SOMERSET

• Henry's will stated all councillors were ot have equal power until Edward 18 
• Somerset as new king's uncle and a senior member of the counil covered henry's death for 4 days in order to change the will to name himself lord protector and effictive leader of the regency council
• He ruled with royal authority, he manipulated the situation to his advantage 
• Somerset used the 'dry stamp' ( Edward's signature)  without the king's presence and knowledge 

Why was Somerset accepted so quickly as leader?

• King's uncle
• successful military leader is scottish war
• important figure in government at end of Henry's reign
• Bribed other privy council members by giving them land and titles  

• feared a war from france and soctland because of their auld alliance
• to counter fear he formed closer alliance with Charles V of spain (most powerful man in europe) who was also enemy of the french
• Charles also liked England as he was cousins with princess mary
• he wanted england to return to catholisism- somerset therefore had to show restraint in his religious policies in order to keep this alliance
• Charles contolled netherland, netherlands centre of european cloth trade good relations essential                        

1547                                                                               

• Henry II of France sent 4000 troops to scotland, somerset invaded scotland and defeated them at the battle of pinkie 
• Somerset returned to London left a garrison in scotland to keep control, difficult and expensive 
• mismanagement at home and abroad led to Somerset's downfall, loss of marriage rebellions and economic crisiss, all areas of policy effected by spending too much time on scotland

• INFLATION= Henry had began to debase currency short term- increase in amount of money long term- inflation general: lack of confidnce in English currency effecting trade, economic instability, more poverty due to increase in population and prices

Somerset continued with Henry's economic policies 

• Somerset continued selling land including chantry land 
• Somerset continued to borrow money leading to debt 
• Somerset did not stop England's reliance on trade, when trade market collapsed in 1549 england suffered 
• Somerset garrisoning in scotland huge disaster for economy

RESULT

Somerset's refusal to reform government finances and continuation with the expensive scottish war led to a worse economy and rebellions in england 

• POPULATION INCREASE- rose to 3 million causing greater deman for foods and good meaning higher prices causing inflatoin to rise, unemployment and homlessness rose 
• ENCLOSURES- landowners started to fence their land off as they seen money in keeping sheep and sacked their workers creating depopulation in countryside: Somerset established a commission, he raised taxes on property and sheep to stop enclosures, somerset begin to enforce anti-enclosure laws through proclimations
• POOR HARVESTS-helped cuse rebellions of 1549 and increased unemployment
• VAGRANCY ACT 1547- anyone out of work for 3 days was to be branded with a 'V' and sold for a slave for 2 years, children of vagrants forced to work as apprentices 

RESULTS:  became known as good duke for helping the people although his lack of implentation with policies led to the year of the many headed monster