Government

• The Royal Court:

  • Important for Elizabethan decision making.
  • Place for patronage
  • Two main areas: Presence Chamber and the Privy Chamber
  • Presence chamber = open to all with status
  • Privy Chamber = more private and important but less influence than previous reign
• Overall, Elizabeth was successful in maintaining central government.
• Role of Ministers:

  • Main formal body
  • Privy council responsible for policy advice and administration
  • William Cecil was the original key minister
  • Council did have traditional ministers from traditional aristocracy (were kept away from court w/ a reduced political influence).
• CONTINUED ROLE OF MINISTERS:

  • Robert Dudley joined the Council in 1562.
  • Reshaping of Privy council in 1570's, reduced influence of conservative aristocracy.
  • 1570's a firmly protestant council was appointed, including Earl of Warwick.
  • Resulting in an "inner ring" of councillors.
  • Council offered cohesive decision-making.
  • Disputes over foreign policy brought break down of relations with the Privy Council.
  • Came from the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1587.
• The Privy Council acts as a court of law.
• The Privy Council discusses state matters and offers policy advice.
• The Privy Council manages the crown finances with the lord treasurer.
• The Privy Council oversees the operation of regional councils and their appeals.
• The Privy Council administers the realm through a range of officials such as JP's, which had influence on appointments.
• The Privy Council enforces laws and regulations, including on vagrancy and wages.
• The Privy Council oversees national defence arrangements and serves as lords for the militia.
• The Privy Council enforces the religious settlement of 1559, requiring a JP investigation.
• The Privy Council's Privy Chamber was the key to power, functioning to attend the monarch and provide her with personal attendants.
• The Privy Council advises the monarch on policy and ensures state security.
• WEAKENING OF ELIZABETH'S COUNCIL:

  • A lot of her ministers died, e.g. Leicester in 1588.
  • This was an issue, by 1597 the council had 11 members.
  • Queen failed to make immediate replacements, relied on unskilled sons of councillors
  • Absence of senior noblemen, suggests the council no longer included important families.
  • Promotion of younger Cecil angered earl of Essex, brought conflict within the council.
• FRACTIONAL RIVALRY:

  • Conciliar government affected
  • No minister able to control patronage
  • Ministers able to cooperate over issues
  • Clear division between Cecil moderacy and Dudley's protestant policy
• TO CONTINUE:

  • Government coherence declines, clash between Cecil and Essex Earl
  • Issues lead to Essex rebellion in 1601
  • Essex lost influence, career and judgement - started to prepare an armed coup
  • Attempted coup was quelled, trial and execution in 1601
  • The rule of Elizabeth and Cecil was unpopular at this point
  • Attitudes of Essex reflected larger discontent
• FRACTIONAL RIVALRY OVERALL?

  • Parliament seen as less important under Elizabeth
  • Parliament seen as a necessary evil, had to accept it for law making and tax grants
  • Parliament's importance was for legislative and revenue reasons
  • Parliament was a secondary feature of the Elizabethan political system
• WHAT WAS PARLIAMENT?

  Main function to pass laws and raise taxes, didn't meat regularly, no political parties (only middle and upper classes represented).
• WHAT WERE LAW COURTS?

  Made to preserve law and order, had variable meetings, highest officials appointed by the crown, lesser officials appointed by department heads.
• COMMON LAW - unwritten law of England
• Statute Law - written law based on Parliament acts
• Feudal dues - payments to the crown such as dowry's.
• LAW MAKING UNDER ELIZABETH:

  • 438 Acts passed under Elizabethan Parliament
  • Most influential were religious acts such as Act of Supremacy
  • Also influential was social policy in 1597/98 and 1601 about poor relief.
• TAXATION:

  • Most important function of parliament (extraordinary revenue grants)
  • 11 of Elizabeth's parliaments asked to grant revenue
  • Elizabeth forced to impose extraordinary revenue to pay for crown's normal expenditure
  • Failure to reform direct tax brought yield of extraordinary revenue down
• GIVING ADVICE:

  • Elizabeth was uninterested in MP advice, disliked their involvement in royal prerogative areas.
  • Parliament served as a way to communicate between councillors and those who administered policy.
  • Opinions of political nation gauged by privy council.
• GOLDEN SPEECH OF 1601 - Final parliamentary session, speech by Elizabeth
• Managing Parliament:

  • Cecil played a role in Crown's legislative system.
  • