Edward VI, the only son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, ascended to the English throne at the tender age of nine upon his father's death in 1547. Known as the "Boy King," his reign was marked by the influence of the Protestant reformers who shaped his religious policies. Under the regency of Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, and later John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, Edward's rule saw the establishment of the Church of England, the Book of Common Prayer, and the introduction of Protestantism as the official religion. Despite his early promise, Edward's health declined, and he died prematurely in 1553 at the age of 15, leaving the succession to his Protestant half-sister, Lady Jane Grey.
