Edward VI and Mary I

Henry VIII’s Legacy

• A secure succession led to Edward VI's ascension, who was a minor.
• Religious division existed within the court and among the people.
• Foreign policy was ineffective, with no land gained by 1547 except Boulogne.
• Henry VIII's expenses from 1544-1547 totaled £2.1 million.
• Only £650,000 was raised in subsidies and £270,000 in forced loans.
• Edward inherited deep financial problems.
• Coinage debasement from 1544 raised £363,000 in Henry VIII’s reign and increased to £1.27 million in Edward’s reign.
• Debt was owed domestically and abroad, including £100,000 owed to the Antwerp market.
• From 1532-1540, 883 people were arrested for treason, with 308 executed.
• The government was streamlined with the Privy Council.

Regency

• The regency was balanced between Protestants and Conservatives.
• Protestants included the Earl of Hertford (Duke of Somerset), Archbishop Cranmer, and Sir Anthony Denny.
• Conservatives included Thomas Wriothesley and the Marquis of Winchester.
• Power was quickly delegated to Somerset, and the balanced regency did not last long.

Somerset

• Somerset awarded himself the title of Lord Protector on February 4, 1547, and Duke of Somerset within weeks of Henry’s death.
• He governed with members of his household, with only Sir Thomas Smith being a member of the Privy Council.
• Michael Stanhope was appointed as Chief Gentleman, further establishing Somerset's control.
• Thomas Seymour, Somerset's brother, threatened Somerset and was executed on March 20, 1549.
• Somerset was pressured to resign by Southampton, Warwick (Duke of Northumberland), Earl of Arundel, and Marquis of Winchester, surrendering on October 11, 1549.

Northumberland

• He appointed himself Lord President of the Privy Council.
• Northumberland purged Southampton and Arundel and appointed Sir John Gates as Vice-Chamberlain.
• William Cecil became a chief administrator.
• Edward and Northumberland planned to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne through the Devyse.
• Northumberland was executed for treason on August 22, 1553.

Mary

• Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen on July 9.
• Mary had the support of the council and the people.
• Mary was declared Queen by the Council on July 19, 1553.
• Northumberland conceded and proclaimed Mary Queen on July 20, 1553.
• Mary restored the Privy Council to around 50 members, including Bishop Gardiner and William Paget.
• Many of Mary's supporters lacked serious government experience.
• Mary's first Parliament in 1553 removed all religious legislation passed under Edward.
• Around 800 Protestants fled to the continent in January 1554 (Marian exiles).
• The Parliament of 1554-55 undid most of Henry VIII’s religious legislation and restored Papal supremacy.
• Mary took advice from political outsiders like Simon Renard.
• A new book of rates was introduced in 1558 to improve Crown income from custom duties.
• The 1558 Militia Act established a system of Commissioners of Muster.
• The Arms Act of 1558 established procedures for supplying weapons to the Royal Army.

Somerset's Governance

• Somerset awarded himself the title of Lord Protector on February 4, 1547, and Duke of Somerset within weeks of Henry’s death.
• He governed with household members and appointed Michael Stanhope as Chief Gentleman.
• Thomas Seymour threatened Somerset and was executed on March 20, 1549.
• Somerset was pressured to resign and surrendered on October 11, 1549.

Northumberland's Governance

• He appointed himself Lord President of the Privy Council and purged conservative members.
• William Cecil became a chief administrator.
• Edward and Northumberland planned to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne through the Devyse, but Northumberland was executed.

Mary's Governance

• Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen on July 9.
• Mary had support and was declared Queen by the Council on July 19, 1553.
• Northumberland conceded and proclaimed Mary Queen on July 20, 1553.
• She restored the Privy Council to around 50 members.
• Many of her supporters lacked serious government experience.
• Mary's first Parliament in 1553 removed all religious legislation passed under Edward.
• The Parliament of 1554-55 undid most of Henry VIII’s religious legislation and restored Papal supremacy.
• Mary took advice from political outsiders and introduced a new book of rates in 1558.
• The 1558 Militia Act and Arms Act were established.

