FOREIGN POLICY
FOREIGN POLICY UNDER SOMERSET FOREIGN POLICY UNDER NORTHUMBERLAND GOVERNMENT
What kind of situation did he inherit? What kind of situation did he inherit?
Potentially ruinous: Pretty disastrous:
- Dangerous and combative relations with both Scotland & France. - 'Rough-wooing' had failed. Government Overview
- Run out of money on many expensive foreign pursuits under hviii. - Garrisons had massively strained the economy further. He was only 9 when he came to the throne so
Protestants in the
- Inherited policy of the 'rough-wooing' of Scotland. - Anglo-French conflict heating up again - N didn't have the funds to fight them off. Catholics in the Regency
Council - Regency Council - HVIII had set up a Regency Council to rule on
- Thomas Wriothesley (EoS) - Edward Seymour (his
- There was no powerful monarchal authority in England, dangerous image to present to - William Paulet
- Bishop Tunstall
uncle)
- Archbishop Cranmer
behalf of Edward until he was of age.
Aims? international powers.
(but no Stephen Gardiner or
Duke of Norfolk)
- MP Sir Anthony Denny
- Hertford His Regency council had 16 members, with both
Hviii hadn't wanted
- Enforce the marriage between evi & MQoS, uniting the crowns of England & Scotland ('rough- a Conservative (Catholic) side and a Reformist a Lord Protector (too
wooing'). Aims? (Protestant side). much power)
- Scotland was his main priority, whereas Hviii's main priortiy had been France, with Scotland - Stabilise the Crown's finances. Within days, Seymour named himself Lord
as a side-show. - Reduce threat from France. Protector, and Duke of Somerset (got Crown
- Planned to defeat the Scots in battle, build & garrison English forts in Scotland & force them lands £££). What did England need from the b
into submission. What did he do? Somerset's downfall came after his poor Respect of the public
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
- He ended the wars against Scotland and France. handling of the 1549 rebellions and the war To stabilise the economy
What did he do? - In France, he returned Boulogne, which though might have been perceived as a humiliating against Scotland.
By March 1547, Somerset had Peaceful foreign relations (n
obtained letters patent from Edward
- Battle of Pinkie, September 1547 - Scottish losses estimated c.6,000 - the defeat called Black defeat, it brought about an immediate improvement in Crown finances - it had been a drain on John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland Increase trade
VI giving him the right to appoint
Saturday. However, the forts proved difficult & expensive to garrison, and S underestimated resources & N secured a French sum of £133,333 to recover it. emerged as the regent in 1549, but called himself members to the Privy Council, a
Unite government
the strength of the 'auld alliance'. He didn't block the Firth of Forth properly, thus enabling the - In Scotland, N abandoned the expensive remaining garrisons (the financial benefit clearly monarchical right - gave him power. Have a clear & stable stance
Lord President of the Council, he had learned
French to smuggle MQoS out in Aug 1548 to marry the Dauphin (heir to French throne). outweighed fears of continuing French control in Scotland). (preferably moderate).
that dictatorial style didn't work.
He was pragmatic, and sought to unite the
Significance - the 'rough-wooing' had failed, short-term military victory for S, but the expensive Significance - Overall a very sensible foreign policy given N's contextual circumstances and the state
Council.
garrisons had forced more poverty on society. This defeat, coupled with deteriorating Anglo-French of the Crown's finances. A downside perhaps is that all of this reconciliation damaged England's/evi's
(LJG's husband was the He dealt with the 1549 rebellions and bought
UNDER SOMERSET UNDER NORTHUMBERLAND relations in 1549, threatening French invasion at a time when he was most vulnerable dealing with prestige. Giving up on the 'rough-wooing' was also dangerous for the Dynasty's future.
son of the Duke of about greater economic stability.
