“Virgin Queen”: Legitimacy, gender and marriage

Challenges facing Elizabeth in 1558

• age

• Finances

• Legitimacy

• Parliament

• Religion

• Marriage

Age challenge to Elizabeth

Young (21) and inexperienced.

She needed support and advice of Provy council- especially Secretary of State

Finances challenge to Elizabeth

Her government needed money

Legitimacy challenge to Elizabeth

Pope had refused to recognise her parents marriage so Catholics refused to acknowledge her right to rule england

Parliament challenges to Elizabeth

To pass laws she needed the support of Parliament

She could issue royal proclamations and prerogative powers- enabling her to govern without parliaments consent, especially in foreign policy

Marriage challenges to Elizabeth

Unmarried and unusual at this time for a woman to rule in her own right. Christian traditions suggested women should follow men’s authority

Many disproved of the idea of a “queen regnant”

Why was Elizabeth considered illegitimate

Her father, Henry VIII had divorced Catharine of Aragon and married Anne Boleyn. Pope refused to recognise this divorce. When Anne Boleyn was executed in 1536, Henry excluded Elizabeth from succession- although reversed deciison before death

Question of marriage

• if Elizabeth married a Protestant, she’d anger Catholics

• If Elizabeth married a Catholic, she’d anger Protestants

• Marriage could involve England in expensive wars requiring taxation

Debt of the crown

£300000

Why was marriage important

She needed an heir. If she died without one, the throne would be vacant and could lead to civil war