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Edward VI: Northumberland - Coggle Diagram
Edward VI: Northumberland
Economy, trade and exploration
following expense of somersets war, gov had no money and had to borrow heavily from european bankers. sale of chantry lands occured to pay off loans. successive debasement of coin under h8 led to inflation, so coinage called in and reissued with the same silver content it had on 1527. even so, more crown lands had to be sold off and custom and excise rates had to be raised.
poor harvests in 1550s made grain prices rise rapidly. cloth trade with netherlands suffering problems. there was a sudden drop in exports in summer 1551 due to problems with trade at antwerp, which led to increased unemployment in the west.
northumberlands policies reflect these changes
sheep tax of 1548 repealed in 1550
new treason act passed in 1550; re-imposed cencorship which helped restore law and order.
anti-enclosure legislation passed and the unpopular enclosure committees ended. acts were passed to protect arable farming.
new poor law passed in 1552, which made parished responsible for raising money to look after deserving poor.
Expansion of trade routes
N encouraged expansion of trade routes due to problems with europe.
by 1553 english ships trading as far as gold coast in africa. english ships not strong enough to get to india or china, but interest in renewing the search for a passage round north of american continent.
in 1552 a company was set up supported by city merchants and prviy council and led by sebastian cabot. in may 1553, sir hugh willoughby set out to find a route. he and two of the ships perished, but second in command, richard chancellor, succeeded in reaching the port of archangel and established diplomatic links with ivan iv, the tsar of muscovy. the muscovy company was founded to encourage trade between the 2 countries. beginning of english exploration
Religious changes, 1550-53
took C o E to a very protestant position. northumberland was keen to support those with radical prot view. many conservatives had lost their position of power, e.g. bishop gardiner imprisoned. several new reforming bishops appointed.
in jan 1552, parliament assembled and a comprehensive programme about religious reform was passed.
Treason act
: became an offence to question royal supremacy or any beliefs of english church
Second act of uniformity
: became an offence for both clergy and laity to not attend CoE services. offenders to be fined or imprisoned.
Second prayer book; 1552
: removed all traces of catholicism and the mass. significance of eucharist reduced.
1553 instructions sent out to bishops
and told them to ensure altars were replaced by communion tables, and clergy shouldnt wear vestements
an attack on church wealth
: commissioners began removal of all gold and silver plate held in parishes.
1553 act of 42 articles
: listed doctrines; protestant. however, hierarchy and gov of church remained the same
Foreign policy
willing to sacrifice influence in scot to focus on domestic problems.
realised future friendship with france might be valuable if main enemy was seen as spain and HRE; both ruled by C5, a hard line catholic.
in 1550 a peace treaty was signed with france - treaty of bolougne. bolougne given up to french, and english had to remove garrissons from scotland, and border regions restored to what they were before h8. agreed on marriage between e6 and henry ii's daughter, elizabeth.
relations with c5 remained bad; he was angry about extreme moves towards protestantism in england.