Elizabeth - Problems and Religious settlement

Problems in 1558 - France

Elizabeth inherits war with France

The war is unpopular - seen as fighting war on behalf of Spain

Calais lost to French

Scotland threatening from North - Auld Alliance

She signs the Treaty of Canteau in January 1559

Problems in 1558 - Domestic

Elizabeth had no heir and was not married

Mary queen of Scots was the next in line

Mary QoS had strong ties with France and marriage to Lord Darnley strengthens ties

Mary had a son showing dynastic security

Problems in 1558 - Legitimacy

Questions over Elizabeth’s legitimacy - Catholics don’t recognise marriage of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

Protestants uncomfortable with annulment of Boleyn marriage

Mary’s claims are less complicated

Problems in 1558 - Marriage

Elizabeth was unmarried but was expected to marry as a woman

Impact of Philip marriage to Mary on her power makes Elizabeth cautious

Unclear on who to marry: King of Spain, King of Sweden or English nobility such as Robert Dudley

Problems in 1558 - Council

Elizabeth spent a lot of time in the Tower of London during Mary’s reign

Privy council dominated by 50 catholic noblemen - many from the North

Elizabeth risks causing enemies if she sacks them all - doesn’t know who to trust

She avoids appointing Robert Dudley to avoid jealousy

Appoints William Cecil as Secretary of State

Keeps 10 of Mary’s advisors

Problems in 1558 - Religion

Mary’s reign saw religious divisions at most extreme - 300 protestants burnt

Country divided North/West - East/South between Catholic and Protestant

Rise of puritans in the south East

Elizabeth was a protestant

The religious settlement

Problems in 1558 - Society

Poor harvests in 1550s led to 200,000 dying of starvation

Increase poverty caused by enclosure, monasteries closing and collapse of wool trade

Rise of Vagabondage

Problems in 1558 - Money

£300,000 in debt

Expensive war with France - costing £100,000 to rearm and strengthen defences in 1558

Doesn’t want to ask parliament for help

Sells £600,000 in crown estates

Cuts spending in court

Has £300,000 in treasury by 1585

The religious settlement - Catholic Ideas

Transubstantiation - bread and wine is blood and flesh of Christ

Latin mass

Bible in Latin

Colourful and decorative churches

Pope is head of Church

Priests cannot marry and have power to forgive

The religious settlement - Protestant ideas

Consubstantiation - bread and wine is symbolic of Christ

English communion

Bible in English

Plain churches - focus on word of God

Monarch is head of Church

Priests can marry and sin can only be forgiven by God

Enforcing the settlement - Propaganda

Cheap medallions made and sold as souvenirs

Accession day became a popular festival

Portrayed herself as a saviour of Protestantism

Special licenses were issued to those who could preach

Enforcing the settlement - Threat

Visitations to Church to ensure rules were followed - 400 were dismissed in 1559

Recusant fines for those not attending - 1 shilling a week (however Elizabeth told authorities to turn a blind eye)

Failure to take oath of Supremacy could lead to execution

What was the Settlement - Act of Supremacy

Made Elizabeth the supreme Governor of the Church; leading figures had to swear oath of loyalty

What was the settlement - Act of Uniformity

All services and Churches were to be identical and everyone was expected to attend

What was the settlement - Royal injunctions

Instructions as to how priests should act and how the Church should be run - set out by William Cecil

What was the settlement - Book of common prayer

Gives instruction of how Church services should be run - including wording used and the meaning of communion

What was the settlement - Ecclesiastical High commission

This was responsible for disciplining anyone who broke the rules of the Religious settlement

Impact of the settlement - The Clergy

8,000 out of 10,000 members of the Clergy agreed but all of Mary’s Bishops resign

Elizabeth appoints 27 new Bishops to enforce the settlement

Impact of the settlement - The people

The majority accepted the settlement

The vague wording of the communion made it acceptable to most Catholics

It was only slowly adopted in the North where resistance to change was stronger

Opposition to the settlement - Puritans

Felt it was too Catholic

Angered by priests needing to wear vestments and the use of the crucifix

William Strickland tried to raise issue in Parliament in 1571 - Elizabeth shut down Parliament

Opposition to the settlement - Catholics in England

Some refused to attend Church while others took mass in private

Most resistance was minor - many simply stored their icons away until the Religious settlement was over

Opposition to the settlement - Catholic overseas

Neither France or Spain did anything initially

1566 - Pope told Catholics to stop attending Church

1570 - Pope excommunicated Elizabeth - Jesuit priests began arriving from Spain