elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth

reigned 1558-1603

44 years on the throne

second longest reigning monarch

first successful female monarch

protestant

alive 1533 - 1603

her family

mum - anne boleyn

dad - henry viii

sister - bloody mary

brother - edward

cousin - mary queen of scots

her education

educated by oxford and cambridge professors

knew so many languages

cunning and calculated

patronage

rewarding loyalty with assets such as land, titles, monopolies, and powerful positions

court life

NOT government

made up of officials, servants, nobles, and advisors

centre of power

source of latest trends

included privy council (not justices of peace or parliament)

justices of the peace

police officers basically

several in each county

responsible for maintaining order and enforcing ghr law

lord lieutenants

appointed by QE

responsible for running a particular area of the country

responsible for raising a militia for the queen if needed

many also on privy council

parliament

house of lords (nobles, bishops, lords)

house of commons (commoners)

discuss issues and advise the queen

influence over tax and finance

responsible for passing laws

QE could choose when to call them and could ignore their advice all she liked (to a certain extent otherwise they could rebel)

only called them thirteen times in 44 years

parliament under QE

freedom of speech - peter wentworth got arrested three times for arguing that MP’s should talk about whatever they wanted to

marriage and succession - really wanted her to but she didn’t care for their opinion

religion - majority were protestant, some puritans wanted harsher rules

crime and poverty - poor law 1601

mary queen of scots - called for her execution

monopolies - important way of rewarding loyalty for elizabeth, MP’s did not like it but she kept them basically her whole reign

control - she could dismiss them whenever she wanted

ONLY CALLED 13 TIMES, MOST TO DISCUSS TAXES

privy council

responsible for day-to-day running of the country

could include whoever Elizabeth wanted but usually the most powerful landowners

if council united then elizabeth could seldom ignore them however they rarely were

they advised elizabeth so she could ignore them as she pleased

controlled them using divide and conquer

led by secretary of state

just over a dozen people ish

william cecil 1520 - 1598

aka lord burghley 1970

head of privy council

secretary of state 1558

lord treasurer 1572

very influential over elizabeth

sir francis walsingham 1532 - 1590

knighted 1577

foreign ambassador 1570s

privy council 1573

later her spy master

sir christopher hattan 1540 - 1591

gentleman of privy chamber

captain of queen’s bodyguard

lord chancellor 1587

often elected to parliament (mediated between them and the queen)

divide and conquer

pitting rival factions against each other in competition for her favour in order to make them more manageable to rule

problems faced upon coronation

declared illegitimate as a child

her mother caused the break from rome

protestant - religious unrest

a woman - expected to marry and sire an heir

inherited debts from mary

foreign rivalries

widespread poverty

picking a new protestant council

arguments for marriage

alliance with foreign country or guaranteed loyalty of a powerful english family

produce an heir to stop the tudor line dying and mary of scots becoming queen

parliament really wanted her to but she deemed it not their prerogative

arguments against marriage

loss of authority and power - elizabeth kept her own and british independence by not

giving birth was incredibly risky back then

her mother had been executed

her sister’s marriage had been an unhappy, childless one

elizabeth could use the possibility of marriage in diplomatic dealings

elizabeth said she was married to england

suitor : francis duke of anjou and alencon

french king’s brother and heir to throne

by the time a marriage was proposed elizabeth was 46 so most likely wouldn't have kids

england would be under french reign

he was catholic

suitor: king philip II of spain

one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world

related to the pope

originally married to mary, he rarely visited england and had not produced an heir

he was catholic

suitor: robert dudley earl of leicester

childhood friend of the queen

favourite of hers throughout her reign

many thought they were in love

key figure in royal court and privy council 1562

master of horses

possibly involved in his wife’s death which made him free to marry QE but the scandal made it impossible

suitor: robert devereux earl of essex

also a lot younger than her

favourite in her later reign

politically immature and had a tendency to defy elizabeth

not as wealthy or influential

entertained his company but never seriously considered

robert dudley’s stepson

essex rebellion background

became privy councillor in 1595

one of elizabteth’s favourites

awarded a sweet wine monopoly

rivalry with robert cecil

pleased QE in 1596 when he attacked the port of cadiz

causes of the rebellion

jealousy of robert cecil - thought he (and other members) was plotting against him

argues with elizabeth in 96 at a council meeting, turned his back on her, she hit him

1599 he is sent to squash a rebellion in ireland but makes a truce with them instead against elizabeth’s orders

