Edward VI 1547-53
Edward VI ascended to the throne when he was nine-years-old.
§ He was the first to succeed the titles of Supreme Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith.
§ Following the death of Henry VIII, there were many issues that needed to be dealt with:
The Crown’s finances had been ruined by expensive wars against France and Scotland.
Divided on religious grounds
To pay for the wars, the coinage had been debased. This led to a rise in inflation and a decline in real incomes
for many people.
The Crown had compromised its long-term security, by selling off monastic lands, in order to raise money for
war quickly.
§ In Henry VIII’s will, he had set up a Regency Council, to govern England whilst Edward was still a minor- sixteen
members
§ Members of the Regency Council were balanced between Protestants, such as Hertford and Cranmer, and
religious conservatives, such as the Earl of Southampton.
§ The Regency Council did not last long, and delegated its power to Hertford, who later granted himself the title of
the Duke of Somerset.
§ Hertford relied on the support of Cranmer, Viscount Lisle (who later became Earl of Warwick and Duke of
Northumberland) and Sir William Paget.
§ The government was fearful of good order and security, as there was no guarantee of wider public acceptance of
Somerset as protectorate.
§ The clergy were required to reinforce the idea that the authority of the King was in accordance with the will of
God. Disobedience of the King, therefore, was a mortal sin.
Edward Seymour was made Earl of Hertford in October 1537
§ He made himself the Duke of Somerset on 16th Feb 1547
§ From 31st January 1547 until 31st October 1549 Somerset ruled as Lord Protector
Somerset’s rise to power
§ Born Edward Seymour in about 1506, brother of Jane Seymour
§ In March 1537 he became a member of the Privy Council. Experience of diplomacy and the battlefield in Scotland and
France
§ 31st Jan elected Somerset as protector and he ruled with virtual royal authority. In January 1552 he was tried and
executed
Dudley- Warwick- Northumberland (Duke of Northumberland)
§ John Dudley was made Earl of Warwick in February 1547
§ He made himself duke of Northumberland on 11th October 1551
§ On 21st February 1550 Northumberland was appointed Lord President of the council-
Northumberlands rise to power
§ Born john Dudley in 1504; son of Edmund Dudley who was executed by henry VII
§ He was brought up by Sir Edward Guildford, treated him like a son
§ 1540’s earned military reputation in land and sea battles against the Scots and French. On henry VIII death he
became the earl of Warwick August 1553 he was tried and executed
, The Regency Of Somerset
§ When Somerset was appointed Protector, under the Regency Council, he rewarded himself and supporters with
promotions within the peerage, and substantial grants of Crown lands.
§ Within weeks, Somerset had gained control, and reinforced his power by controlling the Privy Chamber, through
appointing one of his supporters as Chief Gentleman.
§ Increasingly, members of the Privy Council resented Somerset, and the atmosphere of his regime was quickly
soured by factional rivalries.
§ Thomas Seymour, the brother of Somerset, sought to turn Edward VI against his brother.
§ Seymour also plotted with the Earl of Southampton against Somerset. Somerset had little choice but to charge his
brother of treason.
§ Southampton denounced Seymour and, consequently, achieved his readmission to the Council.
§ His arrogant and dictatorial manner created many enemies, especially Southampton.
§ His style of government and policy failings made him appear weaker to those who had originally supported him.
§ One of Somerset’s most important enemies was the Earl of Warwick, who was given the opportunity to strike
Somerset, following his weak response to the rebellions of 1549.
§ In August 1549, Warwick and Southampton decided that Somerset’s control should be brought to an end, and tried
to secure the support of Princess Mary, but she refused to be a part of any conspiracy.
§ At the time that the conspirators were ready to strike, Somerset was at Hampton Court and still had control over
the king
§ Somerset and Edward retreated to Windsor, but Somerset surrendered after being promised that no treason
charges would be pressed against him
Iconoclasm - Destruction of images within churches
Injunctions- Orders issued for the implication of church policy either by the church or by bishops
Chantries- Chapels set aside for the signing of masses for peacefulness of dead souls in purgatory
Visitations- Inspection of parish churches
Purgatory- The place where dead souls went so that their sins could be purged before entering heaven. The rejection of
this by the C of E made this redundant
Eucharistic declaration- Made by the priest when offering the Eucharist. The words ‘take this and eat it, this is my
body’ were held by Gardiner to imply the acceptance of transubstantiation
Transubstantiation- Proclaimed that the bread and wine as consecrated in the Eucharist were transformed into the
actual blood and body of Christ
Elevation of the host- the consecrated bread had been raised by the priest and shown to the congregation
Communion in both kinds - priests took both the bread and wine whilst the lay people only took bread. This was
challenged by reformers like Martin Luther who believed that both groups should take this.
