Government
Somerset
Northumberland
Mary
Appointed himself Lord Protector in
February 1547.
Developed better relations with the Privy
Council, working with them rather than
bypassing it as Somerset did.
Improved relations with Cranmer,
reinvited William Cecil and William Paget.
Expanded size of Privy Council to 33 men,
to include some of his own supporters.
- 33 was too large, inner circle
developed.
Had ideas to reduce revenue collectors in
government to one body, though Edward
died before he could enact it.
Many Privy Councillors were involved in
the Devyse, and those loyal to her had
little political experience (e.g Robert
Rochester).
Appointed 50 councillors.
Notably did not use PC when deciding on
Spanish marriage.
Smaller working council of figures such as
Paget, Gardiner, and Winchester.
Did not trust her advisors, therefore relied
on foreign advice from Charles V, and his
ambassador (Simon Renard)
Following Northumberland’s reforms,
Court of Exchequer replaced Court of First
F&Ts and Court of Augmentations.
1553 – first Parliament, removed religious
legislation from under Edward, 1554-5
reverted H8’s reforms + restored papal
supremacy.
Book of Rates (1558) improved revenue
from customs duties.
£14,000 on navy and reformed means of
raising armies (Militia Act + Arms Act,
1558).
Elected favourably by regency
council of 16 advisors of both
Protestants and Catholics (by
Henry):
- Protestants such as Somerset,
Cranmer and Anthony Denny
- Catholics such as Thomas
Wriothesly and Marquis of
Winchester.
Controlled Privy Council by
appointing supporters e.g Thomas
Smith, a member of his household.
Caused resentment – Southampton
arrested for it.
Thomas Seymour (brother) married
Catherine Parr + was close to Elizabeth.
Attained, and executed March 1549,
after plot to turn Edward against him.
(Royal) Authority
Somerset / Edward
Northumberland
Mary
Inherited deep financial problems: H8
spent 2.1m from 1544-47, raising only
920,000 from taxes/subsidies.
Oct 1549 Usurped by Warwick
(Northumberland), with support from the
Catholics (Arundel, Winchester,
Southampton).
Appointed himself Lord President of
the Privy Council, to avoid the
connotations of Lord Protector from
Somerset.
By late 1549, England was borrowing
50,000 pounds per year to function ->
debasement of the coin which brought
him 114,000.
February 1550 - Purged the
Conservatives who supported him
from government (Southampton and
Arundel).
Jan 1552 Arrested and sentenced
Somerset to death, on false charges of
trying to murder him.
From then on, Northumberland
became more autocratic (like
Somerset), relying on John Gates as his
only advisor.
Fell due to the death of Edward (July
1553), enacted the Devyse.
Executed for treason on 22nd August
1553.
Mary proclaims herself Queen before
marching to London, backed by many inc.
Norwich and Sussex. Declared Queen by 19th
July.
17th November 1558: Mary dies.
Jan 1549 Failed attempt of kidnapping
Somerset.
Rebellions
Somerset
Mary
Jun-Aug 1949 Western Rebellion
Causes: anger against BoCP, notably the iconoclasm – Archdeacon
William Body murdered in April 1548 for it. Hatred of sheep tax
enforced from March 1549. Rampant inflation – wheat prices
quadrupled from 1547-49.
Jan-Feb 1544 Wyatt’s Rebellion
Causes: Xenophobia against Spanish, dislike of Mary’s marriage to
Phillip II (Jan. 1554), decline of cloth industry affected the lower
class, involved disgruntled nobles. Wanted to replace Mary with Lady
Jane Grey or Elizabeth.
Occurred in Devon and Cornwall, arguing for restored images,
transubstantiation and Latin Mass. 6,000 rebels led by Humphrey
Arundell siege Exeter by July. Defeated in August at the Battle of
Sampford Courtenay, with the aid of 8600 foreign mercenaries.
Planned in November 1553 for simultaneous risings in Devon but
exposed prematurely in January 1554. Thomas Wyatt able to muster
4,000 rebels in Kent, Suffolk only gathered 140 men. Mary makes
speech at Guildhall (1st Feb.) against Wyatt. Wyatt’s forces make it to
Southwark by 3rd February but stopped at London Bridge. Surrenders
by 6th February. 12th February – Lady Jane Grey executed. April –
Thomas Wyatt trialled and executed.
Jun-Aug 1949 Kett’s Rebellion
Causes: abuse of the local foldcourse system (right to graze sheep),
removal of inadequate clergy (though NOT a main cause),
maladministration of the Howard family, class antagonism.
Led by yeoman Robert Kett, who joined the rebels despite them
attacking his house (8th July). Force of 16,000 captured Norwich by
22nd July (second largest city in England). Pardons offered and
rejected on 21st & 30th July. Failed recapture by Earl of Northampton
on 1st August. Only relieved on 23rd August by Somerset with 12,000
men + 1,000 mercenaries, who killed 3,000 rebels in the process.
Kett and 49 others executed on 26th November 1549.
The Devyse – News of Edward’s illness in Feb 1553, Northumberland
makes Mary/E1 illegitimate (June). E6 dies (unexpectedly) on 6th July
1553 with Jane Grey, married to Northumberland’s son Guildford
Dudley, crowned on 9th. Elizabeth backs Mary as she marches to
London with supporters. Crowned Queen by 19th July.
