1547
28th January: Death of Henry the VIII and Edward's accession
31st January: Marquis of Hertford (Duke of Somerset later) appointed Lord Protector
February: John Dudley was make Earl of Warwick
16th February: Seymour makes himself Duke of Somerset
20th February: Coronation of Edward VI
21st March: Somerset made Protector until Edward is 18
Issue of Royal injunctions to clergy to enforce the new religious practices
Invasion of Scotland
1548
Enclosure commission established
Inflationary pressures
1549
20th March: Thomas Seymour executed
Act of Uniformity passed
First Book of Common Prayer issued
Inflationary pressures worsen
Western Rebellion:
6th June: First signs of trouble at Bodmin and Arundell, a local gentleman, is persuaded to lead the rebellion by the local priests.
10th June: Peasants were demonstrating in the area. A local gentleman Sir Hugh Pollard attempted to send the demonstrators home.
12th June: Another gentleman, Hellyons, tries to send the dissidents home, but is beaten to death. The Cornishmen move on to Devon.
20th June:
25th June:
8th July: Battle of Fenny Bridge - more of a skirmish than a battle.
9th July: Russell considers withdrawing as he hears that Wiltshire and Hampshire had also risen (they hadn't).
10th July:
5th August:
15th August: The remaining rebels and Arundell are taken out at Stamford Courtenay
17th August: The rebellion ends with a massive defeat at Stamford Courtenay, 4 000 rebel casualties.
10th June: Peasants were demonstrating in the area. A local gentleman Sir Hugh Pollard attempted to send the demonstrators home.
12th June: Another gentleman, Hellyons, tries to send the dissidents home, but is beaten to death. The Cornishmen move on to Devon.
20th June:
- The Privy Council hears word of a 'commotion'. The rebels have assembled at Crediton.
- Lord Russell and Sir Peter Carew are given the task of dealing with the problem.
- Sir Peter Carew arrives in Exeter to meet with the rebels. He finds them arrogant and refuses further negotiations with them. The commons' mistrust of the gentry is given fuel!
- The rebels send a set of articles to the Privy Council.
25th June:
- The rebels set out for Exeter. (Important as it has a port and an armoury)
- Exeter does not give in to the rebels.
- Rebels try to mine the city walls but their plan fails and the second set of articles is drawn up.
8th July: Battle of Fenny Bridge - more of a skirmish than a battle.
9th July: Russell considers withdrawing as he hears that Wiltshire and Hampshire had also risen (they hadn't).
10th July:
- the Privy Council gives Russell a free hand to crush the rebellion.
- Russell decrees that any gentleman found to be inactive in helping to crush the rebellion will be treated as a traitor
- Battle at Clyst St. Mary.
5th August:
- Another battle on Clyst Heath. Lord Grey is moved to comment that he witnessed at this battle, the most ferocious fighting he had ever seen.
- The rebels are defeated and head back to Cornwall. Ringleaders are rounded up and hanged.
- Those clerical leaders that are found are hanged in their 'popish vestements', including Robert Welch.
15th August: The remaining rebels and Arundell are taken out at Stamford Courtenay
17th August: The rebellion ends with a massive defeat at Stamford Courtenay, 4 000 rebel casualties.
Kett's Rebellion -
(timeline crosses over with above rebellion but has been separated for revision purposes)
July: Rising anger from the poor led to the tearing down of fences. A local landowner and lawyer called John Flowerdew was the main target. Robert Kett, another landowner, but not as powerful as Flowerdew, joined the protesters before they attacked him. He pulled down his own fences and sent them to attack Flowerdew.
9th July:
21st July:
22nd July: Kett's rebels attacked and occupied Norwich.
31stJuly: Sir William Parr leads 1,500 foreign mercenary soldiers against the rebels, but is forced to withdraw to Cambridge.
24th August: the Earl of Warwick leads nearly 15,000 soldiers, mostly German mercenaries in an attack on Norwich. The rebels prepare for battle.