Main issues he faced - Main issues he faced - 1549 rebellions led to the coup which deposed him. Northumberland - wanted Upon Edward's premature death to prevent Mary
1. inflationary pressures (marked reduction in real wages) 1. trying to quell rebellion that had characterised S's rule as Lord to regain control)
coming to the throne and undoing all the
2. agrarian issues (enclosure & harvest failure) Protector
Protestantism, the Devyse plan was enacted to
3. taxation (led to social discontent) 2. economic issues carried over from hviii's reign that had been
put Lady Jane Grey on the throne.
worsened by S
This wasn't sanctioned by Parliament, LJG was Edward Aim
What happened? only on the throne for 9 days before Mary I swept
- Inflationary issues grew worse under Somerset, he continued the debasement of the What happened?
- N achieved a measure of stability in the national finances. to power.
coinage to finance Anglo-Scottish war (raised £537,000, but made social unrest much Northumberland, LJG & husband executed under
worse). This pressure was reinforced by 1458 poor harvest. - He brought an end to the wars against Scotland & France which
reduced Crown expenditure & and brought in £133,333 from the return Mary.
- Enclosure became a serious political issue. Like Wolsey, S had set up a commission to
investigate it but little was achieved, it only falsely raised the expectations of the poor of Boulogne.
and annoyed landowners. - Did one final debasement, then abandoned it.
- Church income improved (though often at the detriment of the church Aims
- Taxation caused great discontent (Anglo-Scottish war). This was made worse by a social
which created social unrest). Apart from wanting to further reform the Protesta
experiment from S, who proposed that enclosure was caused by arable land being
- A commission produced a detailed analysis of royal financial Church, a notion that his father had started and he
converted to pasture for the wool/cloth trade. So, he introduced a sheep tax (March 1549)
shortcomings, though most didn't come to fruition until M's reign. intended to continue, Evi had no real aims or cont
to deter enclosure but this put mass pressure on farmers who relied on sheep for
over England during his short reign. Instead, it was
subsistence. Led to rebellion.
dominated by his two regents Somerset and
Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset Northumberland who both aspired to keep their
influence on the Crown, no matter the costs.
- Originally part of the Regency Council.
KEY PLAYERS
- He was arrogant and dictatorial.
- Appointed protectorate by the council upon evi's
ascension (1547).
REMEMBER! If you're referring
- Counted on the support of Northumberland & Paget.
to him when Somerset was in
- He governed largely with members of his own power, he was only Earl of
household, controlling the P.C. by appointing Stanhope Warwick. He made himself
as Chief Gentleman of the Privy Chamber. John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland DoN in 1551.
- His stance on Anglo-Scottish foreign relations drained
the Crown's finances & his mishandling of the 1549 - Originally a supported of Somerset, but seized the opportunity to
depose him in 1549.
REBELLION
rebellions (feeble response) led to his downfall. Gates had possession of the 'dry
- One of his biggest strengths was that he took evi seriously and
- Commited to TOL in 1549, reappointed to N's council indulged his sovereign will. stamp' which could affix the King's
Thomas Cranmer, Archb of Canterbury
but attempted a counter-coup and executed in 1552. - Upon to his rise to power, he was anxious to avoid suffering the same signature to documents -
- Protestant fate as Somerset, so he presided as the Lord President of the Council demonstrates N's complete control.
- 1547, responsible for the publication of his Homily instead of Lord Protector.
RELIGION
on Obedience, to be read in parish churches which - His second coup purged the government of Conservatives like
Arundel & Eo Southampton.
reinforced that disobedience to the king was a mortal His effective government was
- Like Somerset, he ensured control of the court by appointing Gates as
sin. Vice-Chamberlain of the household (he was already Lord Chamberlain). perhaps facilitated by the
- Part of the Regency Council. - For a time, he operated an effective government through the P.C. Conservatives (e.g. EoS)
WESTERN REBELLION 1549 KETT'S REBELLION 1549 - He had brokered a deal with S upon N's coup, - After Somerset's counter-coup, gov became less conciliar, N took expulsion, no conservative
AKA 'Prayer (Devon & Cornwall) (East Anglia - Norwich) promising no treason charges would be brought more control.
