Edward VI of England

:Edward Tudor redirects here; for another (though unlikely) Edward Tudor, see a putative younger son of Henry VII of England, thus this Edward's uncle if existed

Under Somerset

Henry died on 28 January 1547. His will named sixteen executors, who were to act as a Council of Regency until Edward achieved majority at the age of eighteen. These executors were to be supplemented by twelve assistants, who would only participate when the others deemed it fit. The executors were all inclined towards religious reformation, whose most prominent opponents, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, Stephen Gardiner (the Bishop of Winchester) and Thomas Thirlby (the Bishop of Westminster), were excluded. Henry also appointed Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford to serve as Lord Protector of the Realm and Governor of the King's Person during Edward's minority. Lord Hertford, who was Edward's uncle, was only supposed to act on the advice of the other executors. A few days after Henry's death, Lord Hertford was created Duke of Somerset and appointed to the influential positions of Lord High Treasurer and Earl Marshal.

Related Topics:
28 January - 1547 - Will - Executor - Regency - Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk - Stephen Gardiner - Bishop of Winchester - Thomas Thirlby - Bishop of Westminster - Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford - Lord Protector of the Realm and Governor of the King's Person - Duke of Somerset - Lord High Treasurer - Earl Marshal

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To allay all doubts regarding the validity of Henry VIII's will, all the executors sought reappointment from Edward. On 13 March 1547, Edward created a new Council of twenty-six members. The Council consisted of all the executors and assistants, except for Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton (who, whilst serving as Lord Chancellor, had illegally delegated some of his powers to other officials) and Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset. The Duke of Somerset was no longer merely a "first among equals"; instead, he was allowed to act without the consent of the Council, the composition of which he was permitted to change at his whim. The Lord Protector, then, became the real ruler of England; Edward VI was demoted to a ceremonial role.

Related Topics:
13 March - Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton - Lord Chancellor

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Another powerful influence on Edward VI was Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Both Cranmer and the Duke of Somerset began the process of creating a 'Protestant England'. Various Catholic rites were replaced with Protestant ones. The Duke of Somerset, however, did not encourage persecution; rather, he refrained from it, as he feared the wrath of Europe's powerful Catholic monarchs, especially the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Related Topics:
Thomas Cranmer - Archbishop of Canterbury - Charles V

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One of the Duke of Somerset's primary aims was to achieve a union between England and Scotland. In late 1547, an English army marched into Scotland and took control of the Lowlands. In 1548, however, Mary, the daughter of the Scottish King James V, married the Dauphin Francis, the heir-apparent to the French Throne, thereby strengthening the alliance between France and Scotland.

Related Topics:
England - Scotland - 1547 - Lowlands - 1548 - Mary - James V - Dauphin - Francis - France

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The Duke of Somerset was hardly in a position to oppose both France and Scotland, as his own position was insecure. His brother, Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, the Lord High Admiral, had hatched a plot to depose him. Lord Seymour's conspiracy, however, was exposed in 1549. A bill of attainder was introduced and passed almost unanimously by Parliament; Lord Seymour was executed on 20 March.

Related Topics:
Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley - Lord High Admiral - 1549 - Bill of attainder - 20 March

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Later in 1549, there was another uprising, this time by poor peasants. On 8 August, taking advantage of internal strife, the French formally declared war on England. The Duke of Somerset became extremely unpopular, and was deposed by John Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick. Lord Warwick did not make himself Lord Protector, and even encouraged Edward into declaring his majority as soon as he was sixteen. In 1550, Lord Warwick conciliated the peasant rebels and made peace with France, giving up all of England's possessions in Scotland without compensation.

Related Topics:
1549 - 8 August - John Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick - 1550

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