The Mid Tudor Crisis : Edward

• Youngest Child = babied, protected, more care given to him than usual for male heirs
  • not brought up in the normal way = denied oppurtunities i.e jousting
• Traditional relationship with Henry : saw him infrequently --> attempt to 'toughen'
• Cared for by 'Mother Jack' (nurse) : Biological mother Jane Seymour died after birth
• Subsequent wives had little to do with him : Only Katherine of Parr showed affection
• Had an 'army' of personal assistants : 3 physicians, 6 surgeons, 3 apothecaries = high medical care. Had a french tutor who was calvinist = maybe influenced Ed's protestantism
  • Wherever Edward went so did his servants: 3 gentleman & 5 grooms always present
• Walls and floors of his aparments were washed x3 a day: great care taken over health
• Nature & Nurturing made him stiff and aloof, healthy child
• Interests: money, troops, treaties, 100 year war : studious, intelligent and devout
• Enjoyed observing jousting, hunting, rackets, archery and horse riding
• Cold towards others : In his chrnoicle he did not metion grandmothers death, mentioned elizabeth twice, made an entry on Somerset (uncle)'s death

• Traditional view = crisis --> Revisionist view = good government
• Problems oh Henry's reign carried through to Edwards
• Final years of Henry's reign to Marys death are considered to be 'Mid Tudor Crisis'
• crises if authority =monarchs compromised by factional disputes
• social/economic crisis = poor harvests, debasement of coinage = inflation
• Foreign Policy crisis = England had second rate status amongst European Powers
• religious disunity = political conflict --> all those that surrounded Edward were protestant
• powerful catholic faction at large
• Henry's loss of effective control is revealed through the way in which his will was altered : result made lord Hertford protector of Edward
• foreign policy = expensive --> war against France: to pay for wars Henry sold off crown assets and debased the coinage
• prices rose but wages stayed the same : peasant farmers struggled --> enclosure

RELIGIOUS PROBLEMS

• traditional religion was attacked: more bible based culture replacing visual Catholicism
  • images and statues were removed
• Roman Catholic mass (Latin), catholic doctrine and practice replaced under 1549 act of uniformity = service in English
  • led to western rebellion (1549): changes = too radical, rebels demanded return to the religious practices of Henry's reign

ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

• Whitney Jones: weakness of the monarchs accompanied by a decline into factionalism are the main reasons behind cause of economic/social distress
• fundamental lack of political authority transformed problems such as population growth, unemployment and vagrancy into a crisis
• 1549 rebellions = considered to be response to failing economy
  • symptoms of structural instability

POLITICAL PROBLEMS

• some interpret Somerset was a liberal minded man who wished to increase freedom and welfare of the poor
• economic distress led to rebellions: Kett rebels believed Somerset was on their side
  • some nobles felt the same
• So called 'good duke' Somerset overthrown by bad duke Northumberland
• Northumberland considered as bad duke as historians doubt his religious sincerity
  • convinced his motives were hunger for power
• Northumberland pushed country into further Protestantism : cement appeal with Cranmer and King Edward VI
• Self centredness proven when the young King fell ill
• Northumberland persuaded Edward to disinherit his half sisters & specify Lady Jane Grey as heir
• On Edwards death council initially supported Greys succession but Mary was able to build support due to principle inheritance, Northumberland's support collapsed
• Attempted to catch Mary through military resources: found forces deserting him
• Council declared Mary Queen, Northumberland = tyrant, arrested, converted, executed

RELIGIOUS PROBLEMS

• Politically naive zealot: reintroduction to Catholicism = widely unpopular
• burning of protestants backfired: reputation as 'Bloody Mary', victims martyred
• Catholicism led to diasters in domestic and foreign policy: brought catholics into parliament whom had little political knowledge

