Tudor, Edward VI (1537-10-12 - 1553-07-06)

Edward was born on 12 October 1537 at Hampton Court Palace, the only legitimate son of Henry VIII. Edward's mother, Jane Seymour, died twelve days after his birth. He became king at the age of nine, when his father died on 28 January 1547. His tutors found him to be intellectually precocious and he soon became fluent in Greek and Latin. Edward's short reign saw the full-scale introduction of Protestantism in England; the Book of Common Prayer was issued in 1549 along with an accompanying Act of Uniformity to enforce it. Cranmer was to revise the Prayer Book in 1552. In January 1553, Edward began to show signs of tuberculosis; by May, it was evident that he had not long left to live. Working with the Duke of Northumberland, he accepted Lady Jane Grey, Northumberland's daughter-in-law, as his heir. Edward died at Greenwich on 6 July 1553; he was buried in Westminster Abbey. Jane was to rule for nine days before she was overthrown by Mary I.