Edward VI

Edward VI


House / Group: Tudor
Born / died: 1537-1553
Reign: 1547-1553


The  only child of Henry VIII by his wife, Jane Seymour. Henry was delighted to have a son to survive infancy with this his third wife, although Jane died 12 days after the birth of puerperal fever.
Edward was not a healthy child and his father pursued more wives to provide a backup, but without success.
Henry, who died when Edward was 9,  stipulated a  Council of Regency to administer the country until he reached 18.
There was a good deal of unrest within the country during this period, and then Edward died at 15, but not before making his wishes clear on the succession: as the first Protestant monarch, he sought to exclude his half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth. He also tried to exclude Lady Jane and hand the throne to Jane's male heirs, but the Duke of Northumberland (the most powerful noble)  changed the document to allow Jane to succeed. Briefly.
Edward died of tuberculosis, or arsenic poisoning, or congenital syphilis and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Mary later executed Northumberland.