protector somerset

Question 1

government and administration

Answer 1

lacked effective leadership

Somerset introduced no new reforms

Question 2

Somerset’s leadership

Answer 2

he lacked the necessary leadership needed in the absence of a monarch

either because of his preoccupation with the war effort or his inability to adjust to new conditions

Question 3

problems of government

Answer 3

to continue the wars against France and Scotland

question of religious reform

finding ways of raising revenue

Question 4

economic and social problems

Answer 4

• population increasing, which caused inflation due to demand on food pushing up the prices
• threatened living standards as wages weren’t increasing

Question 5

dilema over war

Answer 5

to continue for national prestige and to retain the support of the elites. If they did they would be plunged into further debt, however, taxes would be unpopular

Question 6

religious reform

Answer 6

needed to take action to retain the support of protestant activists otherwise catholic rivals would take power

but if taken too far, the reformers might provoke the Catholics into open rebellion

Question 7

administration

Answer 7

aware that worsening economic conditions could lead to popular uprisings

Question 8

new laws

Answer 8

passed a new Treason Act- repealed the old heresy, treason and censorship laws and the Act of 6 articles from 1539

Question 9

removal of heresy laws

Answer 9

allowed people to discuss religion freely

enabled publishing and circulating books and pamphlets

Question 10

unpopular legislation

Answer 10

from Henry VIII was swept away- proof of Somersets tolerant attitude? or the new regime trying to gain popularity

perhaps, the government was clearing the way for religious reforms

Question 11

treason act

Answer 11

• religious discussions often ended in disorder and riots
• repeal of old laws left the authorities with less power to deal with such situations
• undermined the confidence of the ruling elites as they now felt powerless

Question 12

proclamations

Answer 12

• like acts of parliament - feared that it would allow the monarch to rule without Parliament
• suggests somerset wanted freedom to rule without parliament
• during Edward’s reign, 77 proclamations were issued by Somerset- only 6/year in Henry’s reign

Question 13

chantries act

Answer 13

1547

• device to raise money for the wars
• the gold and silver plate was sent to make coins

Question 14

royal mints

Answer 14

reduced the silver content

had already been debased in 1543, then again in 1551- silver content now at 25%

-by increasing number of coins in circulation, it added to inflation. Prices, like for grain, rose fast

Question 15

vagrancy act

Answer 15

1547

a savage attack on vagrants looking for work

widely unpopular and many authorities refused to enforce it

Question 16

enclosures

Answer 16

the government blamed them for the economic problems and proclamations were issued against them

this increased the unrest

Question 17

concerns for rebellions

Answer 17

the government appeared to be more concerned with avoiding disorder and riots than helping the poor and solving the economic problem

3 proclamations issued in 1548-aimed at maintaining public order

Question 18

fall from power

Answer 18

somerset seemed unable to take decisive actions to suppress the uprisings in the west country and East Anglia- this is traditionally interpreted as sympathy

seems more likely that the delays were caused by the reluctance of the local elites to intervene without government help

Question 19

rebellions

Answer 19

lack of money made it hard to get a mercenary army and Somerset was reluctant to withdraw troops from scotland or France

-led to his colleagues abandoning him as he failed to prevent unrest

Question 20

somerset’s arrest

Answer 20

engineered by John Dudley in Oct 1549

released the following year but then arrested again for plotting against the government

executed in 1552

Question 21

FP

Answer 21

largely influenced by Henry’s

Henry had wanted Edward to marry Mary queen of Scots

Question 22

Scotland

Answer 22

Franco-Scottish alliance was renewed in 1547

4000 troops were sent to Scotland

England victory at the battle of Pinkie gave them control of the border- not strong enough to occupy rest of Scotland

Question 23

France

Answer 23

accession of aggressive Henry II ended hopes of a compromise with France

Mary queen of Scots to marry Francis

proclaimed scotland and france were one country

Question 24

Franco-Scottish alliance

Answer 24

it deteriorated as the French tired of the expense of war and the Scottish nobles came to resent French presence

Question 25

1549 with FR and SC

Answer 25

due to peasant revolts in England, Somerset had to withdraw from the north and recall the fleet to guard the channel against the French

Fr thought the war was too expensive so turned their attention to the siege of Boulogne

Question 26

judgement of Somerset

Answer 26

widely agreed that he was a good field general

as commander-in-chief he was indecisive and afraid to delegate authority

failed to take advantage of the battle of Pinkie as well as his indecisiveness about removing his troops from the north- not out of humanitarian love for the peasants

not altogether to blame for the failure of FP- due to Englands weak military, the war with Fr was one that couldn’t be one