History week 24.

Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 1547 until his death in 1553. He was the only legitimate son of King Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour. Edward became king at the tender age of nine and became the first English monarch to be raised as a Protestant. Because of his young age, Edward’s reign was overseen by a regency council. His uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, initially served as Lord Protecto. Edward was a determined Protestant and continued his father’s work of reforming the Church of England. Pro founded reforms included the introduction of the Book of Common Prayer and the abolition of certain Catholic practices. His reign faced difficulties and social unrest, including Kett’s Rebellion in 1549. Edward’s health became bad in 1553, and he tried to prevent a return to Catholicism by naming his cousin, Lady Jane Grey, as his successor. However after his death, Lady Jane Grey was deposed by Mary I, Edward’s half-sister, who restored Catholicism during her reign. Edward’s reign was short but significant, particularly in terms of religious transformation in England.