Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Edward VI (Regency Council (Quickly delegated power to Hertford who was…
Edward VI
Regency Council
16
Majority
Protestants (Hertford, Canmer)
Conservatives (Lord St John)
Administrators + lawyers
Under-represented: great noble families
Quickly delegated power to Hertford who was appointed as Protector
Needed the support of Cranmer, Viscount Lisle + Sir William Paget
Rewarded supporters with peerage + crown land
Became Duke of Somerset
Largely governed with members of his own household of which only one, Sir Thomas Smith, was a member of the Privy Council
Increased his power even further by appointing his supporter, Sir Michael Stanhope, as Chief Gentleman which meant he could control the Privy Chamber
Members of the Privy Council disliked the protectorate and the Earl of Southampton had been arrested and there were widespread fears over the loss of law + order due to the lacking faith of the people in Somerset
Factional rivalries grew and Thomas Seymour (Somerset's brother) tried to turn Edward VI against Somerset and tried to plot with the Earl of Southampton against Somerset so he was charged with treason
Somerset's Policy Failings
Mishandled rebellions of
1549
Foreign policy
Scotland
Created enemies
Arrogant + dictatorial
Southampton especially due to earlier imprisonment
Even previous supporters grew less strong
Earl of Warwick was a particular enemy and the weakness of Somerset's response to rebellion gave him a chance to strike
The Conspiracy
Decision:
August 1549
Warwick + Southampton + Ear of Arundel + Lord St John decided that Somerset's control should be ended
Stand-off with the conspirators in London and Somerset at Hampton Court
Somerset still had control over the King but after first retreating with Edward to Windsor, he surrendered with the promise of not being charged for treason
October 1549
Wanted to make sure they had:
Order + security
Keen for clergy to ensure people knew authority of king was in accordance with the will of God - Cranmer's homily on obedience to be read in Parish churches
The Duke of Northumberland
Warwick was the leader of the plot and did not want the same concentrated power that Somerset had had
No attempt to re-establish a Protectorate
Lord President of the Council
He had a second coup directed at the Conservatives due to fear that they might get rid of him
He got rid of Southampton + Arundel
Cranmer's support + the King's increasingly assertive Protestantism determined religious issues
Increase power
Promoted to Duke of Northumberland
He was already Lord Chamberlain but appointed his own supporter, Sir John Gates, as Vice-Chamberlain to secure control over the court
Operated an effective government through the Privy Council
This was made easier by the getting rid of Southampton
Paget created guidelines for more effective operation of the Privy Council + Northumberland use some of these
However, Paget was increasingly excluded from decision making
William Cecil became Northumberland's key administrator
Approach to government changed following Somerset's failed counter-coup
Somerset had been readmitted to the Council + tried to recover position but he was outwitted + executed which made chaos less likely
Northumberland became less cooperative in his approach to government and behaved more like Somerset had
People seen as enemies such as Paget were removed form the council and sent to the tower
Power was mostly with Northumberland + Gates who possessed the dry stamp to give the King's signature
Foreign power relations under Somerset
Somerset aimed to enforce the marriage between Edward VI + Mary Queen of Scots to unite Scotland + England
Failed due to Scotland's cooperation with France
Deteriorating relations with France led to threat of war in
1549
and a potential invasion of the South during a vulnerable time of rebellions and this therefore increased resentment from Privy Council
Somerset put Scotland as his main priority instead of France as Scotland had been a side issue for Henry VIII
Somerset wanted to defeat Scotland in battle, build + garrison forts on the border and south of Scotland and force them into submission
September 1547:
Won Battle of Pinkie
Proved expensive to garrison
Could not capture strategically significant castles at Dunbar + Edinburgh
Underestimated cooperation between Scotland + France
Failed to block the Firth of Fourth which enabled the French to relieve Edinburgh
France gained control of Mary Queen of Scots + she was married to Dauphin, the heir to the French throne
Foreign power relations under Northumberland
Reduced expenditure + stabilised crown finances
Ended wars against Scotland + France (returned Boulogne to France - occupation had been a financial strain anyway) + France paid £133,333 for the port
Garrisons abandoned in Scotland which had financial benefits