Edward VI -
As a regency council ruled England, his authority was limited
Education -
● Very intelligent and received an excellent education
● Alongside his education he was a keen sportsman enjoyed horse riding
Role in government -
● Difficult to tell how much influence he had in governing the kingdom
● Although he was young some historians argued he began to have considerable
influence in the later years of his reign
● Appeared to take a key interest in the shape of England’s religious settlement
Somersets relationship to Edward -
Edward’s uncle in charge of regency council and ruled England for 2 years
● Duke of Somerset was strict with Edward
● The boy had no direct involvement in government and limited pocket money but a
thorough education
Lord protector -
● Reformist faction strongest position when h8 died
● Somerset popular 1547 after his victories against Scotland soon after h8’s death the
Regency Council gave its power to Somerset
● Somerset rapidly took control of Edward and made himself Lord protector
Somerset regency council -
● Somerset rapidly promoted his own supporters to regency council
● Somerset supporters = Thomas Seymour, John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, Cranmer,
Paget etc..
● Regency council met in Somerset’s home, so he was able to control who had contact
with his government his retainers guarded him
How Somerset ruled -
● Used the dry stamp and royal proclamations
● H8’s last years the dry stamp had been used a great deal so this was not a sudden
change
● 1539 proclamations act said proclamations had equal force as statute law
Somerset religious policies -
● Tricky balancing act to please reformists and traditionalists - Protestants and catholics
● Book of common prayer and the act of uniformity 1549 were vague in the hope of being
all things to all worshippers
● Dissolved chantries - financial need
● Act against ornaments and images - protestant pressure in london
, ● Clergy allowed to marry again - enable more protestant clergy
Somerset downfall -
● Largely due to his failure to deal with 1549 rebellion - Kett’s
● Alienated many in the Regency council
● Foreign policy costly and ineffective
● Power declined 1549 with duke of Northumberland gaining power and influence in his
place
● 1552 Somerset arrested, tried for treason and executed
Duke of Northumberland :
1550, became Lord President of Privy Council, 1551 became Duke of Northumberland, most
important figure in England till Edwards death 1553
Religious policies -
● Northumberland took religion in a much more protestant direction
● Jan 1552 = treason act, questioning either the Royal supremacy and the beliefs of the
beliefs of the English church became an offence
● Jan 1552 = 2nd act of uniformity = attendance at church services compulsory
● 1552 Prayer Book = all traces of Catholicism and the catholic mass removed including
transubstantiation
Northumberland hypocrite ? -
● Used catholic / conservative support to become lord president of privy council those
men then lost their positions
● Northumberland oversaw protestant changes through confessing himself to be catholic
on the scaffold
● Northumberland was governing in the name of Edward who was a strong protestant,
being a good servant to him
Financial policies -
● Northumberland’s most important priority was to stabilise England after the turmoil of
Somerset’s rule
● Tried to pay off england’s debts this was through selling off chantry lands
● Ending debasement
● Increasing crown revenue through trade expansion and raising custom duties
Image -
● Image making central to conveying his authority
● Tried to copy his father and emphasises his Tudor heritage
● Clear limitations because of his age
● H8 had presented himself as a strong / virile man, Edward could not as just a child
● Instead Edward and his ministers crafted him as a second Josiah - king in the old
testament who pursued religious reform, this allowed him to emphasise his protestant
agenda
As a regency council ruled England, his authority was limited
Education -
● Very intelligent and received an excellent education
● Alongside his education he was a keen sportsman enjoyed horse riding
Role in government -
● Difficult to tell how much influence he had in governing the kingdom
● Although he was young some historians argued he began to have considerable
influence in the later years of his reign
● Appeared to take a key interest in the shape of England’s religious settlement
Somersets relationship to Edward -
Edward’s uncle in charge of regency council and ruled England for 2 years
● Duke of Somerset was strict with Edward
● The boy had no direct involvement in government and limited pocket money but a
thorough education
Lord protector -
● Reformist faction strongest position when h8 died
● Somerset popular 1547 after his victories against Scotland soon after h8’s death the
Regency Council gave its power to Somerset
● Somerset rapidly took control of Edward and made himself Lord protector
Somerset regency council -
● Somerset rapidly promoted his own supporters to regency council
● Somerset supporters = Thomas Seymour, John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, Cranmer,
Paget etc..
● Regency council met in Somerset’s home, so he was able to control who had contact
with his government his retainers guarded him
How Somerset ruled -
● Used the dry stamp and royal proclamations
● H8’s last years the dry stamp had been used a great deal so this was not a sudden
change
● 1539 proclamations act said proclamations had equal force as statute law
Somerset religious policies -
● Tricky balancing act to please reformists and traditionalists - Protestants and catholics
● Book of common prayer and the act of uniformity 1549 were vague in the hope of being
all things to all worshippers
● Dissolved chantries - financial need
● Act against ornaments and images - protestant pressure in london
, ● Clergy allowed to marry again - enable more protestant clergy
Somerset downfall -
● Largely due to his failure to deal with 1549 rebellion - Kett’s
● Alienated many in the Regency council
● Foreign policy costly and ineffective
● Power declined 1549 with duke of Northumberland gaining power and influence in his
place
● 1552 Somerset arrested, tried for treason and executed
Duke of Northumberland :
1550, became Lord President of Privy Council, 1551 became Duke of Northumberland, most
important figure in England till Edwards death 1553
Religious policies -
● Northumberland took religion in a much more protestant direction
● Jan 1552 = treason act, questioning either the Royal supremacy and the beliefs of the
beliefs of the English church became an offence
● Jan 1552 = 2nd act of uniformity = attendance at church services compulsory
● 1552 Prayer Book = all traces of Catholicism and the catholic mass removed including
transubstantiation
Northumberland hypocrite ? -
● Used catholic / conservative support to become lord president of privy council those
men then lost their positions
● Northumberland oversaw protestant changes through confessing himself to be catholic
on the scaffold
● Northumberland was governing in the name of Edward who was a strong protestant,
being a good servant to him
Financial policies -
● Northumberland’s most important priority was to stabilise England after the turmoil of
Somerset’s rule
● Tried to pay off england’s debts this was through selling off chantry lands
● Ending debasement
● Increasing crown revenue through trade expansion and raising custom duties
Image -
● Image making central to conveying his authority
● Tried to copy his father and emphasises his Tudor heritage
● Clear limitations because of his age
● H8 had presented himself as a strong / virile man, Edward could not as just a child
● Instead Edward and his ministers crafted him as a second Josiah - king in the old
testament who pursued religious reform, this allowed him to emphasise his protestant
agenda