Henry VIII’s Foreign Policy Legacy

• He captured Boulogne in 1544 and signed the Treaty of Ardres in 1546.
• Conflict remained with France and Scotland.
• The Auld Alliance between France and Scotland persisted.
• England was allied with Charles V.
• The Treaty of Greenwich 1543 promised Edward VI to Mary, Queen of Scots.

Main Events in Europe 1547-1553

• March 1547: Henry II became King of France.
• September 1547: England defeated Scotland at the Battle of Pinkie.
• 1547-49: 25 English garrisons were constructed around the Scottish border.
• 1548: 10,000 French troops arrived in Scotland.
• Summer 1549: Western and Kett’s rebellions occurred.
• March 1550: The Treaty of Boulogne was signed.
• June 1551: The Treaty of Norham was signed.
• 1552: Henry II captured Metz and Verdun from Charles V.

Somerset and Scotland

• September 1547: Somerset invaded Scotland.
• September 1547: Somerset won the Battle of Pinkie against the Scots.
• January 1548: Somerset wanted Edward to marry Mary (future Queen of Scots).
• 1547-49: Somerset established 25 garrisons on the Scottish border.
• June 1548: 10,000 French troops arrived in Scotland, resulting in a marriage alliance between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry II’s son.
• 1549: Western and Kett’s rebellions caused a distraction.
• 1549: French withdrew from Scotland.

End of War with Scotland and France

• Somerset fell from power in October 1549.
• August 1549: Henry II attacked Boulogne.
• England was bankrupt, leading to the Treaty of Boulogne on March 28, 1550.
• England gave up control of Boulogne for 400,000 crowns, removed troops from Scotland, and formed a defensive alliance with France.

Northumberland 1550-1553

• April 1550: Reorganisation of the Scottish border began.
• By March 1552: The Scottish border was restored to before Henry VIII’s Scottish campaign.
• 1550: Henry II recaptured Boulogne.
• Engagement of Edward VI and Elizabeth, daughter of Henry II, occurred.
• 1550: Charles V caused a collapse in the Antwerp cloth market.
• English relations with Charles V stagnated.
• By cutting foreign ties, Northumberland focused on stabilising the economy.
• Charles V was angered by the harassment of Princess Mary and increased Protestantism in England.

Success of Foreign Policy in Edward’s Reign

• Expensive wars with little gain occurred.
• Somerset spent £600,000 on wars with Scotland and France.
• Garrisons cost £200,000 per year.
• No main objectives were met.
• Northumberland had to accommodate for Somerset’s mistakes.

Foreign Policy during Mary’s Reign

• January 1554: Marriage treaty between Mary and Philip II sparked Wyatt’s rebellion.
• July 1554: Marriage between Mary and Philip II occurred.
• May: Election of anti-Spanish Pope Paul IV occurred.
• September 1555: Philip left England.
• October 1555-January 1556: Abdication of Charles V occurred.
• July 1556: Alliance between France and the Papacy reopened the Habsburg-Valois war.
• January 1557: England sent troops to the Netherlands.
• May 1557: Philip II returned to England.
• April 1557: French troops landed at Scarborough.
• June 1557: England declared war on France.
• July 1557: Raids on the Scottish border were dealt with effectively.
• August 1557: Victory for Philip II at the siege of St Quentin with English troops
• January 1558: French captured Calais.
• November 17, 1558: Death of Mary occurred.
• April 1559: Treaty of Cataeu-Cambresis was signed.

Impact of the Loss of Calais

• Economically: Some historians view the loss as an economically crippling blow while others downplay its economic impact
• Image and Morale: Monarchs had claimed Calais since 1347. Elizabeth’s propaganda blamed the loss on the Spanish marriage and Catholic policies.
• Territorially: It was the last English territory on the French mainland.
• Militarily: Calais Pale became a strategic irrelevance.
• Diplomatically: Seen as a result of the failed Anglo-Habsburg alliance. Mary’s dependence on the Spanish was seen as betraying England’s interests.

