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Edward VI ( 12 October 1537– 6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. Edward, the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty, was England's first Protestant ruler. Although his father and predecessor, Henry VIII, had broken the link between English Catholicism and Roman Catholicism, it was during Edward's reign that the decisive move was made from Catholicism to a form of Protestantism which came to be known as Anglicanism. 1 Early life
Edward was born at the Palace of Placentia in Greenwich. He was the son of Henry VIII by his wife, Jane SeymourAnne Boleyn. Queen Jane, Jane Seymour (c. 1509 — October 24, 1537) was the third wife of King Henry VIII of England. She gave him his only male heir, later Edward VI, but died shortly after his birth. Biography Jane was born in about 1509, the daughter of, who died twelve days afterwards from puerperal feverPuerperal fever is caused by infection of the genital tract shortly after birth, although any fever within 2 weeks of childbirth is dangerous since it can cause infertility or septicaemia. Puerperal fever is now rare due to improved hygiene during deliver. It is sometimes asserted that Jane sacrificed her life by the performance of a Caesarean sectionA Caesarean section Cesarean section AE), is a surgical procedure to deliver one or more babies through an incision in the mother's abdomen and uterus. There are two types of caesarean sections: the classical caesarean section, and the lower segment caesa, but such assertions are without basis. Edward automatically became Duke of CornwallThe Dukedom of Cornwall was the first dukedom created in the peerage of England. The dukedom remains one of the last in the United Kingdom still associated with an actual duchy (the other is the Duchy of Lancaster). Its income goes to the Duke (or to the upon his birth; he was, however, never created Prince of WalesThe eldest son of the reigning monarch of Great Britain is traditionally invested with the title of Prince of Wales . This tradition began in 1301, when King Edward I of England, having completed the Norman conquest of Wales, gave the title to his heir, P, as was (and still is) customary for the heir-apparent to the Throne.
Henry VIII was extremely pleased by the birth of a male heir. He had left his two previous wives, Catherine of AragonCatherine of Aragon (in Spanish Catalina de Aragon , ( December 16, 1485 January 7, 1536) was Henry VIII of England's first wife. Henry annulled his marriage to her after she had born him a girl, later Mary I. Biography Born in Alcala de Henares, she was (mother of the Lady MaryMary I ( 18 February 1516 17 November 1558) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 6 July 1553 de jure or 19 July 1553 de facto until her death. Mary, the fourth and penultimate monarch of the Tudor dynasty, is remembered for her attempt to return) and Anne BoleynHans Holbein the Younger. Legend has it that this image is the basis for the queens in a deck of cards, but the actual inspiration was Anne's mother-in-law Elizabeth of York Anne Boleyn, Marchioness of Pembroke (about 1507 May 19, 1536) was the second wif (mother of the Lady Elizabeth), because of their failure to produce male heirs. Both marriages had been annulled (and Anne Boleyn was also executed); the Lady Mary and the Lady Elizabeth were deemed illegitimate. Despite their illegitimacy, however, they were reinserted into the line of succession after the Prince Edward, Duke of Cornwall in 1544.
The Prince Edward, Duke of Cornwall was an extremely sickly child; it has been theorised that he suffered from congenital syphilis. The Duke of Cornwall's frailty led Henry VIII to quickly seek to remarry; the King's last three marriages, however, did not produce any children. The Duke of Cornwall's physical difficulties did not impede his education; at the age of seven, he was already able to speak Latin. He later learnt to speak French and Greek; by the age of thirteen, he found himself translating books into the latter language.
