Somerset and Northumberland Religious Policy

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  • Created by: Luciieee
  • Created on: 29-03-15 20:26

Somerset and Northumberland Religious Policy

Similarities

  • Enforced Protestant settlement upon majority Catholic nation = :( everywhere
  • Removal of signs of Catholicism - Somerset bans burning of lights and destroys images e.g. stained glass (Sept 1547, all images gone from St Paul's Cathedral) - Northumberland replaces altars with communion tables (Hooper particular influence)
  • Duffy - refers to Somerset's reforms as "charter for revolution" and Northumberland's as a "flood-tide of radicalism"
  • Used religious reforms as way to gain financial means - Som. dissolved chantries in Dec 1547 (way of paying for war with Scotland - although did have some theological basis - no belief in purgatory=no need - Haigh argues war prime motivation)
  • Northumberland - evidence he saw religious reforms as way to gain money e.g. Dioceses of Gloucester + Worcester combined w. 2/3 of Worcester estate going to Crown

Differences

  • Somerset's 1549 Book of Common Prayer was more moderate - reaction to fears among councillors that reforms were progressing too quickly e.g. Gardiner could agree with some elements (said Eucharist declaration implied transubstantiation) - HOWEVER, did include Communion of Both Kinds fairly radical
  • Northumberland's 1552 Book of Common Prayer seen as much more radical e.g. conservatives could no longer find anything they agreed with in it + objects of "superstition" banned e.g. "popish vestments"
  • Somerset mainly influenced by radicals in own household e.g. John Hooper and Thomas Becon - also, 1547 injunctions were more extreme reassertion of Cromwell's 1538 injunctions
  • Northumberland - more influenced by king himself e.g. Ed saw himself as 'Josiah' (biblical king who got rid of idolatry) - also Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury + Ridley, Bishop of London

Overall comparison

Both Dukes intended to use enforce a radically Protestant regime although Somerset's Book of Common Prayer was much less radical due to fears of rate of reform. In terms of Northumberland's reforms, in many cases extending reforms Somerset had begun. They are both equally guilty in terms of using the Church as means to plunder wealth. More evidence that Northumberland was accounting for the wishes of the kingOVERALL: Northumberland better as managed to maintain strong Protestant reforms which, although against wishes of people, would have been wishes of the king who he was bound to serve

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