Western Rebellion

• Location: Devon and Cornwall
• Root Causes:
  • Iconoclasm of Church images, particularly William Body’s harsh removal, Body murdered April 1548.
  • Opposition to the 1549 Book of Common Prayer
  • Resentment of the March 1549 Sheep tax
  • Outrage at inflation
• Events:
  • Began June 11, 1549, at Sampford Courtenay
  • Rebels produced articles demanding Mass in Latin, transubstantiation, and restoration of images
  • Local gentry were unable to deal with the rebels effectively.
  • Lord Russell was ordered to find a solution on June 29
  • Rebels numbering 6,000 armed held Exeter and other locations.
  • Rebels defeated in August, with over 3,000 killed

Kett’s Rebellion

• Location: East Anglia
• Root Causes:
  • Abuse of commoners by local officials
  • Some religious motives, request for removal of inadequate clergy
  • Frustration with the Howard family.
• Events:
  • Began July 8, 1549, led by Robert Kett
  • 16,000 strong rebellion established a base in Mousehold Heath
  • Norwich was taken on July 22
  • Pardons offered to rebels were rejected
  • Earl of Warwick (Duke of Northumberland) arrived with troops in August
  • Rebels crushed on August 27, with 3,000 killed, Kett executed

Wyatt’s Rebellion

• January 1554
• Root Causes:
  • January 1554 marriage treaty between Mary I and Phillip II of Spain,
  • Xenophobia
  • Economic decline
  • Loss of office
• Events:
  • Rebellion planned for simultaneous risings in multiple locations, but only Thomas Wyatt in Kent raised a serious army
  • Mary gave a speech at Guildhall rallying support
  • Rebels reached Southwark but were stopped at London Bridge
  • Rebels retreated and surrendered on February 7
  • Lady Jane Grey was executed, and Elizabeth I was imprisoned

Economic change under Somerset

• Debasement continued to fund the war with Scotland
• 1547 Chantries Act sold chantries for financial reasons and ended 2,400 chantries
• 1547 Vagrancy Act ordered relief for the impotent poor, but unemployed were considered vagrants and faced slavery or death
• Established a Court of Requests
• Poor harvest in 1548 compounded inflationary pressures
• Enclosure commission established
• March 1549 imposed unpopular taxes, repealed by January 1550

Economic change under Northumberland

• January 1550, repealed Sheep tax and Vagrancy Act
• March 1550 Treaty of Boulogne, Payment of £133,333.
• 1551 Debasement (silver coins were 75% copper)
• Summer 1551, Collapse of the cloth trade with Antwerp increased unemployment.
• 1550 New Treason Act, which re-imposed censorship.
• Anti-enclosure still enforced
• May 1551 coin debased for the last time.
• 1552 started reminting the coinage at its 1527 levels to tackle existing inflation.
• Continued to pillage the church
• 1552 New Poor Law gave parishes a responsibility to collect funds for the deserving poor.
• 1552 Trade company set up by Sebastian Cabot to find a north east passage to the American continent.
• 1553 Financial situation stabilised, however, parliament voted against taxes.

Economic changes under Mary

• 1555-56 heavy rain worse harvest of the century, caused rising prices of grain & widespread famine.
• 1556-58 Typhus epidemic followed by an outbreak of influenza, population may have dropped as much as 5% 1556-1561, the worst death toll since the Black Death. Recommendations of financial commission implemented, such as Court of Exchequer.
• 1556-58 Drew up plans to reissue the currency, implemented under Elizabeth.
• May 1558 New Books of Rates was introduced, helped to dramatically raise customs revenue. 1558 Militia Ac and Arms Act laid down Commissioner for Muster recruitment of local militia in wartime, established procedures for supplying weapons to the Royal Army.

