Elizabeth I

What was Elizabeth’s character like?

• well-educated

• cautious and calculating

• pragmatic

• economical leader

• oversaw policy more than any other ruler

When did Elizabeth I become queen?

1559

How did central government control local government?

• loyalty to Elizabeth

  • prayers for her in church

  • progresses in south and midlands

  • propganda

• commands

• patronage (privy council)

• proclamation

What was Elizabeth’s government characterised by?

• seen as a balance between centralised authority and collaboration with key advisors

Who did Elizabeth I trust on?

• Wiliam Cecil

• Robert Dudley

How did the background of William Cecil different from Robert Dudley?

Wiliam Cecil

• Lord Burghley 1571

• not aristocratic background

• political experience

• moderate protestant

Robert Dudley

• Earl of Leicester 1564

• Aristocratic background (son of Northumberland)

• no politcal experience

• Calvinist

• had more aggressive foreign policy

How did William Cecil contribute to Elizabeth’s Government?

• helped to secure Elizabeth’s position as a Protestant monarch

• sent English troops to help protestants in Netherlands

• dispatched Mary Queen of Scots death Warrant

• created an intelligence system

  • thwarted Ridolfi and Babington plot

• created a propaganda system

• Helped design economic policies

  • stabilised England

How did Robert Dudley help the queen?

• involved in military affairs

  • lead leading forces during the Dutch revolt against Spain

How did Elizabeth use the internal divisions between Dudley and Cecil to her advantage?

• contrasting information = balanced view

• Dudley’s ambition proved a counterbalance to Cecil’s restraint → bolder actions when needed

• allowed her to divide and rule - not likely to join forces against her

• had a common ground → still loyal to the queen

How were William Cecil’s political reforms significant?

• implemented policies that stabilised the English economy

  • promoting trade

  • managed finances prudently

  • increased efficiency of royal household and military establishments via financial control

• helped to secure the Protestant succession

  • removed Mary Stuart, the Catholic pretender

• aimed to create a united and Protestant British Isles

  • alliance with Scotland. 

  
  

How were William Cecil’s political reforms limited in significance?

• cautious approach to governance

  • prioritizing stability and efficiency over sweeping reforms

• served under the ultimate authority of Queen Elizabeth I

  • her preferences shaped the direction of policy

  • sometimes limited Cecil's own agenda. 

• efforts to establish a Protestant state hampered by religious conservatives in government and limitations of the judicial system
  
  

What were the Key functions of the Privy council during Elizabeth’s reign?

• administer the realm

• manage crown finances

• served as a bridge between the monarch and Parliament

  • negotiated issues, ensuring smooth communication.

• enforced religious settlement 1559

  • required JP’s to investigate compliance

• maintain control of the nobility

  • ensure powerful figures remain loyal and do not pose a threat
    

What tactics did Elizabeth use to control her council?

• participate in the discussion

• refused to deal with the council as a whole

• consulted with figures outside of the council e.g. foreign ambassadors

• promoted divisions amongst councillprs

What key divisions were there in the Privy council?

• 1562 → Elizabeth wanted to meet Mary Queen of Scots, council disapproved

  • listened to advice

• 1567 → council split on potential marriage to Charles of Austria

  • Cecil, Norfolk for

  • Leicester against

  • Elizabeth rejects marriage

• 1569-70 → council divided over issues such as Mary Queen of Scots, English Catholics, Spain

• 1587 → Elizabeth pushed to execute to Mary Queen of Scots

How did Elizabeth’s relationship with the privy evolve?

• initially relied heavily on advisors

• later grew more confidence

what was elizabeths relationship with parliament during her early reign?

Early Reign: Tight Control

• Privy Council Influence

  • ensured Privy Council members were in Parliament to guide proceedings

• Mutual Necessity

  • needed Parliament to pass religious reforms (1559 Act of Supremacy) and Parliament generally complied

• Royal Prerogative:

  • asserted her authority by making it clear she would not tolerate interference in matters she saw as her domain i.e religion and marriage

  • She dictated what Parliament could discuss and pass laws on. 

• Limited Sessions

  • Parliament met only 13 times in 45 years

  • seen as a necessary administrative tool, not a partner in governance

  • used for revenue

what was elizabeths relationship with parliament during the middle of her reign?

Mid-Reign: Increasing Parliamentary Confidence

• Grievances and Petitions:

  • MPs grew bolder in discussing grievances, → monopolies and royal finances.

• Marriage and Succession Pressure

  • pressured Elizabeth to marry and name an heir

  • She deflected/silenced these debates

    → imprisoning MPs like Peter Wentworth for challenging her prerogative

• Puritan Influence:

  • A group of Puritans in the Commons, known as the "Puritan Choir," pressed for more Protestant reforms, often clashing with Elizabeth's "middle-way" religious policy

what was elizabeths relationship with parliament towards the end of her reign?

• Monopolies Crisis (1590s):

  • Discontent over Elizabeth’s granting of monopolies to courtiers → open confrontation in Parliament.

  • key moment when Parliament successfully pressured her into reform - "Golden Speech" in 1601 to appease them

• Finance and War:

  • The costs of war with Spain forced Elizabeth to call Parliament more often and request subsidies → gave MPs more leverage

• "Golden Speech":

  • 1601 - gave a famous speech flattering Parliament, demonstrating her ability to adapt and maintain control even in the face of growing opposition

what key developments happened in parliament during the Elizabethan era?

• Shift in Power:

  • increasing assertiveness of Parliament demonstrates a shift towards a more dynamic relationship between the monarch and her representatives. 

• Parliamentary Development:

  • House of Commons developed a more organized oppositional stance to the Crown.

• Elizabeth's Skill:

  • Elizabeth's ability to manage Parliament, even when faced with challenges, highlights her political acumen and shrewd leadership. 

how significant were the changes in the relationship between Elizabeth and her parliaments during her reign?

(change and continuity)

• Continuity: Elizabeth never lost control. She used her charisma, intelligence, and authority to manage Parliament effectively.

• Change: Parliament grew more assertive over time, especially regarding finances and policy input, laying the groundwork for future challenges to royal authority under the Stuarts.

• changes were significant in tone and confidence, but not revolutionary in structure—Elizabeth kept her grip on power while Parliament gained a stronger voice.