Elizabethan England

how long did Elizabeth reign for?

1558-1603

where was Elizabeth in the royal line of succession?

she was third in line, behind her brother Edward and her sister Mary

how old was Elizabeth when she became queen?

25

who held most of the power in England?

• a few trusted individuals in Elizabeth’s court (many were privy councillors)

• lord lieutenants - men appointed by Elizabeth who were responsible for running a particular area of the country and raising a militia to fight for her if needed (usually part of privy council)

• justices of the peace - responsible for maintaining order and enforcing the law

• parliament - made up of HoC and HoL/ had influence over tax and was responsible for passing laws

what was patronage?

an important way of ensuring loyalty from members of the royal court - Elizabeth could award titles, land, monopolies and other powerful positions in exchange for obedience and support

describe the royal court

• made up of officials, servants and advisors that surrounded Elizabeth

• the source of the latest trends and fashions

• included the privy council

describe the structure of the government

made up of Elizabeth and her closest advisors (usually privy councillors and men whom she trusted)

describe the role and structure of the privy council

• responsible for the day-to-day running of England

• Elizabeth had societal pressure to appoint the most powerful landowners in order to prevent rebellion

• it was almost impossible for Elizabeth to go against them when united, but it was very rare due to internal rivalries

• led by the Secretary of State (William Cecil and Francis Walsingham both held this role at some point and had a huge influence on Elizabeth)

what were the problems that Elizabeth faced during her reign?

• succession - she was the last living child of Henry VIII and had no children so it was unclear who would succeed her. she almost died of smallpox in 1562 which drew attention to the uncertainty of England’s future

• foreign policy - catholic countries like Spain and France wanted influence over England and had the support of the Pope

• taxation - England was short of money and she needed to raise taxes but poverty was becoming widespread so raising them would make her very unpopular

• Mary, Queen of Scots - was next in line of succession and catholics saw her as an alternative Queen of England, which made her a serious threat

• religion:

  • the official religion of England changed many times during the Tudor period (Catholicism - Mary I, Protestantism - Elizabeth and Edward) which had caused instability and violence

  • many Catholics didn’t see her as a legitimate queen due to her parents’ marriage

  • puritanism wanted to make the Church more extreme, which threatened the Religious Settlement

what were arguments for Elizabeth getting married?

• creates an alliance with a foreign country or a powerful English family

• producing an heir to continue the Tudor line and stop Mary, Queen of Scots from becoming queen when Elizabeth died

what were arguments against Elizabeth getting married?

• loss of authority - either to a foreign ruler or an Englishman-not marrying allowed her to keep her independence

• giving birth was risky for the mother

• she had a bad experience of marriage (Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn as well as his other 5 wives)

• she was able to use the possibility of it to her advantage when dealing with foreign leaders and powerful figures in England

what did Elizabeth say was her reason for remaining unmarried?

she said that she was married to ‘the kingdom of England’ and that remaining single allowed her to totally focus on running England and keeping it secure and independent