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Flashcards in Edward VI Deck (40)
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1
Q

Who was the Earl of Hertford (who would become the Duke of Somerset)? Who was the Duke of Norfolk during the conservative crisis? Who was the Earl of Surrey?

A

Edward Seymour; Thomas Howard; Henry Howard

2
Q

When was Henry’s will signed. But, when was it registered?

A

Late 1546; January 1547.

3
Q

Why does Suzannah Lipscomb say that no one hijacked the will?

A

Henry’s courtiers probably just wanted to proclaim the authenticity of the will.

4
Q

How many executors (servants) did Henry nominate in his will (who were also to be privy Councillors)?

A

16

5
Q

When was Edward Seymour elected Lord Protector?

A

January 1547

6
Q

On his accession, how much influence did Ed VI have in government?

At Somerset’s fall?

Early under Northumberland? (1550-51)

A
  1. Ed only a figurehead - Somerset had all of the real power.
  2. Dragged to Windsor by Somerset in 1549 when a coup was feared - but his newfound hostility led to Seymour’s downfall.
  3. Council ruled increasingly at the direction of Ed.
7
Q

Later under Northumberland? (1552-53).

At the end of his reign?

A
  1. Summer Progress of 1552 gave him the confidence to introduce more policies such as the fortification of Portsmouth. By late 1552, attending Council meetings and setting agendas.
  2. Tried to change the succession by removing Mary + Eliz + replacing w/ Jane Grey - forced Council to agree to it.
8
Q

How much did Somerset spend on South Coast Defences between March and August 1547?

A

£6,000

9
Q

What are the criticisms of Somerset in that he weakened Royal authority?

A
  • Lack of reform on the tax/customs system. Nigel Heard says that in 1547 the gov was “virtually bankrupt”, but not much was done to sort this out.
  • Inability to show leadership when necessary because of a preoccupation with the war effort.
  • 5% tax on personal property - lead to unrest within the nobility, who held so much power and influence beaten only by the Crown.
10
Q

How did W. K. Jordan describe Somerset’s religious stance?

A

“Undoubted Protestant of moderate…persuasion”.

11
Q

What’s something that can be said in support of Somerset in terms of Royal authority?

A

Up until being overthrown, he had the support of Edward, Protestants and civil servants on the council. He had one rival - The Earl of Warwick.

12
Q

When was an enclosure commission appointed? Despite its unpopularity, when was another one appointed?

A

1548; 1549

13
Q

Why was there a tax on sheep under Somerset?

A

There’s less incentive to use enclosure, as enclosed land was used as grazing ground for sheep.

14
Q

What were Somerset’s FP aims?

A

Try to get the Treaty of Greenwich (1543) through to unify Scotland and England.

To conquer Scotland - carry on the rough wooing.

Avoid war with France - tolerate their provocations, but when they get involve, counter.

15
Q

What happened at the Battle of Pinkie?

A

1547 - English victory by Somerset, but failure to take Edinburgh.

16
Q

Why did Somerset’s FP fail?

A

Between 1547 and 1549, garrisons remained in place in Scotland. But, the arrival of 10,000 French troops in 1548 made the system unworkable.

The garrisons were more expensive than Henry’s raids - Somerset = over £350k on soldiers wages, compared to under £250k by Henry.

17
Q

Alternative reasons for Somerset’s FP failing?

A

English garrisons were poorly defended, and couldn’t match the French might.

A treaty was quickly signed between France and Scotland that agreed marriage of Henry II’s son, Francis, to MQS (the Treaty of Haddington, 1548). Mary was taken from Scotland to France - no chance of union now.

18
Q

What were Northumberland’s FP aims?

A
  • Willing to sacrifice influence in Scotland to concentrate on urgent internal problems in England.
  • Realised that a future friendship with France might be valuable if the main enemy was seen as Spain and the HRE, both ruled by Charles V.
19
Q

What had the Treaty of Ardres (1546) done?

A

Ardres had confirmed English possession of Boulogne.

20
Q

What did the new Treaty of Boulogne (1550) do?

A

Treaty of Boulogne:

  • England gives up Boulogne in return for 400,000 crowns (more than Henry II, but a lot less promised to Henry VIII)
  • England agreed to pull all troops out of Scotland and not to declare war unless provoked.
  • Marriage arranged between Edward and daughter of Henry II, with Elizabeth bringing a dowry of 200,000 crowns.
  • England and France made a defensive alliance + England remained neutral in continental wars.
  • English claim to the French throne not abandoned.
21
Q

How does N. Heard describe the view of the Treaty of Boulogne at the time? How does he describe the view of more recent historians?

A

Seen “as a national disgrace” by the English public. But, more recent historians have seen him as a capable diplomat - facing bankruptcy, he was taking “the only sensible course”.

