England in 16th century

England in 16^th century.

In 16th century England most of the population lived in small villages and made their living from farming. Only a small part of the population of Tudor England lived in towns. However towns grew larger and more important. During the 16th century trade and industry grew rapidly and England became a more and more commercial country. Mining of coal, tin and lead flourished. So did the iron industry. During this period England became richer and richer.

However there were winners and losers in Tudor Times. Upper class and middle class Tudors saw a big rise in their standard of living. As England grew more and more prosperous the homes of the well off became more and more comfortable. However the lowest section of society, the wage labourers, became worse off. For the poor life in the 16th century was hard and rough but for the rich and the middle class life became softer.

In the 16th century about 50% of the population lived at subsistence level. In other words they had just enough food, clothes and shelter to survive. For them life was very hard.

However it was possible to move from one class to another. With hard work and luck a husbandman could become a yeoman. A yeoman could buy a coat of arms and become gentlemen. It was possible for an ambitious young man to rise in the world.

In 1500 London probably had a population of between 60,000 and 70,000.

Henry VIII is one of England’s most divisive monarchs. He reigned as King of England 1509 until his death in  1547. After his brother Arthur died, he became Henry VIII. He married six times, beheaded two of his wives, and was the main instigator of the English Reformation. He was arrogant and egotistical. Henry VIII was a clever and active young man. He spoke Latin, Spanish and French fluently. He also performed and composed music. He was good at tennis, wrestling, and casting the bar . Henry also enjoyed hunting, jousting and hawking. He also liked archery and bowling. At his death King Henry VIII left three children, each of whom had a turn on the English throne: Edward VI, Henry's long-hoped-for son, Mary I (“Bloody” Mary), and Elizabeth I.

EDWARD VI, King of England and Ireland,(1537-53) born at Greenwich on the 12th of October 1537, was the only child of Henry VIII by his third wife, Jane Seymour, who died of puerperal fever twelve days later. He ascended the throne at age nine Edward was a sickly child. Unlike his father, Edward displayed little interest in sports, preferring intellectual pastimes. He was a king not only born but educated to rule.  He studied geography. But above all, he knew the scriptures.

In 1553 Edward VI dies of tuberculosis at Greenwich Palace. He was fifteen years old.

Lady Jane Grey (1537 –  1554), known as The Nine Days' Queen, was an English noblewoman and de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553.  The great-granddaughter of Henry VII through his younger daughter Mary, Jane was a first cousin once removed of Edward VI.

When the 15-year-old King lay dying in June 1553, he nominated Jane as successor to the Crown in his will, thus subverting the claims of his half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth. But the Privy Council decided to change sides and proclaim Mary as Queen . She was subsequently executed.

Lady Jane Grey had an excellent humanist education and a reputation as one of the most learned young women of her day.

Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, Earl of Hertford , ( 1500 –  1552) was Lord of England during the minority of his nephew King Edward VI , in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549.Edward was the eldest brother of Jane Seymour, who would become Henry VIII's third queen consort.

Lady Elizabeth Tudor (1533-1603) was born on 7 September 1533 at Greenwich Palace. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth was declared illegitimate and deprived of the title of Princess, because her mother was commoner. Elizabeth was placed in Edward's household

 Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk (1473 –1554) was a prominent Tudor politician. He was uncle to Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of the wives of King Henry VIII, and played a major role in the machinations behind these marriages. After falling from favour in 1546, he was stripped of the dukedom and imprisoned in the Tower, avoiding execution when the King died.