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Topic 13- Edward VI, Somerset and Northumberland - Coggle Diagram
Topic 13- Edward VI, Somerset and Northumberland
A. Royal authority under Edward VI
Regency council:
comprised of 16 members, supported by a further 12 members who would assist as required- the council was balanced between protestants (such as Somerset/Hereford, Cranmer) and conservatives (such as E of Southampton, and Lord St John who would later be the Marquis of Winchester)
regency council did not last long as it delegated power to Hereford (Somerset) who was appointed protector
Duke of Somerset:
Somerset secured power in two way: patronage and violence
rewarded supporters and even gave himself a peerage:
Sir Thomas Smith appointed to privy council
Sir Michael Stanhope became chief gentleman who controlled the privy chamber
also counted on the support of Cranmer, E of Warwick (later D of Northumberland) and Paget
Earl of Southampton was arrested after many members of the privy council resented the protectorate. Thomas Seymour was charged with treason due to factional rivalries and Somerset soon made an enemy of Warwick
Fall from power:
August 1549- Warwick, Southampton and Arundel conspired to remove somerset. They tried to gain support from M1 but she didn't get involved. They convinced Cranmer to take their side
somerset realised their was a conspiracy and ordered troops on standby- the council ordered the arrest of Somersets allies
Somerset retreats with EVI to Windsor, and does eventually surrender after having been promised (in a deal brokered by Cranmer) that no charges of treason would be brought against him
1550- Somerset is restored to the council
later rearrested and executed in 1552 after having tried to overthrow Northumberland as protector
Duke of Northumberland:
northumberland had two coups in his seizure of power:
1st coup: against somerset after having become the most prominent member in the council
2nd Coup: purging the religious conservatives from the council- Arundel and Southampton removed and Cranmer's support and the Kings own protestantism would decide the direction of religious policy from here
as Lord Chamberlain he promoted his own hardman, Sir John Gates, as vice-chairman of the council to control court
Northumberland did run an effective government through the privy council for a time- Paget had created a set of guidelines for the more effective operation of the privy council
Paget himself was increasingly excluded from decision making
William Cecil had pros[ered as one of Somerset's men, and had transformed himself after brief imprisonment into one of the key administrators
after Somerset's attempted counter coup, Northumberland became less conciliar in his government, acting more like Somerset has done before he was removed
Presumed enemies like Paget were removed (Paget sent to the tower )
Power had laid increasingly with Northumberland and his henchman Gates, who had possession of the dry stamp which could affix the King's signature in documents
B. Problems with the succession:
Northumberland had regained stability, but his attempt to alter the succession ruined his reputation
HVIII will and Succession Act 1544 declared that if EVI died childless, succession would go to M1's line
this was not an issue for most of Northumberland's time as Edward was still a child
Feb 1553: EVI was taken ill and by the end of March a Venetian ambassador reported that he was dying
If Mary would come to the throne it would lead to Northumberland's ruin and the restoration of Catholicism
The Devyse:
a plan that was created to alter the succession- the original idea may have from EVI not Northumberland, as he was anxious to ensure the continuity of protestant reform
Northumberlands preferred choice was Lady Jane Grey who was married to his son, Guildford Dudley
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C. Relations with foreign powers:
Relations under Somerset
Scotland
attempted to reassert the ancient claim of Suzerainty (the right of English kings over the Scottish throne) by pursuing the marriage of EVI to Mary QoS- thereby unite the throne of both countries
the different between somerset and HVIII Is that it was just a sideshow for Henry with the main target being france, whereas for Somerset Scotland was the key priority
Somersets chosen strategy was to defeat the Scots in battle, and build and garrison a number of forts across the border- AKA forcing Scots into submission
Battle of Pinkie 1547- Scots defeated by English forces
however this went bad quickly- it was difficult to man the forts and the English failed to capture the strategically significant castles at Dunbar and Edinburgh
somerset underestimated the cooperation between Scotland and france, and he had failed to block the Firth of Forth (estuary of a large river) properly- enabled the French to relieve Edinburgh
the French gained control of Mary QoS and she was taken in 1548 in france to marry the
Dauphin of france
Overall, this policy was incredibly expensive and it failed miserable at achieving the political objective of marriage between Mary QoS and EVI
France:
didn't take direct action against the French, but policy was still expensive
he had to reinforce Boulogne and Calais
1549- threat of invasion caused action to be taken, and costly reinforcements and defences put in the South
Relations under Northumberland
northumberland reduced foreign policy expenditure to help stabilise crown finances- he ended wars against france and Scotland
to end French war he had to return boulogne- Treaty of Boulogne 1550 returned it to France for £133,333
this might have been perceived as a foreign policy humiliation but served to bring an immediate improve in the crowns finances, and the occupation of Boulogne was a constant drain on resources
this was supported by the abandonment of the remaining English garrisons- the financial benefit of this outweighed the fears over French influence in Scotland
Carried on HVIII's policy of trying to keep on good terms with the HRE, Charles V, so was eager not to get involved in French-HRE tensions
when war broke out he tried to act a broker of peace as a neutral country- sent his brother and son in law to each leader to act as peace broker
Charles V would end hostilities if the French leader could be trusted (he could not)- so in June 1553 French hostilities continued