Edward VI

Birth

Prince Edward was born on October 12, 1537, at Hampton Court Residence, Middlesex ^[4] . He was the son of King Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour . Throughout the kingdom, people greeted the news of the birth of a male heir “who had been waiting for so long” ^[5] , with joy and relief. Jane, quickly recovering from childbirth, sent out pre-prepared letters announcing the birth of "the prince conceived in a legal marriage between His Majesty the king and us." Edward was baptized on October 15. His half-sisters took part in the sacrament of baptism : Lady Elizabeth carried the world , and Lady Mary became his godmother ^[6] . Edward was proclaimed Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester ^[7] . On October 23, Jane Seymour felt unwell, probably postpartum complications, and died on the night of October 24. Henry VIII wrote to Francis I : "Divine providence ... mixed my joy in half with grief, for she died that gave me happiness" ^[8] .

Parenting and education

From birth, Edward was a healthy and strong boy. His father admired him, so, in May 1538, Henry remarked: "Holding him in his arms and standing with him at the window ... This is an exciting sight and a great comfort for the people" ^[9] . In September, Lord Chancellor Thomas Audley reported on the rapid physical and mental development of Edward ^[9] , other sources also describe him as a tall and cheerful child. The traditional view that Edward grew painful has been challenged by modern historians ^{[10] [11] [12]} . At the age of 4, he contracted a life-threatening “ four-day fever ” ^[13] . However, despite the illness and poor eyesight, Edward had excellent health until the last 6 months of his life ^[14] .

Initially, the custody of Edward was entrusted to Margaret Brian , then she was replaced by Blanche Herbert . As Edward later wrote in his Chronicles, up to 6 years he was brought up “among women” ^{[15] [16]} . Edward’s royal court was originally run by William Sidney , and then Richard Page, the stepfather of Edward Seymour ’s wife, Anne Stanhope . In the house of his son, Henry demanded exceptional standards of safety and cleanliness, emphasizing this, he called Edward "the greatest jewel in the whole kingdom" ^{[17] [18]} . Visitors noted that the prince was generously provided with toys and amenities, including his own troupe of minstrels ^[19] .

When Edward was 6 years old, Richard Cox and John Cheke continued his studies. As Edward recalled, the main emphasis in training was placed on “the study of the languages ​​of scripture, philosophy, and all liberal sciences” ^[20] . Elizabeth's mentors, Roger Aesham and Jean Balman , taught him French, Spanish and Italian. In addition, he studied geometry and learned to play musical instruments, including the lute and virginel . Edward collected globes and maps and demonstrated a good understanding of the financial system. Edward's religious instruction took place in a Protestant manner ^[21] . The direction of his religious studies was most likely determined by Archbishop Thomas Kranmer , one of the leaders of the Reformation. His mentors, Richard Cox and John Cheke, in their religious views were close to Erasmus of Rotterdam and during the reign of Mary were in exile. In 1549, Edward wrote a treatise on the Pope as the Antichrist, where he showed his knowledge of religious disputes ^[22] . Edward's many religious manifestations at an early age were essentially Catholic. For example, he took part in the Mass and was reverent in the images and relics of saints ^[23] .

Both sisters of Edward were attentive to their brother and often visited him. During one of these meetings, Elizabeth presented him with a shirt of “her own work” ^[24] . In 1546, Edward wrote to Mary: “I love you the most” ^{[25] [26]} . In 1543, Henry invited his children to spend Christmas with him, thereby showing his reconciliation with his previously rejected daughters. The following spring, he reinstated their succession rights by signing the , which also determined the regency council until Eduard came of age ^[27] . In many ways, this unusual family harmony was due to the influence of the new wife of Heinrich Catherine Parr ^[28] , which Edward soon fell in love with. He called her “dearest mother” and in September 1546 wrote to her: “I have received so much good from you that my mind is simply not able to understand this” ^[29] .

Edward studied with other sons of the nobility. Among them was Barnaby Fitzpatrick, the son of an Irish peer, who became Edward a close and reliable friend ^[30] . Edward was more devoted to his studies than his classmates, and seemed to want to outshine them, motivated by his “duty” and attempts to surpass the academic prowess of his sister Elizabeth. Edward’s chambers and personal belongings were royally magnificent: his rooms were decorated with expensive Flemish tapestries, and his clothes, books and cutlery were inlaid with precious stones and gold ^[31] . Like his father, Edward was interested in martial arts. Many portraits of Edward depict him holding a golden dagger with a hilt decorated with precious stones, in imitation of his father ^{[32] [33]} . The “Chronicles” of Edward describe in detail and with enthusiasm the military campaigns against Scotland and France ^[34] .