- He reduced foreign policy expenditure by ending the wars against
faction, more united P.C.
against him to get S to surrender.
Book Rebellion' - Responsible for the first Prayer Book (in English),
Scotland & France.
- He plotted to alter the succession but this failed and he was executed
and in June 1549 it became the only legal form of Thomas Wriothesley, Earl of
under Mary in 1553. His growing paranoia after
worship. Southampton - Supported a more radical form of Protestantism. Somerset's attempted counter-
Commons rising, later led by Sir Commons rebellion led - In June 1553, evi agreed to his 42 Articles. coup was evident in him RELIGION OVERVIEW
- He supported the devyse to put LJG on the throne, - Conservative sending Paget to the TOL.
Humphrey Arundell. Articles of Protest by Robert Kett, a Norfolk
executed for treason under Mary (1556). - Worked with N to take Somerset down
written by Robert Welsh. Religious cause, What kind of church did evi inherit from hviii?
yeoman but it was a part of a - Protestant (resented his earlier imprisonment -
wanted to reverse protestant reforms
wider outbreak of social unrest Thomas Seymour thing). William Cecil - One that was essentially doctrinally Catholic, but without the Pope's authroity.
CAUSE(S) / WHO (new BOCP & English Bible), they were
- But, purged from the council by N in his
also angered by local administrators, across England. Main cause was
LED IT? namely William Body (who they enclosure, they wanted more to
coup against the conservatives. - Had originally prospered as one
of Somerset's men.
Under Edward, the Church underwent a drastic reformation:
murdered in 1548). Also, long-term - Original member of evi's Regency 1. There were changes to the liturgy & doctrine - 2 new Prayer Books were introduced.
economic problems (inflation, enclosure),
be done to stop it. Also, hatred Council.
- Transformed himself after a brief
imprisonment into N's key 2. The books (mainly the 2nd one) stated that transubstantiation in mass was wrong.
threats of a sheep tax & 1548 poor of local government officials, e.g. - Tried to plot with Thomas Seymour
FACTIONAL dangers within administrator. 3. There were mixed messages in the 1st, the 2nd made it clear that the ceremony was to be performed the Protestant
harvest. Howards (class antagonism). (Somerset's brother) against S - Seymour - Protestant, but not a religious
killed in 1549 for treason.
Somerset's government - it wasn't a way.
legitimate control S was holding. puritan (more conservative).
4. The interiors of the church completely changed - statues were removed, big crucifixes were pulled down, alters were
Threatened the breakdown of law &
order both within gov and in all levels of
replaced with tables, whitewashed walls. The church was much barer, removing 'popish' and 'superstitious' influences.
society (seen by later rebellions in 1549).
It's been argued that Hviii didn't intend for all this to happen. He simply saw Protestants as the best scholars to educate Edward.
he put the 2 leading conservatives, Duke of Norfolk and Stephen Gardiner in jail to ensure they wouldn't return the church to
papal rule. He had no intentions himself to get rid of mass, he was still pretty Catholic in his personal faith at his death. For
Kett assembled commons and marched
on Norwich (then the second largest city Hviii the reformation was more about money, succession & power, not religion.
Somerset was slow to respond to
in the country after London), setting up
the rebels' demands, seemingly camp on Mousehold Heath (which soon
preoccupied with other issues. numbered 16,000) and a petition with
The rebels laid siege to Exeter economic & religious demands was
issued. By late July they took Norwich Religion under Northumberland
(lasting 6 weeks) before an army Religion under Somerset
NARRATIVE / and emerged victorious against Italian
of 8,000 German mercenaries mercenaries led by EoNorthampton. Strategy: For the most part, it was cautious (moderate Strategy: Continue Protestant reform but more radical,
OUTCOME? attacked in August at Clyst Later, 12,000 English levies & 1,000 It's estimated that c.20% of BOCP), he didn't want to increase religious/social tension. and plunder more of the Church's wealth.
