Early Elizabethan England 1558-1588

Queen, Government and religion 1558-1569

  • 7th September 1533 Elizabeth born to Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII

  • 1558 Mary 1 dies, Elizabeth becomes Queen (aged 25)

  • January 1559 Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis (signed peace with France)

  • 1559 Religious Settlements

  • Act of Supremacy Makes Elizabeth the Supreme Governor of the Church of England

  • Act of Uniformity Restores a single form of worship

  • Royal Injunctions Instructions for licensed preachers

  • Visitations Inspections of churches and clergy by bishops

  • Bible and services in Latin (P), priests can marry (P), churches can be decorated (C), priests can wear vestments (C)

  • 1556 Mary QoS birthed James I

  • 1566 Pope Pius V told English Catholics not to attend CofE services

  • 1567 Mary, Queen of Scots forced to abdicate the Scottish throne

  • 1568 Mary QoS fled to England, Drake’s San Juan de Ulua

  • 1570 Pope Pius V excommunicated Elizabeth

Challenges to Elizabeth at home and abroad 1569-88

  • November 1569 Revolt of the Northern Earls

  • Duke of Norfolk (Catholic noble) wanted to marry Elizabeth, he wanted more Catholic representation in court (opposed William Cecil)

  • Dukes of Westmoreland and Northumberland supported by trying to form an army

  • Expected support from the Pope and Spain didn’t come, very little support from other Northern Catholics (Lancashire and Cheshire)

  • They stormed Durham Cathedral and held a mass

  • Elizabeth raised a force of 10,000 causing the rebels to retreat and flee to Scotland (she executed 600)

  • 1570s Elizabeth proposed a marriage alliance to French Duke of Alencon

  • 1571 Ridolfi Plot

  • Roberto Ridolfi carried letters from Mary QoS to the Pope, Philip II of Spain and the Duke of Alva to organise an invasion of England

  • Duke of Norfolk’s servants discovered letters and informed Francis Walsingham

  • 1572 Duke of Norfolk was executed, Drake’s Nombre de Dios, Dutch Protestant rebellion

  • 1576 Spanish raid on Antwerp (Netherlands), Pacification of Ghent

  • 1578 Duke of Parma and army sent by Phillip to crush Dutch rebels

  • 1581 Francis Drake knighted

  • 1583 Throckmorton Plot

  • Francis Throckmorton (young Catholic) carried letters from Mary QoS to Spanish and French ambassadors, Duke of Guise, Philip II

  • Money from Spain and the Pope would back an invasion from France and in the North of England

  • Walsingham searched Throckmorton’s house and found evidence to execute him, Spanish ambassador was expelled

  • 1584 Bond of Association Act, William of Orange assassinated, Treaty of Joinville

  • 1585 Treaty of Nonsuch (signed between England and Dutch Rebels to send 7000 army led by Robert Dudley)

  • 1586 Babington Plot, Philip began planning for the Armarda

  • Anthony Babington (young Catholic servant to Earl of Shrewsbury) sent Mary QoS a six step plan to restore Catholicism to England

  • Walsingham’s spies intercepted letters in Mary’s household, Babington executed and Mary placed on trial

  • 8th February 1587 Mary Queen of Scots executed

  • April 1587 Drake’s attack on the Spanish fleet at Cadiz (“Singeing of the King’s Beard”), 30 battleships sunk