The stability of the monarchy, 1547-1558

Why did it fail?

• The plot was poorly managed
• Mary was quick to respond
  • Proclaimed herself queen and wrote to the PC to tell them
  • Behaved as the rightful monarch- gaining support of the ruling classes, as they needed to support the legitimate monarch to keep land
• Charles V was asked by Mary for help- threatening war 
• So N'land lost his advantage, and left London, giving the PC time to reconsider their support
• N'land then lost further support on his march to East Anglia, so had to abandon it and proclaim Mary queen

The immediate effects of Mary's rule

• Catholic leaders Gardiner and Norfolk were released from jail
• N'land, Jane and Guilford was all arrested and later executed

Marriage was the first politcial debate of Mary's reign, with two candidates supported by opposing factions.

• Edward Courtney, Earl of Devon, supported by Gardiner
• Phillip of Spain, supported by Paget

Mary's preference was for Philip, as it would create ties with the Habsburgs, although there were risks as England could be drawn into foreign wars.

Resistance

• Petition from the House of Commons, although Mary ignored this and presented the marriage treaty the Council
• Wyatt's rebellion- leaders felt that they would lose their power with a female monarch, but there were possible religious motives

There were numerous preconceptions about women in leadership in the 16th century:

1. A woman would be unable to control faction

2. A woman would be unable to lead an army into battle

3. A woman would be expected to marry, and a suitable husband would be hard to find

4. Religious opposition was notable, with Calvinists such as John Knox voicing concerns about women in leadership 

What did the Devise do?

• Named Mary and Elizabeth as illegitimate, so without a viable claim to the throne
• Diverted power to first to Lady Jane Grey' heirs, and then to her

N'land was the driving for behind the Devise:

• He married his son, Guilford Dudley, to Lady Jane Grey, which was followed by a soon change of the succession act to name Jane's non-existant son the heir to the throne
• BUT Guilford was married to Jane before the Devise was legalised

Edward was the driving force behind the Devise:

• He was playng a greater role in government and attending Privy Council meetings
• He was a commited Protestant and Mary would undo religious reforms
• N'land had dismissed his professional force, losing control
• Mary had not been captured
• There was no propaganda campaign to raise support for LGJ

• Power struggle 
• The Council had a majority of religious conservatives that did not trust Warwick (Northumberland)
• Warwick created a Protestant majority with his own supporters
• A Catholic plot against N'land accusing him of being friends with Somerset gave N'land the opportunity to side with Somerset 
• By Jan 1550, Warwick was Lord President and had placed his allies around Edward for security
• However, his gain of power meant that he had sided with more radical members of council, which influenced later religious reforms.
• Reconciliation with Somerset was attempted, his daughter married N'land's son, but he continued to plot, so was executed

• Edward was in good health- expectations of marriage and hiers
• Somerset's assumption of power was quite natural as the uncle of the king and a reputable soldier
• Smooth transfer of power- Henry's death was kept quiet unitl S had possession of Edward VI
• Realistic arguments in that a Regency Council of 16 equally powerful voices would find it hard to reach decisions, often comprimise, or lead to factional disputes

• Balanced Regency Council prepared by Henry VIII was overturned to give rise to autocratic leaders (Somerset, Northumberland)
• Henry VII was a powerful leader- Edward VI had nowhere near as much gravitas as his father
• Edward couldn't lead and army into battle and wasn't militarily adept- not as powerful as Henry
• Fears of instability brought by having a weaker leader- civil war?
• Harder to manage factions as a young boy (although, faction was a problem for most tudors e.g. Elizabeth)
• Evidence of how people saw Edward as weak- he was portrayed on a horse on coinage to give an image of more power, paintings of him looked like Henry
• Previous minority rules had not been stable- e.g. Edward V
• Somerset's assumption of power, although smooth, challenged Henry's 'Third Succession Act', causing some to question the legality of his power

• Somerset used his position to make personal gains in wealth and power, causing even his advisors to criticise him e.g. William Paget
• Summer of 1549 saw much unrest and trouble, again causing criticism from ruling elite
• Anti-Somerset faction formed between those of opposing views, including Paget, Wriosthesley and Warwick
• Wriostheley opposed religious change, Warwick may have wanted more power
• Summer of 1549- lords and counsillors used unrest to plot against Somerset with four charges against him

1. Somerset had caused the unrest

2. He was to egocentric in his rule

3. He had ignored advice of councillors

4. He had told lies against the king

• Somerset retreats to Hampton Court with Edward and summonds trusted subjects to defend him and the king
• Then moves to Windsor Castle with Edward where Edward fell ill and complained of the cold surroundings
• Edwards made claims that he was a prisoner, and that Somerset had threatened riots in London if he was removed from power, so abandoned him
• Somerset could not deny the king, so was removed from power and replaced with Warwick

Unrest in the country was limited after Wyatts rebellion, which could signify stability

However, there were divisions within the Privy Council

• Over Mary's marriage to Philip 
• Gardiner v Paget
• Disputes over heresy laws

Although, PC meetings were aided by:

• The establishment of committees that excluded casual councillors in 1554
• The establishment of an Inner Council in 1555
• Philip's departure and the death of Gardiner allowed Paget to dominate and form a conciliar government

Unstable

• Somerset only gained control through manipulation of Henry VIII's will
• The rebellions of 1549 meant that government lost support of the political elite 
• Somerset's overthrow in 1549 
• The power struggle between N'land and the Catholic faction
• The LJG affair triggering armed forces
• The threat Wyatt's rebellion posed to Mary

Stable

• The legitmate monarch always triumphed
• The crown passed peaceful in all but on instance
• Somerset's attempted coup was short-lived
• LGJ was quickly overturned
• The ruling elite supported the rightful monarch