22
Q

What were the main social problems faced by Somerset?

A

The number of poor people + enclosure.

23
Q

What was Somerset’s solution to the problem of the poor?

What about enclosure?

What else did Somerset do?

A

The 1547 Vagrancy Act. This included branding people who had been out of work for 3 days.

Appoint commissions.

5% tax on personal property + sheep tax.

24
Q

Where did Somerset’s enclosure commissions fail?

A

Landowners hated them, and they weren’t that effective - a commission to investigate enclosure in the Midlands didn’t bring forward any cases.

25
Q

What did Northumberland do in terms of social problems, etc?

A

Repealed the unpopular sheep tax in 1550, withdrew ineffective commissions against enclosure, but to compensate for this by 1551 he took control of stocks of grain to relieve the crisis caused by harvest failures.

He retained the provisions of the 1547 Vagrancy Act that cared for the disabled, but repealed everything else.

26
Q

How did N. Heard describe Somerset’s 1547 Act?

A

As “a savage attack on vagrants..”.

27
Q

How much debt had Henry VIII incurred?

A

He owed £100,000 to the Antwerp money market.

28
Q

How did Northumberland attempt to solve various financial crises in terms of debasement?

A

Decision to end debasement not taken until April 1551 - even then, Northumberland did not want to call in the debased coinage and replace it with coins of the correct amount of precious metal (done in 1560)

29
Q

What else did Northumberland do to try and solve financial crisis?

A

In terms of heavy expenditure by Henry for FP, he ordered drastic reductions. Boulogne returned to France, garrisons withdrawn and William Paulet, the Marquis of Winchester, enforced stricter methods of accounting.

30
Q

What was Northumberland’s solution to debt?

A

Selling crown and chantry lands had managed to reduce debt from £300,000 in 1550 to £180,000 in 1553.

31
Q

What did Somerset do wrong in terms of finance?

A

Debasement was carried on, and no reforms of government finance were tried + no real evidence of paying debts.

32
Q

Give examples of radical Protestantism:

A

Book of homilies published by Cranmer in 1547 were imposed via Royal injunction, and ordered all images to be removed from churches.

January 1552 - the second book of common prayer was a highly Protestant document that removed traces of Catholicism. It established a Eucharist ceremony in line with Calvin’s belief of a ‘Spiritual Presence’. Enforced by Act of Uniformity 1552

Same month + year - new treason act meant it became an offence to question royal supremacy or the church’s articles of faith.

33
Q

Give examples of moderate Protestantism:

A

Summer 1547 - Council ordered bishops to take down superstitious images and make sure all parishes had an English bible. Protestants didn’t think this was far enough - riots in Essex destroyed superstitious images.

1548 - First Book of Common Prayer by Cranmer. What he thought would be politically acceptable, not what he believed - satisfies few radicals. No change made to transubstantiation. Enforced by Act of Uniformity 1549.

34
Q

Who was Nicholas Ridley? What happened with him?

What did Northumberland do in terms of exploiting Catholic money?

A

English bishop of London. Replaced the conservative bishop Edmund Bonner in 1550. He denied transubstantiation.

1552 - survey revealed total church resources not yet exploited = over £1 million. However, Edward’s death in July 1553 brought a halt to selling Mass objects.

35
Q

When were the Ketts and Western rebellions? How can they be seen as not revealing a MTC?

A

Both were in 1549; they were ultimately put down fairly easily.

36
Q

Where was the Western rebellion? Why were the grievances? What happened?

A

Cornwall; religion was the central issue - a list of articles drawn up demanding reintroduction of Catholicism via the 6 Articles. Though religion had always figured, local and economic matters were excluded after clergymen took control.

Ended up in bloodshed - at Sampford Courtenay, 3000 killed.

37
Q

Where was the Ketts rebellion? What were the grievances? What happened?

A

Norwich; end to the enclosure of saffron grounds, as they were highly profitable; annoyance at failed enclosure commissions; meadows and grasslands to be priced as they were in 1486.

Somerset sent an army to negotiate - but Robert Ketts, the leader, went on the attack. The rebels refused another pardon - and again, 3,000 were slaughtered.

38
Q

What did M. L. Bush (paraphrased) say about the Edwardian government?

A

It didn’t fight for its life at any point.

39
Q

What did Edward initially jot down HIMSELF about the succession?

A

Crown should go to the male heirs of Lady Jane Grey. When he suffered a relapse in May, he ordered the will to be drawn up - it would now go to Lady Jane AND heirs male.

But, Edward’s death before Parliament could confirm the succession left them in limbo, as the Third Succession Act (1543) still stood in the way.

40
Q

What other struggle did Somerset have with Garrison troops?

A

Soldiers ran away from the terrible conditions of the garrisons.