How Far Was There a Mid-Tudors Crisis 1547-1558?

How far was there a mid-Tudors crisis 1547-1558?

To an extent there was a crisis with the combinations of weak rulers, number of financial and economic problems, series of rebellions, religious reformations, and foreign policy failures in the middle years of the sixteen century. However, according to John matusiak (mid Tudor England) the term crisis "can be taken here to denote a situation involving imminent danger of what might be termed fundamental systemic collapse in political, social or economic terms" ,as there was no a revolutionary change at the time thus suggesting there was not a crisis but problems which had solutions.

Firstly, To begin with the years of 1547 to 1558 lies between two big reigns, first of Henry VIII and the second one is the reign of Elisabeth I, who both made a fundamental changes and both enjoyed long and dramatic reigns. Succession was not always secure or consistent in Tudor times as Edward VI was too young to set to rule the country and his manipulation by Somerset and Northumberland. Furthermore, lack of confidence in Mary I being a less capable to rule Due to her being a female. Edward VI who was protected by liberal Earl of Somerset and corrupt Duke of Northumberland, who in order tried to install Lady Jane Grey and alter the legitimate line of succession. Political Factions would go in and out of favour and try to get more power. This led to a certain amount of instability as the Tudors were threatened by factions who became too powerful. Example, The Council, like Parliament, was supposed to act as a point of contact between the government and the governed. Ridden by faction, it could not easily fulfil such a function and thus offered the monarch inappropriate advice. There is also evidence that Somerset used this state of affairs to usurp royal authority. Therefore there was a mid Tudor crisis because of the leadership skills of Edward VI rather than Mary I.

Furthermore, the time of Edward VI reign was the most significant era in leading up to mid Tudor crisis as there were crushing foreign policy failures. For example, The Duke of Somerset's costly and ineffective campaigns in Scotland and against the French between 1547 and 1549.continueing with the debate, the Treaty of Boulogne in March 1550, which A.F. Pollard described as 'the most ignominious ... signed by England during the century'. Thus suggesting that this was a disgrace and shameful treaty of that era led by Northumberland as Boulogne was surrendered to French and English troops were to leave Scotland. However this was not to be the only "most ignominious "foreign policy in mid Tudor times as Mary Tudor's loss of Calais January 1558 was seemed as a disastrous foreign policy. National pride was suffered and these contributed to the crisis as people were not happy. This was the consequence of the Spanish marriage between King Philip II and Mary I, as England was dragged into war with France. This resulted in the loss of Calais in 1558 thus it was a massive blow to the prestige of the English crown. This suggests that in an area such as foreign policy both Edward VI and Mary I shared an equal blame which contributed to the mid Tudors crisis.

A major factor in which it is argued that it has huge implementation to the mid Tudor crisis is the rebellions, there were three major rebellions the Western Rebellion 1549, Kett's rebellion 1549 and Wyatt's rebellion. Two of which were in Edwards Reign and one in Marys reign. In addition the impact of the first two was magnified by their occurrence at a time of war with Scotland and France. The first, the Western Rebellion was