On this day in Tudor history, 26th February 1552, Sir Thomas Arundell, Sir Michael Stanhope, Sir Miles Partridge and Sir Ralph Fane (or Vane) were executed.
The men had been condemned as traitors after being accused of conspiring with Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and former Lord Protector, against John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, the new man in control of King Edward VI’s government.
Find out all about these men and how these loyal royal servants came to these sticky ends in this talk…
Also on this day in Tudor history, 26th February 1564, poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe was baptised in Canterbury.
Find out all about Marlowe in last this video…
This sounds very much like getting rid of rivals by John Dudley in order to put his master plan into action, that of controlling the Council. Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and his she wolf wife where overly ambitious and that had led to their downfall and the Duke’s own execution. This all just sounds like clearing the decks of anyone connected to Somerset who might seek political revenge.
It all makes the coup of 1553 by Northumberland and Suffolk look pre meditated and that maybe he did bully the dying Edward to some degree. Control the King, control the succession which was an open question due to the young King’s age and illness in 1553. I see Northumberland very much as a persuasive influence in July 1553 and trying to secure as much power for himself and those close to him as possible.