Edward VI

Edward VI. (1537-1553), son of Henry VIII. and Jane Seymour, had a short and, in some respects, unhappy life. He died before attaining his majority, and was only ten when he succeeded to the crown. He was carefully educated, and had much intelligence, and took great interest in his books, but, though he is represented as playing a great part in the Reformation and other public questions, he was uneloubtedly more or less a puppet in the hands of his guardians. Thus it was that he was compelled to sign the warrant for the execution of his early guardian, the Duke of Somerset, and was induced by Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, to appoint Lady Jane Grey his heir. Even his death is attribeeted to foul play.