POLITICAL PROBLEMS

• Mary & council faced aggressive opposition from parliament based on objections to religious policy: wanted return of monastic lands from nobles --> unlikely 
• Forced to back down issue before parliament accepted re-institution of papal authority
• Obsession with marrying Philip II of Spain = horrified English 
  • behaviour of troops in Netherlands led to a reputation of cruelty
  • England under control of Spain was not favourable
• Mary = lucky to survive Wyatt rebellion
• Marriage led to involvement with war against France = loss of Calais
• reign had a lack of positives : sterile, heretical sister = heir, poor harvests,flu

• 1/16 councillors appointed in Henry VIII's reign, appointed in will to govern country during Edward's minority (regent) : will did not stipulate how to rule. 
• thought that Henry attended a court of equals
• Somerset personally brought Edward to London and presented him to council 31st Jan
  • taking control from the beginning : pattern continued
• council proclaimed him as the protector and governor of king : Lord Protector Somerset
• Somerset used will of Henry to reward himself with dukedom
• March 1547: Somerset gained power to approve the Kings councillors
  • In practice he was a substitute king

• Rough Wooing: experienced initial success but expenditure became an issue
• cost of fighting = factor in 1549 rebellions
• Somerset's aim = stick to treaty of Greenwich --> Marry Mary of Scots 
• Strategy = whittle Scots down by building forts and Garrisons in S. & E. Scotland
  • expected Scots to believe presence meant resistance was futile
• Sept. 1547 Battle of Pinkie = success for English & Somerset --> built more defences
  • too expensive, made Scots hate the English more rather than give up
• Made strategic mistakes: too expensive, ineffective
  • failures enabled French reinforcement to be established
  • enabled French to smuggle Mary out & marry dauphin 
• Somerset's policy fell apart : spent over 1/2 million on war with Scotland
  • 50% more than Henry in half the time = humiliating
• 1549 Henry II declared war on England
  • forced to return Bolougne, French demanded Calais too
• More than Somerset could handle : spent more money fortifying Calais and Bolougne
  • had to withdraw from scotland

• Henry VIII left economic problems as a consequence of his foreign policy
• 1547-9 = inflation due to poor harvest, increased population = pressure on food. 
• Short term causes: 1. War in Scotland, 2. Debasement of Coinage
• Sir Thomas Struth: in order to overcome economic problems we need a recoinage
  • wise economically not politically as Somerset would not be able to fund wars
• rising prices meant common people believed the economic problems = greed of nobility
  • Enclosure: common land restricted, poor lose out, nobility make more money
  • believed enclosure contributed to economic problems
    • fewer jobs as less people are needed to look after land/animals
• Somerset promised to sort it : failed --> 1548-9 commissioners to investigate enclosure
  • Only Hales did anything to tackle this : found evidence of illegal enclosure but there was nothing he could do to amend it, land owners did not like being told what to do
• Somerset introduced parliamentary legislation making enclosure illegal : blocked
  • nobles refused, Somerset made a proclamation making landowners furious
• became unpopular with both classes as he failed them both and acted like a king
• Lattimer blamed nobility = class war, Ridley called for poor relief = failed
• Somerset was preoccupied with foreign policu

• Edwards reign saw a move towards protestantism: Somerset employed John Hooper
• religious policies = cautious --> book of common prayer (1549,Cranmer) = moderate
• issued protestant ideas (not extreme) = did not want to upset people --> failed
  • couldn't please anyone : too far or not far enough
• Ash Wed. = Ridley denounced images of Saints --> iconoclasm in London
• Injunctions issued : reiterate Cromwell's injunctions --> Duffy: Charter of revolution
  • included destruction of images and possessions, Clergy had to dissuade dying parishioners to leave payments
• Duffy: visitations set up to make sure it was followed through
• Sept. 1547 = images removed in St Paul's Cathedral, policy extended over city churches
• Haigh: Somerset blundered into total ban on images in London and got away with it
  • ban extended to the rest of country, many parishes hid their images 
• Dec 1547 act passed to dissolve chantries & other religious guilds to obtain money
  • viewed as an attack on the community angering the commons
  • bishops ordered to draw up inventories making people panic : asset *********
• Body: act to dissolve chantries = main reason for the rebellion

