This is the essay for the 24th week of the 7th Grade Ron Paul Curriculum. It’s about Edward VI of England and Lady Jane Grey.

Edward VI of England

 

Edward VI of England was born on 12th of October, 1537. He was the son of Henry VIII of England. Edward’s mother was Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour. Edward had two older half-sisters, Mary and Elizabeth. Henry’s education began when he was 9 years old. He was educated by private tutors because he was the king’s only son. During his education, Edward became quite interested in theology, but especially in Protestantism.

Edward’s life took a turn for the worst when his father died when Edward was only 9 years old. He became king in 20th of February, 1547. Because of Henry’s young age, he wasn’t the complete ruler. As by his father’s will, he appointed a council to govern England before Edward turned 18. Due to Edward’s young age when he became king, he was nicknamed the “Second Josiah” or the “British Josiah”.

Even though Edward had the council with him he still had some influence in several places. But he still needed somebody to help him enact the reforms he wanted to the church. Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury helped Edward carry out these reforms to the church. So Edward started changing churches from Catholicism to Protestantism. Due to all the changes in the church, people started revolting and rebelling against Edward. This came to a peak in 1549 when to revolts had to be stopped by the English military. There was another effect of his reforms, he had started the English Reformation.

In 1553 Henry became sick and the council of England thought he would die so they started looking for a new heir. Because Henry didn’t have any children his oldest half-sister would become queen, but Edward knew that Mary was a Catholic and that she would ruin his changes to the church. So Edward chose his cousin Lady Jane Grey. And on 6th of July, 1553 Edward VI died of Tuberculosis and only 4 days later Lady Jane Grey became Queen of England.

 

Lady Jane Grey

Lady Jane Grey was born in October 1537. Because her father was the Duke of Suffolk she received a very nice humanist education, although she didn’t receive the education for a queen, because she wasn’t in the line of succession. So when Edward wanted her to become queen this came as a big surprise, but after 4 days she finally agreed. Edward’s half-sister Mary didn’t like that she didn’t become queen so she gathered an army of supporters and marched to London. The council apologized for crowning Lady Jane Grey and now they supported Mary. Lady Jane Grey was captured on 19th of July, 1553 and executed in 1554. Because of her extremely short reign, she is sometimes known as the “Nine Days Queen”.