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Edward VI was the son t of legendary monarch Henry VIII and his Queen Jane Seymour.Because of the reformation ,Edward had been brought up as a Protestant.
Edward was only 9 years old when he became king.
The infant prince was the only male Tudor heir of his generation, he had two sisters and Henry
VIII's sisters Mary and Margaret had several daughters.
If Edward died, the throne would pass to a woman and the Tudor dynasty would end.
Accordingly, King Henry did all he could to protect his son's health; the infant prince lived in safe seclusion until his father wed Katharine Parr. Henry's last wife became a much loved mother to Edward and he adopted the zealous Protestantism which she championed.
He also grew close to his half-sister Elizabeth, with whom he shared a household for some years. His older half-sister, Mary, was an equally zealous 'Catholic' -her religion and the vast difference in their ages prevented a close relationship.
Due to his youth, he had two advisors.
The first was his uncle, the Duke of Somerset, who became Lord Protector, and for the first two and a half years of Edward’s reign, Somerset advised and guided the young king. Somerset was replaced by the Duke of Northumberland.
Both men wanted major changes made to England’s religion.
As a result of their advice and Edward’s beliefs, Edward’s reign is mainly remembered for the changes made to religion while he was king. Though his father had removed the pope as head of the church in England, he had not changed a great deal.
During his brief reign, Edward demonstrated impressive 'piety' and intelligence.
But during, Edward’s reign, major changes did occur.
Laws were passed to make churches more ‘plain’ - Catholic churches were rich in decorations and colour.
Now under Edward, stained glass windows and pictures were removed from churches, the furniture within churches became very basic and plain.
The actual services became even ‘plainer’ and the 'ordinary man in the street', could now understand what was being said as services - now called 'Holy Communion' - were in English.
Archbishop Cranmer wrote a prayer book also in English.
Priests did not have to dress in the bright clothing associated with the Catholic Church and under Edward, they were allowed to marry!
The king remained as Head of the Church.
All of these changes were a major break from what the Catholic Church had been like.
In parts of Germany and Switzerland, religious groups had also broken away in protest against the wealth and corruption of the Catholic Church.
They too became known as 'Protestant' and England under Edward, became a Protestant country with a ‘Church of England’.
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Edward had never been a healthy boy and his health failed in 1553. He died an agonizing death at 15, possibly from a combination of 'tuberculosis' and the 'measles'.
He had ruled from 1547 to 1553.
Northumberland had persuaded him to leave the throne to his Protestant cousin, Lady Jane Grey. This decision began one of the most tragic tales of Tudor England.
to draw and quarter after a beheading. Just further humiliation?