• reformers were already holding services in English before the act was passed
  • moving faster than parliament --> too fast = radical?
• attacks on cult of Virgin Mary especially in Cranmer's archdiocese
• some reforms were unpopular in other areas : government feared rebellion
• despite radical changes, book of common prayer sparked the rebellion
• 1549 parliament passed act of uniformity
  • everyone must use book of common prayer, (English version of catholic prayer book)
  • Gardiner (conservative) found the book OK
  • vestments were to stay the same
  • book was intended to keep everyone happy
• all around the country people had different dialects: English did not suit all
• communion became more of a thanksgiving in the book of common prayer

• considered to be the worst year of the whole Tudor period:rebellions in East Anglia & SW
  • considerable civil unrest among the rest of the country --> Guy: class war
• Government couldn't cope with thin resources, Somerset's preoccupation with foreign policy and the preparation for a french invasion 
• In some cases things got out of hand as gentry would not interfere: their moral duty to 
• South West had no help --> made situation worse

CAUSES 

• Difficulties surrounding enclosure: caused resentment from both classes
• Religious uncertainty: Chantries, book of prayer, iconoclasm
• Economic: debasement of the coinage, inflation, taxation, wars
• Bad local government: Elton = Kett's artiicle says purpose was to ensure good laws statues and proclomations made for good people were no longer disregarded by the Justices of Peace. Breakdown of trust between classes
• Social problems: failure of crops, population growth, unemployment, removed poor relief

• Intensely personal: undermined and ignored the advice of council, using his own household officials as the country's administrators
  • His style was too kingly for others
• Councillors complained that only Wolsey amongst commoner had produced letters so princely written. Paget's letters to Somerset spoke of 'your foreign affairs' 'your navy' 'your order for religion'
• frequently used proclamations to announce decisions for changes in law, doing so more frequently than any other Tudor ruler
• 1549 as he was fighting for survival Somerset wrote of the 'poor commons being injured by the extortion's of gentlemen'
• in the same month a proclamation was signed = 19/29 Councillors accused Somerset of a malice and evil government, pride, covetousness and extreme eambition

• Troops needed to put down rebellions : national leaders were infuriated
• Somerset revealed as incompetent: must take good deal of blame for disrupting the country's life and had not shown an ability to contain the agitation that he helped to raise
• Left opportunity for Dudley (Northumberland) to intervene: ambition and lack of religion aided him = party outraged by Somerset's religious changes, some just furious at his behaviour in general
• Somerset allowed back on council however he rounds up troops and gets himself into trouble leading up to his execution
• Northumberland secured friendships by handing out land to nobility
• many key supporters in coup = conservatives whom hoped for regency to preside over Mary
• Second coup = get rid of those who helped Somerset
  • exercise greater power as he does not have fear of ejection from conservatives
    • ejected Southampton and Arundel
• declared himself as a duke and lord president of the council
  • did not want same role as Somerset

• Cranmer was influencing king --> protestant styled government
  • Northumberland reinforced this by employing protestants such as Marquis of Dorset
• Oct 1551 appointed himself as duke and appointed his own hard man John Gates as vice chamberlain of household to establish control over court
• Hoak : rehabilitated Northumberland as other historians view him as a villain
  • tough but intelligent politician, one of the most able governors of Europe in 16th Cent
• Loades: capable but mistakes cost him his reputation
• made use of Cecil (Somerset's advisor) --> rising politician and effective administrator
• Somerset formed a counter coup but was outwitted by Northumberland
  • got Somerset executed, England more settledPaget was removed from council and sent to tower in Northumberland's quest for power
• Counter coup and possession of the dry stamp led to Northumberland showing little trust
• Northumberland achieved a measure of stability in national finances
  • brought an end to wars with Scotland and France, reductions in crown expenditure, received payment of £133,333 for return of Bolougne, Crown income improved by increasing revenue from the church by unscrupulous methods: melting church plate for Bullion
• Under influence of Mildmay = analysis of shortcomings of in financial admin

