Somerset

• His Fortune rose when he joined the privy council in 1537
• He was heavily military based and fought in Scotland and France and distinguished himself by commanding a force of 4000 infantry and 700 cavalry in Boulogne against a army of 14,000 French.
• Henry's death was kept secret for 3 days and Somerset took Edward, brought him to the tower and seized Henry's assets
• His personality alienated him and damaged his reputation. Councillors complained saying he was using a 'new council' and used Edward's stamp to counter-sign everything.
• Ge oversaw protestant reforms: banned Parish processions, feast day masses and traditional ceremonies, ordered removal of images and statues in churches, forbid candles and holy water, allowed priests to marry and imposed English book of Prayer from 1549
• Somerset repealed Henrician treason and heresy laws and implemented harsh legislation against vagrants and vagabonds (hot irons and slavery), attempted to deal with agrarian, problems with sheep tax and cloth
• He was ambitious and arrogant, he overestimated his ability '
• Foreign policy- aimed to introduce Treaty of Greenwich 1543 between Edward and Mary queen of Scots, failed to secure Edinburgh or Dunbar despite Victory at Pinkie (Sep 1547), 1548 King of France sent 6000 troops to Scotland and took Mary to France to marry Dauphin, Sep 1549 Somerset withdrew forces from chief fortress in Scotland
• Garrisons were expensive and ineffective, 25 established, protect Scots that wanted English intervention, would help marriage acceptance between Edward and Mary
• Garrisons failures: only 2 substantial, more expensive, lack of supplies, poor conditions, difficult to recruit soldiers, no match for 10,000 French troops in June 1548
• problems for economy: rising population, inflation, enclosures were reducing amount of work and food, failed to solve problem of debasement, commissions unpopular and landowners ignored orders
• Somerset's treason act 1547: repealed old heresy laws and allowed people to discuss freedom freely, enabled printing on religion, permitted Lutheran and Calvinist literature
• The treason act removed restrictive laws and encouraged widespread debate on religion. However caused riots and disorder with attacks on churches and catholic images. Left authorities with less power to deal with situation.
• Somerset repealed proclamation act of 1539 stating royal proclamations should be obeyed as if acts of parliament. The repeal of this act did not mean proclamations could not be used but limitations removed. Somerset trying to give himself more freedom. Henry used 6 a year with Edward at 19 and 77 altogether.
• The chantries act 1547 closed the chantries, used to raise money for wars. commissioners sent out in 1548 to confiscate chantries land and collect gold and silver plates (melted to make coins)
• The coinage had already been debased in 1543 and further debasements until 1551, silver content reduced to 25%. Increasing number of coins in circulation it added to inflation and prices rose causing discontent among poor.
• The vagrancy act introduced in 1547 was unpopular and said able-bodied out of work for 3 days branded with V and sold to slavery for 2 years. Children of vagrants taken from parents and made to work. None of these provisions put in place and only alleviate concerns of landed class. This caused more resentment as fear in poor and anger in rich.
• In March 1549 a 5% tax on personal property and special tax on sheep were passed despite opposition. Raised hopes of government on action against ordinary people and generated fear amongst poor
• Campaigns in Scotland 1547-9 cost £580,393.
• At Pinkie in Sep 1547 Somerset's army captured 1,500 Scots only losing 500 however this forced Mary to marry dauphin not Edward
• Parliament called 2x in 6 years
• portrayed as 'good duke'
• Northumberland was ambitious and wanted power for himself
• tyrannical attitude, Paget in his letters revealed anti-Somerset faction.
• Accusations he was malicious, ignored council's advice
• Arrested Oct 1549, released a year later and joined privy council yet within a year accused of plotting against government, executed Jan 1552.
• Somerset lost support when Dudley showed decisive leadership and has support of nobility. Privy council blamed Somerset for peasants uprising. Dudley represented all qualities which Somerset lack: decisive and took support from nobility
• Somerset retreated to Hampton court with Edward, on 6th Oct moved to Windsor, Edward claimed illness and abandoned his uncle saying Somerset threatened riots if he was removed. Somerset could not contradict this.
• debasement raised £537,000 yet caused inflation
• government issued a proclamation against enclosures in April 1549, triggered a wave of revolts
• Parliamentary taxation was £335,988> people suffered due to this
• 1547 dissolution of chantries raised £600,000
• Somerset was first arrested 1549 and executed 1552
• Somerset construed as kidnapping Edward who complained and had grown tired of his uncle; Somerset could not contradict the king
• Edward claimed Somerset was threatening riots in the street if he was removed from power
• Somersets fall from power:

  1. Kett rebellion unrest in East Anglia
  2. Somerset lost control due to Kett and fled to Hampton court
  3. 5th Oct 1549 he summoned loyal subjects to defend him and the king
  4. 6th Oct 1549 he fled to Windsor castle with Edward
  5. Edward accused Somerset of kidnapping him
  6. 10th Oct Somerset surrendered
  7. 14th oct imprisoned
• Why somerset fell?

  1. poor leadership-authoritarian
  2. mishandling of foreign policy- continues wars
  3. favouritism at court
  4. money making and extravagance while poverty increased
  5. social policy- hopes for commonwealth not fulfilled
  6. religious policy
• How was Northumberland able to come to power?

  1. not a pious man (not devoutly religious)
  2. delegated responsibility
  3. not ideolical like somerset
• By 2nd Dec Northumberland created protestant majority in privy council
• by end of Jan 1550 he secured control of privy council (Northumberland) and make himself lord president