1600 elizabeth is mad, takes away his titles, takes away his monopoly,

the essex rebellion

february 1601

essex marches through london with 200-300 supporters

takes 4 privy councillors hostage

failed due to lack of support from londoners

cecil called him a traitor

people panic, leave the rebellion and free the hostages

essex and remaining followers arrested

essex rebellion consequences

short term

essex was put on trial and executed later that month

sold out some other rebels

proved her power

long term

showed rebellions were futile

disputes should be aired in parliament

essex faction disappeared, cecil faction remained successful

great chain of being

god

queen

nobility - most powerful and wealthy

gentry - wealthy land owners

peasantry - poorest members of society

animals and plants

divine right of kings

the belief that the monarch was chosen by god so any acts against them were blasphemous as well as treasonous

golden age

a time in history when a country or civilisation is doing really well

peace success creativity progress

B - buildings

A - art

T - technology

S - science

L - literature

E - education

E - exploration

P - power peace and pride

architecture

dramatic transformation in houses and public buildings

hardwick hall was a great stately home

buildings built not for defence but for grandeur

prodigy houses aimed to impress elizabeth

symbolised innovation, art, stability, a culture investing in architecture not war

fashion

brighter bolder more elaborate

new materials like silk, satin, lace from expanding trade routes

queen set the standard

new trends showcased in court

famous ruffs, extravagant wigs, stiffened bodices,

sumptuary laws 1574 statute of apparel dictating what different social classes were allowed to wear

explosion of new styles show a society rich in creativity and connections

cultural shift in identity and appearance

theatre

most famous achievement of this time

mass form of entertainment enjoyed by all classes

improved stage design, costumes etc

spectacular events

william shakespeare and other playwrights explored love, power, tragedy, ambition through drama like never before

the globe and the rose and the swan = purpose built theatres

developments that shaped english literature and global culture for all time

books

significant rise in literacy rates

lots of widespread printed materials

printing press made books increasingly widely available

grammar schools expanded (wealthy got educated in maths, latin, etc)

more people consumed various forms of literature

rise of reading and sharing of knowledge showed progress and intellectual growth

art

focused mainly on portraiture

used a propaganda to show the royal progresses

symbols to communicate power, purity, protection, and divine intervention

the armado portrait = showed elizabeth’s triumph over spain, authority as monarch, and strength as virgin queen

nicholas hilliard = minature portraits worn as jewellery, diplomatic gifts

built a distinct creative cultural identity

gloriana

the idea that they were living in a golden age, encouraged by elizabeth and her government

spread through plays, festivals and pamphlets

useful way of securing popularity and the throne

actions of henry viii affecting poverty

forbade nobility having private armies in fear they would attack him so solders left unemployed

closed monastries leaving sick with no care and religious without jobs

changes in agriculture

bad harvests between 1594 - 1598

food shortages led to inflation and starvation

enclosure meant open fields were closed off for sheep farming by landowners so no more common land for people to graze animals or grow crops

lead to further unemployment

unemployed farm workers went to the cities in search for jobs

flu outbreak

killed 200,000 people in 1556 including lots of farm workers

population increase

population rose from 2.8 million at the start of elizabeths reign to 4 million by the end

shortage of jobs and places to live gave land owners the power to raise rents

rack renting - charging extortionate prices for somewhere to live

paupers

those without work - poorest members of society

the deserving poor

many nobles thought it was there job to help the poor due to the gcob

recognised many were poor due to their circumstances not choice

included the sick, elderly, young, disabled, and vulnerable

charities for the poor grew and almshouses established (food and rest for poor)

the undeserving poor

beggars or vagabonds (people who wander from place to place without work)

made up of those who chose not to work

viewed as criminals, tricksters, and trouble-makers

1566 the caveat for common cursetors - thomas harman further convinced people all poor were scammers and confidence tricksters

the poor law 1601

wealthy should be taxed to pay for sick and vulnerable

fit and healthy poor to be given work

those who refused to work were beat or placed in house of corrections

made each place responsible for it’s own poor

circumnavigation 1577-80

sir francis drake complete the first circumnavigation of the world

raided spanish ships

modern day pirates known as privateers

what made exploration possible

astrolabes allowed sailors to determine their position

more accurate compasses invented

stronger defences such as cannons permitted exploration of hostile territory

technology allowed faster sailing ships to be built

impact of voyages

QE navy had enough power to hold its own in battle

improved weapons and commands eg francis drake

established east india company in 1600

john hawkins started the british involvement in the slave trade in 1564 and brought tobacco to england

perseverance led to loads of colonies

the religious settlement 1559

aka the middle way

two acts dictating religion in elizabethan england in an attempt to soothe civil unrest and prevent rebellion

the act of supremacy 1559

named elizabeth governor of the church of england

forced all members of the clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to elizabeth

the act of uniformity 1559

dictated how church services went

mandatory attendance or else recusancy fines implemented

catholics could do whatever they wanted in the privacy of their own homes

catholic beliefs

pope as head of church

decorative churches

bible in latin

priests cannot marry

talk to god through priests

protestant beliefs

elizabeth as head of church

plain churches

bible in english

priests can marry

talk to god through prayer

counter reformation

attempt by catholic church to bring protestants back to catholicism

1568 william allen set up a seminary in netherlands training missionaries to send to england

