Accession, Somerset and Northumberland

• Edward VI rose to the throne at 9 years old after Henry VIII's death on 28th January 1547
• Henry VIII had put the Regency council in place to run the country until Edward VI was old enough to rule
• Edward VI inherited a troubled kingdom with religious divisions, ruined finances from wars, selling off monastic lands, debased coinage leading to inflation and decline in real incomes
• Access to the king equaled power, with members of the privy council dominating Edward VI's early life
• The Regency Council set up by Henry VIII had 16 members, with decisions made by a majority vote
• Edward Seymour quickly took over the weak council and became the Lord Protector, rewarding himself and his supporters with new titles and promotions
• Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, faced resentment within the privy council, leading to factional rivalries and his eventual removal from power in 1550
• John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, took over after Somerset's removal, consolidating control and promoting a more assertive Protestant regime
• Dudley faced uncertainty regarding the regime's direction, but managed to exclude key administrators like Paget and grow his influence
• Somerset's attempt at a counter coup failed, leading to his execution and the continued growth of Northumberland's influence