History of Edward VI of England

Edward VI of England, the only legitimate son of King Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour, reigned as King from 1547 to 1553. Despite his short life and even shorter reign, Edward's impact on English politics was marked by significant religious transformation and governmental management executed through regency, as he was only nine years old when he ascended the throne. Understanding the political dynamics during his reign requires an exploration of the power wielded by his regents, particularly the Duke of Somerset and the Duke of Northumberland, as well as the broader religious and economic policies that were enacted.

Edward was born on October 12, 1537, and his birth was met with great joy, as he was Henry VIII's long-desired male heir. His upbringing was guided by a rigorous academic curriculum, overseen by Protestant tutors who imbued Edward with a strong inclination towards Protestant reform. This was reflective of the broader shifts in England's religious landscape that had commenced with his father’s break from the Roman Catholic Church.

When Henry VIII died in 1547, Edward ascended to the throne, but his youth necessitated a regency. The governance during Edward's minority was primarily controlled by his uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, who served as Lord Protector. Somerset's administration was characterized by its moderate Protestant reformism and attempts at social reforms, although much of this came amidst economic difficulties and social unrest.

Somerset's religious policy advanced the Protestant Reformation initiated by Henry VIII, albeit with greater zeal. This included the enforcement of the Book of Common Prayer in 1549, which standardized English as the language of service and further distanced the Church of England from Catholic rituals. Such changes often met with resistance, notably culminating in the Western Rebellion or Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549, particularly strong in regions such as Devon and Cornwall, where Catholic traditions were deeply rooted.

The economic conditions during Somerset’s regency were challenging. The debasement of currency initiated by Henry VIII continued, leading to inflation and social distress. Somerset's attempts to address these issues, including an unpopular enclosure commission to deal with rural land consolidation, were too little too late and ignited further unrest, like Kett’s Rebellion in Norfolk, driven by grievances over land reforms and economic hardship.

By 1549, political dissatisfaction with Somerset’s rule, partially due to his mishandling of uprisings and failure to secure foreign policy victories, led to his overthrow in a coup led by John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, who became the Duke of Northumberland. Northumberland’s political acumen led to a realignment of the government, with a focus on stabilizing the economy and government structures, managing to restore some degree of fiscal stability through measures such as recoinage and reforms in taxation.

Northumberland’s influence marked a shift towards further Protestant reforms, yet his political maneuvers were mainly pragmatic. He recognized the need to consolidate power and extend the Protestant doctrine but also emphasized stabilizing the kingdom's international position. Northumberland disengaged England from the costly conflicts inherited from Henry VIII's reign, notably by signing the Treaty of Boulogne with France in 1550, which returned Boulogne to the French and improved international relations at the expense of monarchy prestige but crucially eased financial burdens on the country.

Politically astute, Northumberland worked to ensure continuity of Protestant rule by influencing Edward to name his Protestant cousin, Lady Jane Grey, as his successor, supplanting his half-sister Mary Tudor, a Catholic. This decision demonstrates the intersection of religious and political policy within Edward’s reign. Edward VI himself, despite his youth, was fervently supportive of Protestant reforms, influenced heavily by his education and advisors. Subsequently, Edward signed the ‘Devise for the Succession’, which aimed to ensure Protestant hegemony in England posthumously.

However, Edward’s health deteriorated rapidly in 1553, and he died on July 6 at the age of 15. The attempt to alter the line of succession failed as Lady Jane Grey was deposed after just nine days in favor of Mary I, leading to the temporary return of Catholicism in England.

Edward VI’s reign, through the lens of politics, is not just a story of a boy king overshadowed by his regents, but also a period of significant political maneuvering and religious reform that laid early foundations for the Elizabethan Religious Settlement. Despite his lack of direct rule, Edward’s legacy as a politician is enshrined in the enduring impact of his reign’s Protestant policies and the profound governmental restructuring driven by his regents’ political ambitions in a time fraught with religious and social upheaval.