Londoners were Protestant in
Heath, killing over 4,000. Welsh & mercenaries attacked and overran the - Whilst the 1549 BOCP left room for Catholic interpretation, - The changes introduced in the 1552 BOCP (below)
1547. Catholic survivalism
rebels by a cavalry charge (enf og Aug, showed how the main focus was on simplicity of services,
SUCCESSION
Arundell executed. No remained strong in the North, there was a sustained attack on popular religious practice,
under EoWarwick). 300 men (inc. Kett)
concessions made to rebels. midland counties, and in the esp. in London. For example, the Denunciation of images as per Protestant belief.
executed.
far south-west. in London (1547) and widespread iconoclasm (breaking of - The more radical reform was also a product of foreign
images - radical protestants thought them prohibited). reformers like Martin Bucer coming to England, and the
- There were radical Protestants in London pushing for this influence of Swiss reformers (Zwinglian Reformation).
like Nicholas Ridley, who had S's support. - It reflected the increasing influence of evi on the policy-
making process.
Although it showed widespread Unlike smaller, local rebellions
SUCCESSION OVERVIEW
discontent with religious & happening in 1549, Kett's It had 2
1. Establish a single f
economic issues, the rebels rebellion was unique in that it
- In his will, Hviii had said that if Edward were to die without children, the throne should pass to 2. Translate the se
didn't advance into Southern lasted 5 months, took place in u
Princess Mary.
OVERALL England and would have likely summer (camping weather) and - The rapid decline of evi's health in 1553 made this circumstance likely, which N didn't want - Mary
been defeated faster if S wasn't It simply translated ma
was better organised. Somerset's
SIGNIFICANCE? would restore Catholicism to England. included an ambiguou
preoccupied. Showed feeble response led to N's coup. - Evi shared this anxiety for the continuation of Protestantism and was prepared to exclude both of his could be interpreted
widespread discontent, S should N more aware of extent of social half-sisters from the succession (M was devoutly Catholic & E liked legality, she would never take the
Timeline of major religious changes (
have taken this as a warning but unrest, which forced a drastic throne from M against the laws of succession).
they didn't as shown by the change in Foreign Policy under - The Devyse planned to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne ( a great-granddaughter of Hvii, a Protestant,
Kett's rebellion. his control. and the wife of DoN's son).
Royal Injuctions Cranmer's Book Act of Uniformity &
A set of instructions to the clergy on
- In June 1553, both M and E were declared illegitimate and preparations were made to call a how God should be worshipped and
issued of Homilies 1st BOCP
Parliament to ratify the new succession. how services were to be conducted. (July 1547) (1547) (1549)
- However, evi died on the 6th July, before that Parliament could meet and therefore the Devyse was Attacked many features of popular
3/10 7/10
patently illegal. Catholicism, like lights, images,
stained glass, processions, Ash
- Northumberland's response was surprisingly slow, and it took him 3 days to carry out his plan - P.C. Wednesday, Palm Sunday...
proclaimed LJG Queen on the 9th July 1553. 1547 Dissolution of 2nd A
the chantries &
(Dec 1547)
(& Religious Guilds)
The Crown seized the properties, it
needed money for expensive foreign
policy. Chantries were little chapels
where masses for the dead were said.
BAD IMPACT ON SOCIETY!
Expenditure on church goods declined after 1540 and
by evi's reign people were much less likely to leave their
money to the parish church, like under hvii & hviii
because they knew it would only be confiscated by the
Crown. E.g. 70% of northern wills left money to their
parish between 1540-46, but only 32% in evi's reign.
Evidence of a decline in church attendance & no. of
The impact of religious change during Edward VI's short reign was profound. Never before had the English population been subject to
priest ordinations.
In January 1553 the Crown started to confiscate church
plate.
so much religious change so quickly.
