Page "John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland" Paragraph 1

In 1547 Dudley was created Earl of Warwick and, with the Duke of Somerset, England's Lord Protector, distinguished himself in the renewed Scottish war at the Battle of Pinkie.

During the country-wide uprisings of 1549 Dudley put down Kett's Rebellion in Norfolk.

Convinced of the Protector's incompetence, he and other privy councillors forced Somerset out of office in October 1549.

Having averted a conservative reaction in religion and a plot to destroy him alongside Somerset, Dudley emerged in early 1550 as de facto regent for the 12-year-old Edward VI.

He reconciled himself with Somerset, who nevertheless soon began to intrigue against him and his policies.

Somerset was executed on largely fabricated charges, three months after Dudley had been raised to the Dukedom of Northumberland in October 1551.