Somerset made agreements with, and probably bribed, councillors in to making him Protector of the realm. 1547 - 1549. Somerset's main concern was foreign policy - all other policies followed from this. He put the crown into more debt during his protectorship. Historians who like Somerset: M. L. Bush, A. Pollard, ST Bindoff (to an extent). Historians who don't like Somerset: Dale Hoak, RW Heinz, Nigel Heard. 1549 saw many riots and two rebellions - The Western Rebellion, Ket's Rebellion. The Western Rising was mainly directed against the new Book of Common Prayer, but there were other grievances. Ket's Rebellion was a riot against the local landowners that was turned into a rebellion under the leadership of Robert Ket. Northumberland quashed Ket's Rebellion - this gave him control of the army - which was instrumental in causing the downfall of Somerset. Northumberland was Edward's principal councillor from 1549 - 1553. This period's main characteristics are: peace with France, stabilisation of the economy, tighter control over the localities. He fell in 1553, after backing his daughter-in-law's (Jane Grey) claim to the throne. (Traditionally seen as an ambitious plot by himself. Loades would disagree). Mary was well received in London as the new Queen. Her first priority was to secure a marriage. There were 3 contenders: Reginald Pole, Edward Courtenay, Prince Philip of Spain. She chose Philip. The councillors were afraid for their own positions and made Philip sign a Marriage Treaty. Fears of a Spanish invasion, and fears about the marriage in general, amongst other concerns sparked a rebellion early in 1554 - Wyatt's Rebellion. It involved the county of Kent. The rebels reached London. It was a major fright for the Queen and council. Mary and Pole had a policy to re-catholicise England. They thought that it would be an easy job. They repealed the religious legislation of Edward's reign in 1553, and the Acts of Henry's reign in 1554. A new Treasons Act made it easy to prosecute 'heretics'. Mary's rule saw 300 'heretics' burned at the stake, mostly on charges of possessing seditious literature. Most of the accused were from the SouthEast, especially Kent and Essex. There is a historical debate surrounding the effectiveness of the counter-reformation. Mary's foreign policy resulted in the loss of Calais. A major blow for England. Reading Tittler R., The Reign of Mary I Loades D., The Reign of Mary Tudor Loach J., A Mid-Tudor Crisis? Heard N., Edward VI and Mary Guy J., Tudor England Elton G., England Under the Tudors Cornwall JJ, Revolt of the Peasantry