Edward VI's 'speciall men': crown and locality in mid Tudor England

Court politics was to some degree factional during Edward VI's reign (1547–53), but the danger of this happening on a wide scale in the counties was recognized. The dukes of Somerset and Northumberland could not afford to alienate the nobility and gentry by monopolizing local offices. Therefore...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Historical research : the bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research 2009-05, Vol.82 (216), p.229-251
Main Author: Bryson, Alan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Edward VI, King of England (1537-53)
Government employees
History
Nobility
Politics
Royalty
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Summary:Court politics was to some degree factional during Edward VI's reign (1547–53), but the danger of this happening on a wide scale in the counties was recognized. The dukes of Somerset and Northumberland could not afford to alienate the nobility and gentry by monopolizing local offices. Therefore, they built working relationships between centre and localities through the judicious use of patronage, including expanding the commissions of the peace. Maintaining goodwill and effective lines of communication was vital to crown‐county relations and the office of lord lieutenant (established from 1548) was critical. It was political failure, not faction, that brought down Somerset's and Northumberland's regimes.
ISSN:0950-3471
1468-2281
DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2281.2007.00454.x