Edward VI: biography of the King of England

Edward VI of the Tudor family ruled England for 6 years. His innovations left a noticeable imprint on the future fate of Britain. All the stay of Edward 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 the young Tudor led to turmoil and a series of strife.

Youth

Eduard VI was born on October 12, 1537. His mother was Jane Seymour, father - Henry VIII. The early years of the reign of the first crowned Tudor were marked by a huge rise in the power of England. In the society, the tension between the representatives of various religions decreased. Partly established relations with the rebellious Ireland. But Henry led a wild life. He divorced his wife, despite protests from the church, for which he was excommunicated. In recent years, madness has seized the king. He became excessively suspicious and executed all those who, in his opinion, were plotting against him. And all this against the background of the lack 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 did not leave heirs, the internecine strife would certainly begin.

Edward's mother died during childbirth. Suffering from obesity and other ailments of the father did not become in 9 years. In the same year, the crown was worn by Edward VI. From childhood, he showed interest in learning and self-development.

Since the young king could not solve all the issues himself, he needed a regent, that is, a patron. For this position, a real struggle unfolded. The de facto regent was the main man of England and could exert considerable influence over the country, pursuing his own interests. Eduard Seymour was appointed patron. His decisions greatly influenced the period of the king's reign.

The period of Seymour's patronage

At a young age, Edward VI was not able to rule himself, but the last word still remained for him. Seizure seized power Seymour bribed the members of the Council in order to be able to make decisions on their own. Young Edward only signed decrees, in which little did he understand.

An important test for the ruler of England in the 16th century was the war with the rebellious Scotland. The Scottians regularly rebelled and tried to regain their territories. Seymour resumed active fighting in this direction. He himself rose at the head of the army and led the soldiers on a campaign.

The first skirmishes allowed the royal army to advance deeper into Scotland. In Pinky she was met by Count Arran with a 25-thousand army. But Seymour placed his soldiers well along the coast. With the help of ships, the British quickly suppressed the offensive. A few hours later, five thousand Scots lay dead, and another fifteen hundred were captured. At the same time, the loss of the royal army was about 500 people. Such a decisive victory gave Seymour a vote of confidence in 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 the remaining members were forced to retreat.

King Edward VI was a zealous Protestant. Therefore, throughout the country, the oppression of other religions began, especially Catholicism. Such reforms led to a series of popular uprisings, which had to be brutally suppressed. Internal problems forced the Privy Council to decide on the removal of Seymour. The Regent was arrested, and the king testified against him.

New regent

After this, a new battle for patronage over the king began. Meanwhile, Eduard grew and became more interested in public affairs.

He spent much time studying. By the age of 15 the king knew French, Latin, Greek. He also studied religion. It can be argued that the Protestantism of the King was in part his personal choice, and not just the result of Seymour's influence.

Edward VI, King of England: recent years

One of the most significant moments of Edward's rule was the introduction of the "Book of Prayers", which seriously changed the position of Catholics in England. People's discontent was growing. Subsequently, these reforms were curtailed, but a few decades later formed the basis for the formation of the new Anglican church.

Edward never had health problems. As a child, he had a dangerous form of fever, which at that time was virtually incurable. But he quickly recovered. However, at the 16th year of his life he was struck by tuberculosis. Literally in six months, Eduard VI Tudor was exhausted and died. After his death, he did not have direct heirs or relatives of a male. This led to another crisis in England.