catholic forms of rebellion

northern rebellion 1569

ridolfi 1571

throckmorton plot 1583

babington plot 1586

mary queen of scots background

widowed queen of france

elizabeths cousin

catholic rightful heir to the throne

abdicated scottish throne out of fear of protestants

escaped to england in 1568

placed under house arrest

northern rebellion 1569

earl of northumberland

earl of westermorland

brought back catholic services in northern england

marched south with 4600 rebels

failed due to not enough support

easily defeated by earl of sussex’s army

450 rebels executed

increased control in the north

papal bull 1570

excommunicated elizabeth

said she was not the just queen so no longer protected under divine right of kings

allowed english catholics to attack elizabeth

force them to choose between elizabeth and religion

ridolfi plot 1571

plot to kill elizabeth and make mary queen

ridolfi (italian) supported by duke of norfolk

discovered before it could take place

foreign support from spain

more spies

mary’s imprisonment became stricter

recusancy fines

fines for people who wouldn't attend protestant services

introduced in 1571

increased in 1581 to £20

jesuits

created in 1540

sent missionaries from 1580

edmund campion and robert parsons

campion became a wanted man for preaching

wanted to spread a message of catholicism

throckmorton plot 1583

henry duke of geese to invade (french)

led by sir francis throckmorton (spanish ambassador)

plot was uncovered

aimed to assassinate elizabeth

lots of foreign support

harsher laws against catholics

no more spanish ambassadors in engalnd

babington plot 1586

anthony babington sent mary letters

marys servants were spies for walsingham

letters intercepted by walsingham proving mary’s involvement

plot to assassinate elizabeth

new laws made it illegal to support any claims to the throne bar elizabeth’s

mary executed in 1587

punishments for catholics

recusancy fines in 1571 and 1581

^ went from really relaxed to incredibly enforced and way too expensive

1585 - any catholic priest ordained after 1559 was considered a traitor and it became legal to kill anyone who wanted to the queen

1593 - statute of confinement (catholics couldn’t travel further than 5 miles from their home without permission from authorities)

puritan forms of rebellion

prophesying

puritan choir

separatist churches

presbyterians - hard core puritans, questioned the religious settlement

prophesying

members of clergy meeting for prayer and criticising the middle way

archbishop of canterbury edward grindal suspended as he encouraged it

popular in the 1570s (he died in 1583)

john whitgift

archbishop of canterbury from 1583

brought in to crack down on protestant rebellions

john field

prominent and strict puritan

banned from preaching in 1580

died in 1588

puritan choir

puritan mp’s peter wentworth and anthony cope tried to introduce new laws

elizabeth hated this as she deemed religious matters her decision

she punished them for not listening to her on various occasions

cope ended up in the tower of london

separatist churches

established in 1580

led by robert browne who got arrested

another established in 1592 and leaders got hanged

why catholics were a threat

powerful foreign support

threat to the queen’s life

wanted to overthrow her

why puritans were a threat

powerful positions in england

very influential

public criticism and ability to change

challenged her authority

persistent problem

when dudley and walsingham died (88 and 90) it had less of an influence

why did plots fail

spies: francis walsingham had a huge network of spies

no alternatives: didn’t want foreign rulers, mary not trusted,

punishment: rebels executed, no mercy even for essex

settlement: elizabeth kept majority happy

skillful politician: elizabeth was cunning and often got what she wanted

reasons for conflict with spain

1570 papal bull

1559 QE didn’t want to marry phillip ii of spain

opposing religions

drake led a raid on caidz in 1587

QE supported dutch protestant uprising in the netherlands in 85, dudley with 7k soldiers

naval warfare

henry viii spent a fortune on the navy

special tactics = line of fire, raids, fireships

new tech = greater speed and maneuverability because of triangular sail, more powerful cannons, new inventions like astrolabe

spains plan

1588 philip launched the armada

151 ships

7000 sailors

34000 soldiers

crescent formation

weapons for land battle

english first strike

6 august

armada on dutch coast

delayed waiting for soldiers

francis drake sent 8 fireships into the fleet on the 7th

sent armada into chaos

the battle

battle of gravelines began

english fired from 100m away

spanish damaged but not sunk

spanish commander duke of medina-sidonia tried to lead ships home

the english gave chase

the storm

great storm blew the armada off course

armada food rotten, water polluted, no maps for northern england,

many landed in scotland or ireland so got slaughtered

of 151 ships only 65 made it back

the protestant winds - sign from god elizabeth was the rightful leader

how armada was defeated

• fireships broke crescent formation

• english bombarded with cannons making regrouping impossible

• english had faster ships and better command

• spanish ships weren’t designed for the north sea or channel

• delayed in netherlands

• weapons for land use so defenceless in sea

• inexperienced commander

• storm delayed return and damaged ships

consequences of defeat

great victory for elizabeth

proved england was a major naval power

invasion remained a concern

qe continued to strengthen navy

brought england together - under threat of foreign invasion many catholics declared total loyalty to elizabeth

made elizabethmore popular

helped boost idea of golden age