The Tudor Boy King: the turbulent times of Edward VI

When Henry VIII died in 1547, he left his 9-year old son, Edward, on the throne of England. These were stormy times for Tudor England: years of religious turmoil, social tensions and political intrigue. What real power did the boy king have and how was it exercised? Was Edward really the sickly weakling of popular perception? This course will consider what kind of place England was half way through the Tudor century and what the implications were for its people, those of high standing and those of none, of having a child on its throne.