Historians have noted the efficiency with which the Duke of Somerset took power and compared it with the ineptitude of his rule. By the autumn of 1549, the wars in France and Scotland had become bogged down, the Crown was on the verge of bankruptcy and there were riots all over England. Until relatively recently, the Duke of Somerset was well regarded by historians as a result of his many decrees and proclamations that appeared to support the common people. More recently, the Duke of Somerset has been viewed as an arrogant, aloof and incompetent ruler who lacked the necessary political and administrative skills.
Edward VI and the Council of the Privy Chamber
In contrast to the Duke of Somerset, his successor, the Earl of Warwick, who became the Duke of Northumberland in 1551, was once seen as a schemer who elevated and enriched himself at the expense of the Crown. However, since the 1970s, the achievements of his rule have been recognized and historians now credit the Duke of Northumberland with restoring the authority of the Crown and returning Edward’s government to an even keel after the chaos of the Protectorate.
The Duke of Northumberland’s main rival was the Earl of Southampton, who formed an alliance with the Duke of Northumberland to create a unanimous council, which along with international observers such as the ambassador of the Holy Roman Empire, hoped to reverse the Duke of Somerset’s policy of religious reform.
The Duke of Northumberland pinned his hopes on Edward’s strong Protestant inclinations, arguing that Edward was old enough to rule on his own and took steps to move his supporters closer to the throne. He also took steps to control the Privy Chamber. At roughly the same time, Paget accepted a barony and joined the Duke of Northumberland when he realized that a conservative policy was not likely to convince the Holy Roman Emperor to come over to the side of the English against the French over Boulogne-sur-Mer.
In the meantime, the Earl of Southampton began plotting to discredit the Duke of Northumberland by advocating for the execution of the Duke of Somerset. His plan was to argue that the actions of the Duke of Somerset had occurred with the full knowledge and approval of the Duke of Northumberland. In response, the Duke of Northumberland was able to convince Parliament to release the Duke of Somerset, who was set free on January 14, 1550.
At the same time the Duke of Northumberland had the Earl of Southampton and his supporters purged from the Privy Chamber. He also secured the support of the members of the chamber by offering them noble titles. The Duke of Northumberland also became the Lord President of the Privy Chamber and the Great Master of the King’s Household.
Edward VI and the Duke of Northumberland
As Edward grew up he became more and more involved in the governing of England. The extent of Edward’s involvement in the decision making process has long been the subject of debate and historians have presented a wide variety of possibilities. When Edward was 14, the Council of the Estate was created and its members were hand-picked by Edward himself. The purpose of the Council of the Estate was to allow Edward "to hear the debating of things of most importance." At the same time, the Privy Chamber continued to play a major role in the governing of the Kingdom. Edward’s greatest influence was in religion where his ministers followed his strong Protestant leanings.
Under the Duke of Northumberland, the Privy Chamber operated differently than it had under the Duke of Somerset. The Duke of Northumberland always worked to ensure that he had the loyalty of the council and worked to ensure that the council was capable of delivering results, which he used to reinforce his own authority.
He also added members from his own faction, in order to control the council and added members of his own family to the royal household. In order to achieve political dominance, the Duke of Northumberland needed to be able to exercise procedural control of the Council of the Estate and the Privy Chamber. The Duke of Northumberland’s military policies were more practical that the Duke of Somerset’s. Despite this, the Duke of Northumberland earned a reputation for weakness.
In 1550, the Duke of Northumberland signed a treaty with the French, in which he agreed to withdraw the English armies from Scotland and Boulogne-sur-Mer. In 1555, Edward was betrothed to Elisabeth of Valois, the daughter of Henry II, the King of France. Edward realized that England could no longer afford wars and foreign adventures. In England, Edward took steps to avoid local unrest. In order to forestall future rebellions, permanent representatives of the Crown were assigned to each county. These Lords Lieutenant commanded local military forces and sent Edward regular reports.
At the same time, the Duke of Northumberland was working closely with William Paulet and Walter Mildmay to tackle the Kingdom’s finances, which were in a shambles. Unfortunately the Duke of Northumberland was unable to resist the temptation to make a fast profit, debasing the English currency in the process. In the wake of the resulting economic disaster, the Duke of Northumberland handed the responsibility for economic recovery to Thomas Gresham. In 1552, confidence in the coinage was restored and trade improved. The English economy would not fully recover until the reign of Elizabeth I, but its recovery was the direct result of the economic policies put in place during the reign of Edward VI.
Sources
Ashley, Mike. British Kings and Queens. Robinson:London.1998
Terry Long - I hold degrees in history and journalism. In addition to my contributions to Suite 101, I have also written for the Brampton Bulletin, the ...
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