Foreign Policy
Somerset
Northumberland
Mary
Signed defence treaty with Francis I but in
March 1547, he is replaced by Henry II who
voids it. Bolsters navy and defences at Calais
& Boulogne in response.
June 1547: Henry II sends 4,000 troops to
Scotland to attack England. Sept Battle of
Pinkie leads to English victory, though
Somerset withdraws afterwards. Scottish
nationalism brewed, offered Mary QoS in
marriage to Henry’s son.
Appealed for three-way treaty but rejected.
1547-49: Established 25 garrisons on border,
plans for 14 more (could not afford a war but
wished to maintain military presence).
Costed 200,000 pounds per year.
July 1548: Attack on Haddington Castle with
10,000 French troops, repelled by 14,000
English troops diverted from Boulogne.
1549: Troops required to handle
Kett/Western rebellions; French withdraw
(unable to finance troops).
August 1549 Repelled a French siege of
Boulogne due to naval success ensuring
supplies.
Protestant changes alienated
Scotland/France and HRE Charles V +
wars caused drain on finances.
Jan- March 1550 Lord Russell leads
peace negotiations with France. Treaty
of Boulogne ensured £133,333 for
England in exchange for Boulogne and
French withdrawal from Scotland +
defensive alliance. Seen by public as
national disgrace.
Dec 1550 Secured marriage of Edward
to Elizabeth (H2’s daughter) once she
turns 12, in exchange for English
neutrality in Habsburg-Valois war.
Angered Charles, who allowed
Inquisition to arrest any heretic in
Netherlands. Led to collapse of
Antwerp market.
England place embargo to cloth trade
in Netherlands -> isolation helped
stabilise English economy. Trading
rights only restored in 1552.
July 1554: Marriage to Phillip II of Spain, year
after her accession. Marriage Act made him
official king of England, but only for Mary’s
lifetime and acts against him were not classed as
treason.
Anti-Spanish Pope Paul arises in May 1555 ->
Spanish marriage weakens her restoration of
papal supremacy.
Feb 1556: Dudley Conspiracy, where Henry
Dudley tries to gain French support for an
invasion.
Jul. 1556: French/papal alliance restarts
Habsburg-Valois wars.
Abdication of Charles V, dividing empire between
Ferdinand and Phillip II -> Jan 1556 Philip made
leader of Spain/Netherlands, only comes to
England Mar-Jul 1557 to persuade Mary to join
him in war with France (rejected).
Apr 1557: Thomas Stafford fails French backed
revolt in Scarborough, thought to be
orchestrated by Paget to encourage Mary to side
with Spain (despite opposition in government).
Aug 1557: Victory for Phillip at Battle of St.
Quentin, aided by 5,000 English troops.
Jan 1558: Duke of Guise (with 27,000) captures
Calais (defended by 2,000 English).
Religion
Somerset
Northumberland
Mary
Feb 1547: Denunciation of Images in London
(iconoclasm) by Protestant minority (e.g 20%
of London was Protestant) in support of
Nicholas Ridley.
July 1547: Injunction attacking features of
Catholicism (e.g Easter holidays, stained
glass, images). Bishop Gardiner imprisoned
for refusing to accept injunctions.
Nov. 1547: Act of Six Articles, treason act and
heresy act repealed in first parliament.
Dec 1547 Dissolution of Chantries, assets
seized from Church to fund war against
France.
1548: all religious images are banned.
Jan. 1549: Act of Uniformity introduces Book
of Common Prayer (enforced from May)
designed to normalise services across the
country, notably made services in English
(banned Latin mass) and outlined daily
prayer. More moderate reform than
Cranmer’s 1547 reform. Notably retained
transubstantiation. By 1552, 19,000 copies in
circulation.
20% of Londoners were Protestant by 1547,
much more prevalent in South than North,
but still a minority.
Relatively neutral, but reforms were
radically Protestant and doctrinal
rather than just ceremonial.
1551: Catholic bishops like Gardiner
replaced with Protestant ones, like
Ridley and Hooper.
1552: Parliament pass a Treason Act
making it an offense to question royal
supremacy and a 2nd Act of Uniformity
making it an offense for clergy to not
attend service.
March 1552: New BoCP strived for
simplicity, removing
baptism/burials/music, replace wafer
with just bread (Zwinglianism).
Reinforced Lutheran idea of
consubstantiation.
June 1553: 42 Articles by Cranmer,
Protestant doctrinal changes.
Sep 1553 Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley
(reformists/Protestants) arrested.
Oct 1553 First Act of Repeals, reverting post1547 changes. Parliament notably blocks reversal
of Act of Supremacy.
Dec. 1553 Mary relinquishes title as Head of
English Church.
Jan 1555 Second Act of Repeals, reversing post1529 changes, including Act of Supremacy but
omitting Dissolution. Passed through Parliament
on the condition Catholic nobles kept land from
DoM (via papal dispensation, refuses absolution
of conscience)
3rd repeal reversed attainder on Pole, who
returned in Nov 1554. Mary disallows Pole to be
tried in Rome after he is dismissed as legate in
April 1557 by Paul IV.
June 1555 Banned books written by Protestants.
Tried to compete, e.g through Miles Huggarde.
Nov 1554 Heresy Acts burned 289 people inc.
Cranmer and Ridley. Council concerns, banning
young people from watching.