Religious Change under Somerset

• Changes were primarily ceremonial, not doctrinal.
• Feb 1547- Denunciation of images in London, did not order the destruction of images but nonetheless led to widespread iconoclasm in September, while Somerset was in Scotland
• July 1547 Royal Injunctions, condemned traditional Catholic practices, Bible reading in English permitted.Bishop Gardiner imprisoned for refusing to accept the injunctions.
• Nov-Dec 1547 First parliament act of six articles, Hersey laws, and the Treason act repealed, government stripped itself of the powers to punish outbursts of anti-Catholicism. chantries act also passed.
• 1548 All church images banned.
• Jan 1549- Act of Uniformity banned Latin mass, changed practices of mass, but did not radically alter mass. sparked the western rebellion of June 1549.

Religious change under Northumberland

• More radical, Doctrinal, Protestant reform 1550-53.
• 155 Removal of Catholic Bishops by protestants Ridley Hooper and ponet.
• Reform of Communion, highlighted the swinglian beliefs in consubstantiation.
• New Treason Act Became an offense to question the Royal Supremacy or any belief of the Church.
• Second act of Uniformity, became an offence for clergy to not attend COFE services.
• 1552 Second book of Common Prayer. Confirmed consubstantiation.
• June 1543 42 Articles of religion issued by Cranmer .

Impact of religious changes under Edward VI

• After the ascension of Mary , many able to accept a return Catholicism, debate on whether acceptance or entuthiziasm. Mary Disapproved of familiar ceremonies.
• Rise of humanism contentiued- some of Esamus work translated and published into English.
• Christopher Maighs figures 1540-46 70% of northern wills left money to parrish. Only 32% left money to there parrish during Edwards reign.
• 1550- Hoope admitted pace of reform hampered by unpopular public opinion.

Mary I: Key Religious Figures

Key Religious Figures:

• Stephen Gardiner minister and Lord Chancellor. Simon Renard Imperial Ambassadors from Charles V.
• Reginald Pole cousin of Marys became Papal Legate, with the task to restore papal authority in England.
• Charles V Mary's cuzin
• Julilis II Pope when Mary ascended to the throne.

Mary and Catholicism

• Mary I was likened to Mary, mother of God.
• Inevitable restoration of Catholicism seemed as divine purpose.
• Mary interpreted her initial popularity as an endorsement of her Catholic beliefs, rather than a reaction to the attempted coup by Northumberland and Lady Jane Grey.

Mary's religious policy

• 1553 proclamation refuting the use of force for religious conformity.
• Sept 1553 Archbishop Cranmer arrested, Latimer, Hooper, Ridley, Rogers imprisoned.
• Autumn 1553 Parliament refused to repeal the 1534 act of supremecy.
• Dec 1553 Mary relinquished the title of Supreme Head of the Church in England.
• Match 1554 Royal injections ordered Bishops to suppress heresy, removed married church jobs.
• Nov 1554 Cardinal pole returned to England.
• Nav 1554 Second act of repeal undid all papal lesion since 15296.
• Feb 1555 John Reyes becomes first Protestant marty, of Marys reign.
• Dec 1555 Reginald Pole named Archbishop of Canterbury.
• June 1557 Re-Fundation of small religious houses.
• 285 Protestant martyrs during Marys reign.

Persuasion and Persecution

Policy of censorship through Marys reign.

• Number of Catholic sermons sponsored St. Paul's Cross in London/ M-any pro government writters published works of defense.
• Number of catholic sermons throughout St. Paul's Cross in London. Dec 1554 Hersey Les restored. 284 Protestant martyrs burned.

Factors Hindering Catholic Restoration

• Bishops aren't active 6 sees were left vacant for much of the reign. Pole to give his full attention to ecclesiastical policy Edwardian bishops still in their sees until April 1554.