Rough Courts

On July 1, 1543, Henry VIII signed the Greenwich Treaty with Scotland. This peace treaty involved the engagement of Edward with seven-month-old Mary Stuart . After the defeat at the Battle of Solway-Mosse in November 1542, the Scottish position was weak, and Henry, seeking to unite the two kingdoms, insisted that Mary be transferred to him for education in England ^[35] . When the Scots in December 1543 annulled the treaty and renewed their alliance with France, Henry was furious. In April 1544, he ordered Edward Seymour to invade Scotland and “put everything on fire and a sword, burn Edinburgh, and after everything is plundered and taken away, everything you can collect, wipe it off the face of the earth. As a reminder of the retribution of God that fell upon them for their lies and betrayal ” ^[36] . Seymour conducted the most brutal military campaign that the British have ever launched against the Scots. ^[37] The war, which continued during the reign of Edward, was called " Rough Wooing " (Rough Wooing).

At the age of 9, on January 10, 1547, Edward wrote a letter to his father and stepmother from Hartford , in which he thanked for their New Year's gift - their portraits ^[38] . On January 28, 1547, Henry VIII passed away. Near the throne, led by Eduard Seymour and William Paget , they agreed that they would not announce the death of the king until all agreements regarding the succession to the throne were settled. Seymour and equestrian traveled to Hartford to transport Edward to Anfield , where Elizabeth lived. They were informed of the death of their father and read out his will. ^[39]

The Lord Chancellor, Thomas Risley , informed Parliament on January 31 of the death of Henry and the succession of the throne by Edward ^[40] . The new king was transported to the Tower , where he was greeted with cannon shots both from the towers of the Tower and from the ships ^[41] . The next day, Edward was sworn to know the kingdom, and Seymour was appointed regent ^[40] . Henry VIII was buried in Windsor on February 16 in the same tomb with Jane Seymour, as he himself wished.

Four days later, Sunday February 20, Edward VI was crowned at Westminster Abbey. ^[42] The ceremony was shortened, partly because "the king was at such a tender age," partly because the Reformation found some elements of the ceremony unacceptable ^[43] .

On the eve of the coronation, Edward rode from Westminster Palace through crowds of people and theatrical performances. Many of these representations were devoted to the previous King Boy Henry VI ^[44] . He laughed at the Spanish tightrope walker, who “tumbled and played many interesting toys” next to the old ^[45] .

During the coronation, Kranmer confirmed the Suprematism Act and named Edward the second Josiah ^{[46] [47]} , urging him to continue the reform of the Church of England ^[48] . After the ceremony, Edward took part in a banquet in his honor at the Palace of Westminster , where, according to his Chronicles, he dined with a crown on his head ^[49] .

Edward fell ill in January 1553 . In April, a temporary improvement came. By the first of July, when he last appeared in public, looking out the window, the teenager was thin and exhausted, had breathing problems. Edward VI died on July 6, 1553. The body was opened, and the surgeon declared lung disease as the cause of death. Perhaps it was about tuberculosis or pneumonia , there were also rumors of poisoning that accompanied almost all the deaths of kings and princes in the 16th century.

The figure of the young king received literary fame thanks to Mark Twain 's novel "The Prince and the Pauper ."

• Bobby Mauh in the movie "The Prince and the Pauper " (USA, 1937 )
• Maria Barabanova in the film "The Prince and the Pauper " (USSR, 1942 )
• Rex Thompson in the movie " Baby Bess " (USA, 1953 )
• Victor Smirnov in the film "The Prince and the Pauper " (USSR, 1972 )
• Nicholas Lindhurst in the television series "The Prince and the Pauper" (Great Britain, 1976 )
• Mark Lester in the movie "The Prince and the Pauper " (USA-UK, 1977 )
• Warren Sheir in the movie " Lady Jane " (Great Britain, 1986 )
• Philip Sarson in the television series Prince and the Pauper (United Kingdom, 1996 )
• Jonathan Timmins in the movie "The Prince and the Pauper " (Great Britain-Hungary, ( 2000 )
• Hugh Mitchell in the television series Henry VIII (Great Britain, 2003)
• Ein Murtha and Jake Hathaway in the television series The Tudors (USA, Ireland, Canada, 2007-2010)

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