Edward VI of the Tudor family ruled England for 6 years. His innovations left a noticeable imprint on the future fate of Britain. Edward's entire stay on the throne was accompanied by various rumors and intrigues. The modern Protestant Church still uses the rites that the king brought to religion.
The death of a young Tudor led to confusion and a series of strife.
Youth
Edward VI was born on October 12, 1537. His mother was Jane Seymour and his father was Henry VIII. The early years of the reign of the first crowned Tudor were marked by a huge rise in the power of England. The intensity of confrontation between representatives of different religions has decreased in society. Partially, relations with recalcitrant Ireland were established. But Heinrich led a wild life. He divorced his wife, despite protests from the church, for which he was excommunicated from her. In recent years, madness has taken hold of the king. He became overly suspicious and executed anyone he thought was plotting against him. And all this against the background of the absence of a male heir. Therefore, the birth of Edward in the country was perceived as a hope for a brighter future, because if Henry VII had not left heirs, civil strife would certainly have begun.
Eduard's motherdied in childbirth. Suffering from obesity and other ailments, the father died after 9 years. In the same year, Edward VI put on the crown. Since childhood, he has shown an interest in learning and self-development.
Since the young king could not solve all issues on his own, he needed a regent, that is, a patron. There was a real struggle for this position. De facto, the regent was the main man of England and could exert significant influence on the country, pursuing his own interests. Edward Seymour was appointed patron. His decisions largely influenced the period of the king's reign.
Seymour's patronage period
At a young age, Edward VI was not able to rule on his own, but the last word still remained with him. Having usurped power, Seymour bribed the members of the Council in order to be able to make decisions alone. Young Eduard only signed decrees in which he knew little.
An important test for the ruler of England in the 16th century was the war with recalcitrant Scotland. The Scotts regularly raised uprisings and tried to regain their territories. Seymour resumed active hostilities in this direction. He himself stood at the head of the army and led the soldiers on a campaign.
The first skirmishes allowed the royal army to move deep into Scotland. At Pinky, she was met by the Earl of Arran with 25,000 troops. But Seymour placed his soldiers well along the coast. With the help of ships, the British quickly suppressed the offensive. A few hours later, 5,000 Scots lay dead, and another 1,500 were captured. Lossesthe royal troops at the same time amounted to about 500 people. Such a decisive victory gave Seymour a vote of confidence from the population and the council. But further actions did not have such good results. France sent a large contingent to help the Scots. The coalition defeated the British troops, and its remaining members were forced to retreat.
King Edward VI was a fervent Protestant. Therefore, the oppression of other religions, especially Catholicism, began throughout the country. Such reforms led to a series of popular uprisings, which had to be brutally suppressed. Internal problems forced the Privy Council to decide to remove Seymour. The regent was arrested and the king testified against him.
New Regent
After that, a new fight for patronage over the king began. Meanwhile, Edward grew up and became more and more interested in state affairs.
He spent a lot of time studying. By the age of 15, the king knew French, Latin, Greek. He also studied religion. It can be argued that the king's Protestantism was partly his personal choice, and not just the result of Seymour's influence.
Edward VI, King of England: The Last Years
One of the most significant moments of Edward's reign was the introduction of the "Book of Prayers", which seriously changed the position of Catholics in England. Popular discontent grew. Subsequently, these reforms were curtailed, but after a few decades formed the basis for the formation of the new Anglican Church.
Eduard neverhad he alth problems. As a child, he had been ill with a dangerous form of fever, which at that time was practically incurable. But he recovered quickly. However, at the age of 16, he was struck down by tuberculosis. In just six months, Edward VI Tudor became exhausted and died. After his death, he had no direct heirs or male relatives. This led to another crisis in England.
