The Elizabethan Age (1558-1603)

Elizabethan Age

The period from 1558 to 1603 in English history, named after Queen Elizabeth I, characterized by significant developments in politics, culture, exploration, and the arts.

Queen Elizabeth I

Daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, she became Queen of England in 1558 and reigned until 1603, overseeing a period of significant political and cultural growth.

Catherine of Aragon has only one surviving child named?

Mary

Act of Supremacy

An act passed in 1559 that declared Elizabeth I as the Head of the Church of England, separating it from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.

Act of Uniformity

An act passed in 1559 that established expectations for church appearances and services in England, including the use of the Book of Common Prayer.

Elizabethan Religious Settlement

The compromise in religious policies established during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, aiming to reconcile both Catholic and Protestant factions within the Church of England.

Edward VI dies on July 6, 1553. Mary becomes queen and restores _________________ as England’s state religion.

Roman Catholicism

Royal Injunctions

a set of instructions reinforcing the Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity.

Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis

A peace treaty signed in 1559 between England and France, marking the end of the Italian Wars and resulting in territorial changes and marriage alliances.

Treaty of Edinburgh

This established a new Anglo-Scottish peace and also reconfirmed the agreement at Cateau-Cambresis. Elizabeth was eager to nullify the threat of the Auld Alliance (Scotland and France), which had been further reinforced by the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots and French King Francis II.

Statute of Artificers

A statute passed in 1563 in England that aimed to regulate labor relations, including provisions related to apprenticeships, wage regulation, working conditions, settlement of disputes, and restrictions on mobility.

Dutch Revolt

Also known as the Eighty Years' War, a revolt against Spanish rule in the Netherlands that began in 1568 and lasted until 1648.

Revolt of the Northern Earls

A plot in 1569 by influential Catholic families to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots, resulting in a failed revolt and military intervention by the English government.

Pope Pius V excommunicates Elizabeth

In 1570, Pope Pius V issued a Papal Bull excommunicating Queen Elizabeth I from the Catholic Church, creating tension between English Catholics and the monarch.

The Ridolfi Plot

A plot in 1571 to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and place Mary, Queen of Scots on the English throne, orchestrated by Roberto Ridolfi and involving a Spanish invasion of England.

Vagabonds Act

A law passed in 1572 in England to counter homelessness and begging, imposing penalties such as whipping, imprisonment, and death for repeat offenders, while also establishing a national poor rate and providing work for the able-bodied poor.

Catholic priests are first smuggled into England

In 1574, foreign Catholic priests were smuggled into England with the Pope's blessing to continue practicing Catholicism and undermine Protestant influence.

Poor Relief Act

An act passed in 1575 in England that focused on dividing the poor into the able-bodied and the impotent, providing raw materials for the able-bodied to make items to sell and imposing penalties for refusal.

The Spanish Fury and Pacification of Ghent

In 1576, Spanish forces in the Netherlands mutinied, leading to violence and the sacking of Antwerp, which united Dutch Catholics and Protestants in demanding the expulsion of Spanish troops and religious freedom.

Francis Drake circumnavigates the world

Admiral Francis Drake completed the first English circumnavigation of the globe from 1577 to 1580, returning with Spanish treasure and contributing to England's exploration and colonization efforts.

Treaty of Joinville

A treaty signed in 1584 between France and the Catholic League, aiming to protect Catholic interests and oppose Protestantism, which had implications for England's relations with France and Spain.

Treaty of Nonsuch

A treaty signed between the French Catholic League and Philip II of Spain, aimed at eliminating Protestantism in France.

Treaty of Berwick

• Elizabeth and James VI agreed to maintain Protestantism as their respective countries’ religion.

• The treaty essentially allowed Elizabeth to focus on developing events in the Netherlands and not worry about protecting her northern border.

Catholic priests ordered to leave the country

An order issued by Elizabeth to expel all Catholic priests from England to prevent their influence on English Catholics with divided loyalties.

First English colony in Virginia established

The establishment of the first English colony in Virginia, seen as a means to increase trade, expand Protestantism, and use the area as a base for attacks on Spanish colonies in the New World.

Treaty of Berwick

A treaty between Elizabeth and James VI, maintaining Protestantism as the religion of their respective countries and pledging mutual support in case of invasion.

Surviving colonists abandon Virginia and return to England

The failure of the colonization of Virginia due to Native American resistance, conflicts among English settlers, and the loss of supplies, leading to the abandonment of the colony.

Babington Plot

A plot supported by Philip II and the Pope, involving the invasion of England by the Duke of Guise, the murder of Elizabeth, and the placement of Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne.

Mary, Queen of Scots, is executed

Mary Stuart's execution due to her involvement and support of the Babington plot, leading to her being sentenced to death and beheaded.

Colony established at Roanoke

Another attempt to colonize Virginia, led by John White, but ultimately abandoned with no trace of the colonists found.

"Singeing of the King's beard"

Francis Drake's successful attack on the Spanish fleet at Cadiz, destroying ships and supplies, delaying the Spanish invasion and giving England more time to prepare.

Failure of the Armada

The defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English navy, resulting in the scattering and destruction of most of the Spanish fleet, marking a significant naval victory for Elizabeth.

The Elizabethan Poor Law

A piece of legislation enacted during Elizabeth's reign, establishing parish responsibility for the care of the poor, overseers of the poor, distinguishing between deserving and undeserving poor, promoting workhouses and apprenticeships, addressing vagrancy and begging, and reinforcing the role of religious charity.

Death of Elizabeth I

The death of Elizabeth I, followed by the ascension of James VI of Scotland as James I of England.