Edward was only 9 when his father Henry 8th died and as had been normal for 100s of years previously, an overseer or Protector was appointed to run the country. Edwards protectors were both powerful and ruthless men so much of what happened during his reign and attributed to him was more likely to be the work of firstly his uncle Edward Seymour and secondly Robert Dudley the Duke of Northumberland.

Edward Seymour could not control the countries finances, was determined to continue the military campaigns against France and Scotland and was a staunch Protestant. In the latter he was encouraged and supported by Edward himself and Archbishop Thomas Cramner. The English Reformation moved forward apace with the banning of Catholic services to be replaced by Lutheran practices and the removal from churches of all things that could be seen to be idolatrous, like paintings and statues of Jesus and stained glass windows. With the economy falling into tatters as a result of expensive wars and with the despair of a huge number of Catholics who did not like the new religion the country descended into chaos and Edward Seymour was removed from office, beheaded and replaced by an equally ruthless Protestant, Robert Dudley. Edward was 12 and he seemed unmoved just recording in his diary “Somerset had his head cut off”.

One of the results of going Protestant was the cessation of the need for a priest to be available full time to say prayers for the recently dead. In the Catholic faith such prayers were necessary as otherwise, according to the priests; the dead would have no chance of getting into heaven. This activity had to be paid for by the relatives of the deceased and was expensive but very profitable for the church. When not praying these priests served a useful role in educating the young and their demise saw the end of this. Young Edward who himself was very intelligent and could speak Latin and Greek at the age of 5 used the same tutors of his sister Princess Elizabeth and his cousin Lady Jane Grey. To fill the education role left by the sacked priests he instructed that “Grammar Schools” be set up and hence the large number of schools still now providing a good education called “King Edward” school.

When Edward was 14 he contracted TB and Robert Dudley had to move fast to ensure his successor was a Protestant when elder sister Mary, the next in line was a devout Catholic and Elizabeth’s religion was not clear. The next overtly Protestant with royal blood was Lady Jane Grey, the grand daughter of Henry 7th. Edward, on his death bed was persuaded  to sign the necessary document and when he died Jane Grey became Queen.

Chronological Events

1537 Edward born at Hampton Court the first and only son of Henry 8th. Jane Seymour his mother died 2 weeks after giving birth. Edward had a succession of stepmothers, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard who was beheaded and Catherine Parr.

1543 Edward is 6 and can already read and speak Latin and Greek and had been educated alongside sister Elizabeth and cousin Jane Grey. Catherine Parr takes responsibility for the royal children who become fond of her.

1547 Father Henry 8th dies and Edward at 9 years old becomes king under the artful guidance of his ambitious uncle Edward Seymour.  Seymour as Protector and Duke of Somerset immediately attacks Scotland. The fight with Scotland is intended to force a marriage between Edward and his cousin Mary Queen of Scots aged 5. Although the Scots are defeated Mary escapes to France where she is betrothed to the next in line to the French throne, the Dauphin Francis.

At the same time Somerset authorises Archbishop Thomas Cramner to enforce Protestant ideals and ban Catholic practices.

1549-1552 This was a period of civil and religious turbulence involving riots in England’s second biggest city Norwich against Edward Seymour and Cramner’s Protestant changes and “Land Enclosures” and in the West Country against the new religion. Edward Seymour commonly called Somerset was blamed and was tried for treason and executed under the equally ruthless new Protector, John Dudley the Earl of Warwick and Duke of the powerful region of Northumberland.

1553 Edward is now 16 and is clearly  dying from TB. His eldest sister Mary a devout Catholic is next in line to the throne but Dudley is determined that a Protestant must rule. Unfortunately for Dudley he is not at all well but he has time to persuade Edward to sign documents making Lady Jane Grey next in line and also to marry Jane to his own son Lord Guilford.