• Northumberland = man of minimal religious convictions
  • removal of conservatives and appointment of protestants shows protestant inclinations
• twofold strategy on church = made Somerset's policy more clearer, wanted money
• protestantism reflected the interests of the King himself
  • Edward was reaching the age of Majority and Northumberland needed to stay in his favour: took his role seriously, wanted to destroy idolatry
• Duffy : flood-tide of radicalism -->widespread removal of alters, replaced with communion tables.
• Political will of king,Cranmers theological shift, influence of radical churchmen (Ridley, Hooper) and criticisms of the book of prayer led to break 
• removal of remaining conservative ceremonies no longer fitted with regimes : conservatives could no longer find anything in the prayer book that they could accept
• Radical reform of communion service including the replacement of water with ordinary bread --> need for decisive change from ambiguity : showed influence of Zwinglism in the Eucharist declaration "in remembrance that Christ's blood was shed for thee"
• Protestant nature confirmed 42 articles of Religion: variations of protestantism ambig.
• Crown in financial difficulties due to protectorate --> systematic policy of extracting wealth from the church  

• protestants = minority @ start of Ed's reign --> 20% Londoners protestant by 1547
• Kent, East Sussex, Essex, Bristol, East Anglia ports had protestant minorities
  • elsewhere almost non existent
• Catholicism strong in the north : particularly Lancashire and midland counties
• Historians have tried to access parish records to find out what people really believed
  • Church wardens accounts signify how readily a parish gave consent to cromwellian injunctions/ Somerset's commissions
  • Church wardens = steadily put into effect crowns decree regarding destruction of Catholic habits
• Hutton & Whitiny : expenditure on church goods declined after 1540
• MacCullock: already in the 1540's the old world was losing its enchantment
• Scarisbrick & Haigh : largely a reaction to destructive attitude of the crown
  • little point in putting money into the church if it is to be confiscated by the crown 
• Catholic beginnings to wills disappeared 1538 --> before Northumberland's rule
• Haigh: not much evidence of protestant wills either
  • 70% of northern wills 1540-6 left money to their parish, Eds reign only 32%
  • represents crisis at parish level ,evidence of decline of Church diocese of Exeter, decline in candidates for ordination 

• Edward = healthy child but fell ill 1553 in January
• Jan = chest infection or TB , April = improvement , May = predicted recovery 
• late May = death predicted after serious relapse and possibly contracting septicaemia
• "I am faint; Lord have mercy upon me and take my spirit'
• only when his condition deteriorated, succession became an issue
  • those who wanted to avoid Marian succession: return to Catholicism
  • unlikely that there was any long term planning
• Edward was too young to pass porclomations: needed parliamentary support
• selected lady jane grey to be heir : staunch protestant, married to Northumberland's so
• Both Edward and northumberland appear to have a role in the will
  • original notes jotted down in january in Edwards own hand, wanted to bar Mary's succession = Catholic, Initially suggested Lady Jane's heir as she was Henry's neice
• crunch came when Ed suffered relapse: couldnt wait for janes heir, 12th Jun Northumberland visited Edward = minor can't make a  will or override parliamentary stature, Marys claim still stands regardless of his will
• legitimate claim lay clear with Mary, Montague refused to make will for danger of treason =declared him a traitor, Montague agreed: warned that it was not legal
  • Signatories include Cranmer, Privy councillors, 22 peers, judges, house officers

• announced conversion to catholicism = publically said he erred from the faith
• tried to convince the privy council that they neeeded him
• spoke to gardiner (whom he imprisoned) and wrote a letter to Arundel begging him to plead on his behalf
• Edward undoubtedly supported a change in the succession
• successful coup by northumberland could have riskked civil conflict
• Mary was successuful because she acted without hesetation: preperation and legit claim
  • attracted a broad spectrum of support
• Northumberland failed because he failed to use full military resources (protecting Jane)
• had he distributed military differently he would have potentially succeeded
• lack of time to devise successful claim for jane led to failure
• Mary able to make claim to the throne via Northumberlands failures