CONSOLIDATON: EDWARD VI

EDWARD VI - CONSOLIDATION 

ACCESSION TO THRONE: Edwards accession to the throne caused problems such as who would rein on behalf of the child king until he is of age. His uncle Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset seized that opposition. 

WHAT DID EDWARD/ DUKE OF SOMERSET INHERIT?: 

- a country divided on religious grounds 

- crown finances has been ruined by the expensive wars with France and Scotland 

- to pay for wars the coinage was debased which led to rise in rate of inflation and a decline in real income

-  the crown compromised it's own long term security by seeling monastic lands - at a considerable discount in order to raise money quickly 

HENRY VIII'S WILL: In his will he set up a regancy council to govern England until Edward was of age. The council had 16 members supported by 12 others. Decisions made my the council had to be a majority and it was balanced by Protestants like Archbishop Cranmmer and religious conservatives like the Earl of Southampton. They weew ro ensure the interest of good government. The regency council flopped as its power was delegated to Somerset who was appointed protector. 

THE GOVERNMENT DEMANDED GOOD ORDER AND SECURITY - cranmer's sermon on Obedience set the tone as it was to be read in churches and clergymen were to reinforce to their congregations that obedience to the king was in accordance to the will of God - and disobeying him was a mortal sin. 

DUKE OF SOMERSET: 

He relied on support from Cranmmer, Northumberland and Paget. He rewarded those who supported him with promotions within the peerage and grants of Crown land. He reinforced his power by appointing his suporter Sir Michael Stanhope as Chief Gentlemen. Members of the Privy Council. Memebers of the council felt resentment at his protectorate and within weeks the Earl of Southampton was arrested. The was no guarantee of wider public acceptance of Somerset's protectorate. There was also widespread fears about the breakdown of law and order. His regime was quickly soured with factioanl rivalries, his first victim being his own brother Thomas Seymour. He sought to turn Edward VI againist his own brother, he also plotted with Southampton giving Somerest little choice but to bring treason charges againist his brother, Southampton helped hism and was readmissioned to the Council. Somerset was a failure he apporached foreign policy badly (scotland in particular),, mishandled the rebellions of 1549. Even before 1549 doubts about Somerset were there. He was arrogant, dictorial mand created many enemies such as Southampton who was bitter about his previous imprisonment. His policy failures and style of government weakened him in the minds of many. In particular the Earl of Warwick who used his feeble response to the 1549 rebellions as his time to strike againist him. In August 1549, Northumberland and Southampton with some conservative noblemen decided to bring an end to Somerset, they wanted support from Mary I but she didn't want any part of it. There was…