The early rule of Elizabeth I

• What problems did Queen Elizabeth face?

  Reference illegitimacy, gender

  • she was seen as an illegitimate queen as Catholics did not believe in divorce, so they believed that Henry marriage to Anne was never dissolved
  • she was a woman and Catholics believed that they should be under the authority of men
  • people believed that she would make England look weak. Whilst France and Spain were both powerful nations that were ruled by men
• What religious conflict did she face?

  • Her father broke away from the church and made the Church of England
  • Her sister Mary I made England catholic again and burned people who were protestant
  • Now Elizabeth was protestant so that did not please many people
• What other problems did Mary Face?

  • refer to debts and her cousin
  • Mary had left Elizabeth in £250,000 therefore she had to increase taxes
  • Elizabeth cousin Mary Queen of Scots, had a claim to the throne.
  • MQOS was catholic and was married to the heir of the France throne
  • they could try and invade and threaten Elizabeth position
  • she was young (25) so she needed help from the privy council
• What were the positive that Elizabeth had in her ruling?

  • her reign was popular and was seen as a fresh start
  • she was single so was not controlled by a foreign husband
  • both her parents were English so she was free from overseas influence
• Who are the privy council ?

  • they helped Elizabeth with important decision like religion, war and relations with other countries
  • made up of powerful landowners (19 noblemen)
• Who are Lord lieutenants?

  • they were responsible for particular areas of the country
  • making sure that everything was running how it should be
  • and informing the privy council of any unrest
• Who are the Justices of the Peace

  • to enforce law and order in their area
• Who are the members of parliament?

  • they had the power to raise money through taxes
  • also used them when she needed them to make laws by passing Acts of Parliament
  • house of lords (nobles and bishops)
  • house of common (gentry)
• What was Queen Elizbeth described as?

  • a dominant monarch as she invoked the Divine Rights of King
  • therefore people could not tell her what to do
  • well educated and intelligent
  • forged relationships with nobles to keep them in check
• What were the positives and negatives of Elizabeth remaining unmarried?

  • she was able to keep sole control of the English affairs
  • she had many suitors which allowed her to play countries off each other
  • however not knowing who would inherit the throne could lead to potential plots and overthrow of Elizabeth
• In towns and cities what was the hierarchy?

  • merchants - they were wealthy traders and owned a decent amount of land
  • professionals- worked in a respectable job like clergy
  • craftsmen- they learnt skills or trade
  • unemployed at the bottom
• What was the hierarchy in the countryside?

  • nobility- largest landowners
  • gentry- owned a bit less land than the noble
  • tenant farmers- they rented land from the gentry or the yeomen
  • homeless/vagarant at the bottom