foreign policy decisions had severe negative consequences that destabilised the government and paved the way for his downfall

The ultimate failure of his Scottish policy, combined with its high financial cost and its impact on the 1549 domestic rebellions, was a major factor leading to Somerset's loss of power later that year

What were the financial reasons for the failure in foreign policy?

• The costly military campaign contributed to the disastrous financial state of the country, exacerbating existing problems of heavy debt, high inflation, and coinage debasement inherited from Henry VIII

• Somerset was estimated to have spent over £1.3 million on war

• The financial strain and the failure to achieve the marriage alliance fuelled resentment among the Privy Council, who also criticised his autocratic style of governance

How did foreign relations with the french lead tot he fail in foreign policy?

The deteriorating relationship with France culminated in Henry II capitalising on England's internal turmoil in 1549 by declaring war and besieging Boulogne

The threat of a  French invasion of southern England came at the exact moment Somerset was most vulnerable