Edward VI ascended to the throne when he was nine-years-old.
§ He was the first to succeed the titles of Supreme Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith.
§ Following the death of Henry VIII, there were many issues that needed to be dealt with:
The Crown’s finances had been ruined by expensive wars against France and Scotland.
Divided on religious grounds
To pay for the wars, the coinage had been debased. This led to a rise in inflation and a decline in real incomes
for many people.
The Crown had compromised its long-term security, by selling off monastic lands, in order to raise money for
war quickly.
§ In Henry VIII’s will, he had set up a Regency Council, to govern England whilst Edward was still a minor- sixteen
members
§ Members of the Regency Council were balanced between Protestants, such as Hertford and Cranmer, and
religious conservatives, such as the Earl of Southampton.
§ The Regency Council did not last long, and delegated its power to Hertford, who later granted himself the title of
the Duke of Somerset.
§ Hertford relied on the support of Cranmer, Viscount Lisle (who later became Earl of Warwick and Duke of
Northumberland) and Sir William Paget.
§ The government was fearful of good order and security, as there was no guarantee of wider public acceptance of
Somerset as protectorate.
§ The clergy were required to reinforce the idea that the authority of the King was in accordance with the will of
God. Disobedience of the King, therefore, was a mortal sin.
Edward Seymour was made Earl of Hertford in October 1537
§ He made himself the Duke of Somerset on 16th Feb 1547
§ From 31st January 1547 until 31st October 1549 Somerset ruled as Lord Protector
Somerset’s rise to power
§ Born Edward Seymour in about 1506, brother of Jane Seymour
§ In March 1537 he became a member of the Privy Council. Experience of diplomacy and the battlefield in Scotland and
France
§ 31st Jan elected Somerset as protector and he ruled with virtual royal authority. In January 1552 he was tried and
executed
Dudley- Warwick- Northumberland (Duke of Northumberland)
§ John Dudley was made Earl of Warwick in February 1547
§ He made himself duke of Northumberland on 11th October 1551
§ On 21st February 1550 Northumberland was appointed Lord President of the council-
Northumberlands rise to power
§ Born john Dudley in 1504; son of Edmund Dudley who was executed by henry VII
§ He was brought up by Sir Edward Guildford, treated him like a son
§ 1540’s earned military reputation in land and sea battles against the Scots and French. On henry VIII death he
became the earl of Warwick August 1553 he was tried and executed
, The Regency Of Somerset
§ When Somerset was appointed Protector, under the Regency Council, he rewarded himself and supporters with
promotions within the peerage, and substantial grants of Crown lands.
§ Within weeks, Somerset had gained control, and reinforced his power by controlling the Privy Chamber, through
appointing one of his supporters as Chief Gentleman.
§ Increasingly, members of the Privy Council resented Somerset, and the atmosphere of his regime was quickly
soured by factional rivalries.
§ Thomas Seymour, the brother of Somerset, sought to turn Edward VI against his brother.
§ Seymour also plotted with the Earl of Southampton against Somerset. Somerset had little choice but to charge his
brother of treason.
§ Southampton denounced Seymour and, consequently, achieved his readmission to the Council.
§ His arrogant and dictatorial manner created many enemies, especially Southampton.
§ His style of government and policy failings made him appear weaker to those who had originally supported him.
§ One of Somerset’s most important enemies was the Earl of Warwick, who was given the opportunity to strike
Somerset, following his weak response to the rebellions of 1549.
§ In August 1549, Warwick and Southampton decided that Somerset’s control should be brought to an end, and tried
to secure the support of Princess Mary, but she refused to be a part of any conspiracy.
§ At the time that the conspirators were ready to strike, Somerset was at Hampton Court and still had control over
the king
§ Somerset and Edward retreated to Windsor, but Somerset surrendered after being promised that no treason
charges would be pressed against him
Iconoclasm - Destruction of images within churches
Injunctions- Orders issued for the implication of church policy either by the church or by bishops
Chantries- Chapels set aside for the signing of masses for peacefulness of dead souls in purgatory
Visitations- Inspection of parish churches
Purgatory- The place where dead souls went so that their sins could be purged before entering heaven. The rejection of
this by the C of E made this redundant
Eucharistic declaration- Made by the priest when offering the Eucharist. The words ‘take this and eat it, this is my
body’ were held by Gardiner to imply the acceptance of transubstantiation
Transubstantiation- Proclaimed that the bread and wine as consecrated in the Eucharist were transformed into the
actual blood and body of Christ
Elevation of the host- the consecrated bread had been raised by the priest and shown to the congregation
Communion in both kinds - priests took both the bread and wine whilst the lay people only took bread. This was
challenged by reformers like Martin Luther who believed that both groups should take this.
