Duke of Somerset

The English statesman Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford Duke of Somerset (ca. 1506-1552), who served as lord protector, favored Protestantism, union with Scotland, and economic change.

Edward Seymour was the son of Sir John Seymour of Wolf Hall, Wiltshire. The flowering of Henry VIII's passion for Jane Seymour, Edward's younger sister, opened the gates to royal preferment. One week after Jane's marriage to Henry (March 30, 1536), Edward was created Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, and 3 days after the christening of his nephew Edward, he was made Earl of Hertford (Oct. 18, 1537). Henry VIII's death (Jan. 28, 1547) provided him with his opportunity. With the cooperation of Henry's secretary, he kept Henry's death a secret until he secured possession of his 9-year-old nephew, now Edward VI. He made known Henry's death at a council meeting on Jan. 31, 1547, and secured assent to his becoming lord protector; later he became Duke of Somerset (Feb. 16, 1547).

On Easter, 1548, Somerset instituted a new religious service. The first Act of Uniformity, prescribing the new service and commanding the use of an English Prayer Book, passed in 1549. The tone was Protestant, the emphasis on transforming the Mass into a commemorative act. Somerset's dream of Scottish union foundered on his inability to complete arrangements for marrying Edward VI to Mary, Queen of Scots, who instead married Francis, the Dauphin of France. In 1548 Somerset issued a proclamation forbidding enclosure and set up an investigatory commission which led to discontent among landowners. Moreover, his plan to place a head tax on sheep aroused opposition.

The revolts of 1549 - the rebellion in the western counties of Devonshire and Cornwall, a reaction to the Prayer Book; and Ket's Rebellion in Norfolk, originating from economic discontent - caused further dissatisfaction. John Dudley, the Earl of Warwick, who had successfully crushed Ket's Rebellion, gained control of the council, and Somerset was sent to the Tower on Oct. 14, 1549. Released later, he was ordered to appear before the council on Oct. 4, 1551, the same day that Warwick became Duke of Northumberland. Somerset was sent to the Tower on October 16 and executed after trial at Tower Hill on Jan. 22, 1552.

Handsome and personally gracious, Somerset was an ambitious man who lacked the patience to bring his visionary ideas to fruition. A successful general who beat the Scots at Musselburgh (Sept. 10, 1548), the last pitched battle fought between the two countries, he did not pay enough attention to the practical politics which might have prevented his fall. His enduring monument is the part he played in the advance of Protestant views and the promulgation of Thomas Cranmer's magnificent Prayer Book.

Further Reading

The best book for the details of Somerset's policies is A. F. Pollard, England under Protector Somerset: An Essay (1900). For a view of religious change see Jasper Ridley, Thomas Cranmer (1962), and A. G. Dickens, The English Reformation (1964; rev. ed. 1967). Consult the admirable work by S. T. Bindoff, Ket's Rebellion, 1549 (1949), for an analysis of agrarian discontent.

For more information on Edward Seymour 1st duke of Somerset, visit Britannica.com.

Somerset, Edward Seymour, 1st duke of (c.1500-52). The foundation of Somerset's career was that he was elder brother of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's third wife, and therefore uncle to Edward VI. His progress was by no means spectacular until his sister's marriage in May 1536. A week later he was made Viscount Beauchamp and the following year earl of Hertford. Great honours followed—the Garter in 1541, lord high admiral 1542-3, lieutenant-general in the north 1544-5, when he waged war against the Scots. On Henry VIII's death in 1547, with his nephew aged 9, he became protector of the realm and duke of Somerset. For 2" years he was the effective power in the land. In August 1547 he consolidated his position with a victory against the Scots at Pinkie Cleugh.

During 1549 Somerset's position collapsed completely. The prayer book issued under his auspices provoked a serious rising in Cornwall and Devon in June, and was followed in July by Kett's rebellion in Norfolk. The second was put down by Northumberland, who now emerged as Somerset's chief rival. In October Somerset was deprived of his protectorate and sent to the Tower. Though he was pardoned the following year and restored to the council, he was again sent to the Tower in October 1551 and executed in January 1552.

Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, 1552

Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (c. 1506 – January 22, 1552) was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of King Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549. He was born in about 1506 to Sir John Seymour and Margaret Wentworth. Edward was the eldest brother of Jane Seymour, who would become King Henry VIII's third Queen consort. Their brother, Thomas, also gained power through their sister's advancement. His first marriage to Catharine Fillol was annulled when it was discovered she was having an affair with his father, John Seymour. His second marriage was to Anne Stanhope.

When Jane married the King in 1536, Seymour was created Viscount Beauchamp 5th June, and on 15 Oct 1537 Earl of Hertford. He became Warden of the Scottish Marches and continued in favour after his sister's death in 1537. He retained great influence over the boy king Edward VI, in whose name he ruled the country, and was created Duke of Somerset on 15 Feb 1547, early in King Edward's reign.

Following his victory over the Scots at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh, his position appeared unassailable. However, the Seymour brothers had accumulated enemies and grudges during their time in royal favour, and, shortly after his brother Thomas's downfall, Edward, too, fell from power. His position, although not his office of Protector, was taken by John Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick, later 1st Duke of Northumberland, his properties (such as Somerset House and Sleaford Castle) were confiscated by the crown, and he was executed for treason at Tower Hill on January 22, 1552.

The earldom was later temporarily regained by Somerset's son, Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford.

Political offices
Preceded by The Lord Russell	Lord High Admiral 1542–1543	Succeeded by The Viscount Lisle
Preceded by The Duke of Norfolk	Lord High Treasurer 1547–1549	Succeeded by The Marquess of Winchester
	Earl Marshal 1547–1549	Succeeded by The Earl of Warwick
Peerage of England
Preceded by New Creation	Duke of Somerset 1547–1552	Succeeded by Forfeit (restored in 1660 for William Seymour)

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