Edward VI was born in Hampton Court to Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour, on October 12, 1537. All over England, the announcement of the birth of a prince was greeted with joy and relief. Te Deums were chanted in the churches, bonfires were lit and "their was shott at the Tower that night above two thousand gonnes."
Edward was christened on October 15. His oldest sister, Mary was to be his godmother, while his other sister, Elizabeth, held the baptismal cloth. At same time, Edward was made Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester. On October 23, Jane Seymour became ill, presumably as a result of a postnatal infection and died the following evening. After her death, Henry wrote to Francis I, the King of France, saying, "Divine Providence…hath mingled my joy with bitterness of the death of her who brought me this happiness."
The Childhood of Edward VI
Despite the death of his wife, Henry couldn’t have been more delighted with Edward. In May, 1538, Henry was seen "dallying with him in his arms…" In September of that year, Lord Chancellor Thomas Audley reported on Edward’s rapid growth. Other primary sources describe Edward as a tall and happy child. As a result the tradition that Edward was a sickly child has been challenged by modern historians. Edward was struck with a life-threatening fever, but aside from bad eyesight, Edward was generally healthy until the last few months of his reign.
As a child, Edward was initially placed in the care of Margaret Bryan, who was the Lady Mistress of Edward’s household. She was eventually succeeded in this capacity by Blanche Herbert. In his own words, Edward was brought up "among the women" until the age of six. The royal household established around Edward was overseen by Sir William Sidney, and later Sir Richard Page. Edward’s father demanded rigid standards in security and cleanliness. Letters written by visitors describe the lavish toys and comforts that were provided for Edward’s amusement, including a personal troupe of minstrels. Overall, Edward seems to have been a contented and happy child.
The Education of Edward VI
When Edward was six years old, his formal education began. Edward was taught by Richard Cox and John Cheke. Edward later wrote that his education focused on the "learning of tongues, of the scripture, of philosophy and all liberal sciences." Edward was also taught by Roger Ascham, who had taught his older sister, Elizabeth. Under the tutelage of Ascham, Edward learned French, Italian and Spanish. Edward is also known to have studied geography and music.
Edward collected maps and globes and quickly developed a grasp of economics, which some historians have taken to be a sign of intelligence. Edward’s religious education is presumed to have favoured reformist teachings. His religious establishment was chosen and led by Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1549, Edward wrote a treatise on the Pope as the Antichrist and is known to have made informed notes on various religious controversies in England. During his childhood many aspects of Edward’s religious beliefs were virtually identical to traditional Catholic practices, including the celebration of Mass and the veneration of icons and holy relics.
The primary sources indicate that his sisters, Mary and Elizabeth were very affectionate toward Edward, and visited him often. Edward is known to have taken "special content" from Mary’s company in particular, even though he apparently disapproved of her interest in foreign dances. In 1543, Henry invited Mary, Elizabeth and Edward to spend Christmas with him, which resulted in the reconciliation between Henry and his daughters, who he had previously disinherited.
That spring, Henry also restored them to the succession by an act of Parliament, which also called for the establishment of a regency council for Edward until he came of age. This rare period of family harmony is thought to have been the result of the influence of Henry’s sixth and final wife, Catherine Parr, who Edward was known to be fond of, calling her his "most dear mother."
Other children were brought to Edward as playmates, including the granddaughter of his Chamberlain, Sir William Sidney. Edward was educated with the sons of other nobles who were "appointed to attend upon him" in what became a miniature version of his father’s court. Among the nobles who waited on Edward was Barnaby Fitzpatrick. The son of an Irish lord, Barnaby Fitzpatrick would become one of Edward’s life long friends.
The primary sources indicate that Edward was more devoted to his schoolwork than were his classmates. He seems to have been determined to outshine his older sister, Elizabeth, who was known for her great intellect.
No expense was spared in the decoration of Edward’s household, which was hung with expensive Flemish tapestries, while Edward’s books and clothing were encrusted with gold and precious stones. Like his father, Edward was keenly interested in the military arts and many of Edward’s paintings depict him wearing a dagger. In his own writings, Edward described many of the campaigns fought by the English against the Scots and the French, as well as other military adventures, such as the near capture of John Dudley near Musselburgh in 1547.
Edward VI and the Rough Wooing
On July 1, 1543, Edward’s father, Henry VIII signed the Treaty of Greenwich with the King of Scotland. The peace between England and Scotland was to be sealed with the betrothal of Edward to Mary, Queen of Scots, who was seven months old at the time. The Scots were in a weakened bargaining position following the English victory at the Battle of Solway Moss. Henry wanted to unite the crowns of England and Scotland, as he had united England and Wales, and demanded that Mary be sent to the English Court to be raised.
The Scots repudiated the treaty with England and renewed their traditional alliance with France in December, 1543. In April, 1544, the outraged Henry ordered Edward’s uncle, the Earl of Hertford to invade Scotland and "put all to fire and sword." The ensuing campaign was the most brutal since the wars between England and Scotland during the reign of Edward Longshanks in the 12th Century, and became known as the Rough Wooing. As a result, the prospect of peace with Scotland proved to be short lived thanks to the machinations of the mostly pro-French Scottish nobility.
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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