27th August:
9th July:
- Kett now takes charge of the protest. He led 16,000 people to Norwich, the biggest city in the region, and set up camp outside the gates. People from the city joined the protesters and soon there were four more camps across Norfolk and Suffolk.
- Within a week the rebels' camp was challenging the authorities in Norwich. Two of the leaders of Norwich, Thomas Codd and Thomas Aldrich, joined the rebels, as did Robert Watson, an important preacher.
- A rebels' council was elected and their own courts and Protestant services were held. At all times loyalty to King Edward was never questioned.
- A new parliament was set up under The Tree of Reformation, an oak tree on Mousehold Heath. The discipline and organisation of the protest meant that the state's authorities could do little to break it up. 29 Grievances (complaints) were declared, mainly to do with the standard of living of people.
21st July:
- A royal messenger arrived offering a full pardon if the rebels agreed to go home peacefully.
- No mention was made of the rebels' grievances.
- Kett and the rebels refused, but still hoped Edward would come to their aid.
- However, the city authorities in Norwich now stopped their supply of food.
22nd July: Kett's rebels attacked and occupied Norwich.
31stJuly: Sir William Parr leads 1,500 foreign mercenary soldiers against the rebels, but is forced to withdraw to Cambridge.
24th August: the Earl of Warwick leads nearly 15,000 soldiers, mostly German mercenaries in an attack on Norwich. The rebels prepare for battle.
27th August:
- On the plain at Dussindale, outside Norwich, the battle takes place.
- Over 3,000 men were killed - mostly rebels.
- Warwick tried most of the leaders the next day and hanged on the city gallows. Up to 300 men were executed. Nine of them were hanged, drawn and quartered in a cruel ceremony at the Tree of Reformation.
31st October: End of Somerset's Protectorate - Fall of Somerset
December: William (Kett's brother) was hanged from the steeple of Wymondham Abbey and Robert Kett was hanged from the walls of Norwich Castle. His body remained there for months as a warning, until the smell got too bad and it was removed. The rebellion had convinced many that the government would never help them out.
1550
21st February: Warwick (Northumberland) appointed President of the Council
1551
August: Edward begins to attend Privy Council meetings
11th October: Warwick made himself Duke of Northumberland
1552
21st January: Somerset executed
Spring: The Privy Council agree that Edward should become king in October (age 16)
Second Act of Uniformity passed
Second Book of Common Prayer issued
1553
42 Articles compiled
February: Edward falls seriously ill with pulmonary tuberculosis
21st May: Lady Jane Grey marries Guilford Dudley (Northumberland's son)
12th June:
- Edward changes his will to name Lady Jane Grey as his successor
- Princess Mary and Princess Elizabeth had both been declared illegitimate
- The next in line to the throne was Edward's aunt, Lady Frances Brandon who was the daughter of King Henry's younger sister Mary by Charles Brandon the 1st Duke of Suffolk
- Lady Frances Brandon had married Henry Grey and their daughters were Lady Jane Grey, Catherine Grey and Mary Grey
- John Dudley believed that Lady Jane Grey would be a 'Puppet Queen' which would allow John Dudley to continue his supremely powerful position when King Edward died
- It is rumoured that Dudley cruelly prolonged the illness of Edward who was in excruciating pain, in order to prepare for the succession of Lady Jane Grey
6th July: Death of Edward from septicemia and he left the throne to 'the Lady Jane Grey and her heirs male.'
The Devise
10th July: Lady Jane Grey was Proclaimed Queen of England (Queen for just Nine Days)
19th July: Queen Jane was deposed as Queen
23rd August: John Dudley was executed on Tower Hill
6th July:
19th July: Queen Jane was deposed as Queen
23rd August: John Dudley was executed on Tower Hill
6th July:
- Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, is proclaimed Queen of England
- Lady Jane Grey and her husband Guildford Dudley are imprisoned in the Tower of London - Mary was inclined to show them clemency