Royal Authority Under Edward

• Problems left for England under Edward VI


  • Religious divisions
  • Money - war
  • Money - inflation
  • Money - selling monastic lands
• Conciliar government


  Government run by a council
• Conciliar government


  • Fixed membership
  • Secrecy kept record of proceedings
  • Conservative vs reform
• Conservatives


  • Norfolk
  • Gardiner
  • Southampton
  • John Dudley
  • Viscount Lisle
• Reformers


  • Edward Seymore
  • William Paget
  • Anthony Denny
  • Thomas Seymore
• Henry VIII's will


  Regency council for Edward, 16 members - balance between religious reformer and catholics
• Dry stamp


  Hertford and Denny
• Main men under Edward VI

  • Somerset
  • Northumberland
• Edward VI


  9 years old, 16 members of regency council, further 12 could be added, Henry's death kept secret for 4 days
• Why a regency council wouldn't last:

  too many people,

  conflicting ideologies,

  nobles neglected
• Seymour supporters


  • Cranmer
  • Dudley
  • Paget
  • Stanhope
  • Hertford became Somerset
• Somerset's issues with


  • Thomas Seymour
  • Warwick (Dudley but had a promotion)
  • Lord St John
  • Arundel
  • Southampton
• Government feared social rebellion and disobedience, Cranmer's homily was on obedience, obedience to the king was the will of God, disobedience is a mortal sin and would lead to eternal damnation
• Somerset


  Lord Protector of the Realm, March 1547 letters patent, could appoint privy council, Elton 'from that moment his autocratic system was complete'
• Thomas Seymour married Catherine Parr (was a scandal), looked after Elizabeth (Henry VIII's daughter)
• March 1547, Earl of Southampton removed, religious conservative, didn't want Somerset to rule as absolutely as he did
• Thomas Seymour thought Edward was a 'beggarly king', planned for rebellion - pirates, Sir William Sharington - Bristol mint, plan to abduct Edward, charged with 33 counts of treason, executed 20 March 1549
• Failings of Somerset


  • Methods of government
  • Foreign policy (Scotland and France)
  • Rebellions (1549)
  • Lack of support (Warwick and Mary)
• Coup


  1. August, Warwick, Southampton, Arundel and St John

  2. Mary I, October = standoff, Conspirators = London, Somerset = Hampton Court with Edward, Surrendered when promised no treason charges
• Earl of Warwick


  Powerful positions, Lord President of the Council, Supporters of coup = conservatives, Turned against conservatives in second coup
• New regime, nature and character became more clear as King Edward asserted his Protestantism, Northumberland promoted himself to Duke, put key supporters into top positions - Sir John Gates as Vice Chamberlain, William Cecil key administrator, Cranmer
• Upheaval


  1. Seymour was released from the Tower and restored to Council in 1550

  2. October 1551 he was sent to Tower on exaggerated charge of treason

  3. He was executed for felony in January 1552 after scheming to overthrow Dudley regime

  4. The former effective conciliar government breaks down

  5. Northumberland does exactly as Somerset did, become more dictatorial in his role

  6. Presumed enemies were removed from the Council

  7. Key administrator Sir William Paget was removed and sent to Tower