Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Duke of Somerset -DOS (Edward Seymour)
- The reign of Edward VI, 1547-53
- DOS seized control of the government, allowing Edward to have a trouble free accession
- Relied on the support of brother, Thomas Seymour, Archbishop Crammer, Viscount Lisle and Sir William Paget
- Awarded them with promotions and land
- Overthrew the Regency Council and governed with members of his family
- enforced control over Privy Council
- Rivalry with brother
- angered for being left out of Regency Council
- Tried to plot against Somerset with the Earl of Southhampton
- Somerset pressed treason charges and T.Seymour was denounced
- Wanted to unite England and Scotland by marrying Mary Queen of Scots to Edward
- Defended the Scots in the Battle of Pinkie in September 1547
- Built forts on the borders
- The forts= expensive to garrison
- Failed to understand the cooperation between Scotland and France
- Failed to blockade the Firth of Forth properly, enabling the French to take Edinburgh
- Somerset engaged in a military strategy that as too expensive
- Paid by debasing the coinage
- Heightened inflationary pressure = increased social distress
- Deteriorating relationship with France --> Threat of war and prospect of invasion made Somerset vulnerable and heightened resentment in the Privy Council of his autocratic style of government
- Religious Policies under Somerset
- Welcomed radicals such as John Hooper and Thomas Becon into his home
- Under Edward, policies moved in the direction of Protestantism
- Proved cautious under Somerset as exemplified by the moderate Book of Common Prayer written in 1549 by Crammer
- Much more radical approach taken despite public's opinion to embrace religious reforms
- Sustained attack on popular religious practices in London
- Injunctions issued by King (exercising royal supremacy)
- Backed by Cromwell in 1538
- Denunciations
- Ash Wednesday: denounced images of saints and the use of holy water
- Acts of iconoclasm: the destruction of images within churches
- 1547 denunciations of images in London
- 1547 Injunctions of 1538 reissued
- New book of common prayer in English
- Act of Uniformity --> book is only legal form of worship
- Dissolution of the Chantries
- To get money for foreign policies and as purgatory was no longer in the doctrine
- However Chantries were also places of social events, charities and feasts and were now limited
- The fall of Somerset
- Gained enemies due to his dictorarial style
- Earl of Southhampton was against Somerset being the Protectorate and was removed from the council
- Later Southhampton was re-elected in by Somerset
- Opposition due to his running of the government and policies failing which annoyed his supporters
- Earl of Warwick believed he was responsible for the 1549 rebellions
- Also, Earl of Arundel and Lord St. John
- Tried to get Mary's support but she did not want to be a part of the scandal
- They were ready to plot by October with most of the council and Crammer (who had influence over the king) on their side
- Somerset ordered Lord Russell and Sir Herbert to send troops to protect him but they did not
- Somerset's followers arrested (Sir Michael Stanhope and Sir Thomas Smith)
- The king and Somerset were at Hampton Court but the King left for Windsor and Somerset surrendered as he was promised to not be charged with treason
- Northumberland took over
- Allowed Somerset to rejoin the council but he tried to direct a coup and was executed
- Background
- Joined the court in his teens
- Experienced soldier
- Brother to Jane Seymour who married Henry VIII
- Political prominence
- 1536 became Viscount Beauchamp
- 1537, Member of the Privy and Earl of Hertford
- Uncle to Edward VI
- Became Lord Protector following Henry VIII's death
- Named himself the Duke Of Somerset