Edward was crowned quickly after his father's death. The political situation was too uncertain to allow the usual pageantry.   At the Tower the 9 year old King was knighted by his uncle, the Lord Protector, Edward Seymour. The Lord Protector also made himself Duke of Somerset.   Somerset and the rest of Edward's Privy Counselors thought the Reformation should be taken farther than Henry VIII allowed. To counter resistance they imprisoned a number of people in the Tower including one of Henry's counselors, Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, a religious conservative   Imprisonment in the Tower didn't stop Gardiner from participation in the war of words about Church Reform, though.   As a precaution Somerset had most of the arms stored at the Palace of Westminster brought to the Tower for safe keeping. Since the situation about religion was so volatile he feared they might fall into the wrong hands if there was a religious rebellion.   Religious changes now began in earnest. And that involved the destruction of church ornaments which were thought to be instruments of superstition or idolatry. It is believed the images, paintings, and stained glass which medieval kings had used to adorn several chapels in the Tower were removed at this time.   Before long, Somerset was overthrown by his rivals. He was imprisoned in the Tower but was soon released and rejoined the King's Councilors.   He was still dangerous and was finely arrested again. This time he was tried for treason and sentenced to death. After his trial he returned on foot through the streets of London from Westminster Hall , where the trial was held. All along his route back to the Tower the great crowd that gathered shouted "God save him".   Somerset was executed on Tower Hill. Onlookers regarded him as a martyr and dipped bits of cloth into his blood as souvenirs.   Execution at Tower Hill. Tower Hill is outside the Tower of London to the east and slightly north, well within walking distance.(Contemporary wood cut of the execution of the Duke of Northumberland)   The man who took over as Lord Protector was John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. If Edward were to die, his older sister Mary, a staunch Catholic, would rule and Northumberland would be ruined.   He therefore attempted to alter the succession by marrying one of his 5 sons to Lady Jane Grey, the staunchly Protestant granddaughter of Henry VIII's younger sister Mary.   When Edward died Jane Grey was brought to the Tower to prepare for her coronation by her father the Duke of Suffolk, and her father-in-law   But throughout the country Mary was being proclaimed as rightful Queen. Soon Jane Grey's father, hoping to save himself, left the Tower and went to Tower Hill to also proclaim Mary Queen.   Jane Grey remained in the Tower as a prisoner. She was moved from the royal apartments to the house of a Gentleman Gaoler on the Green.   Northumberland was imprisoned in the Bloody Tower. He was then moved to the Beauchamp Tower where 3 of his sons, including Jane's husband Guilford Dudley, were locked up.   Northumberland's 2 other sons were imprisoned above the Coldharbour Gate.         Tower Menu Tower Hill Tower Green Queen's House Tudors Prison     Main Menu E Mail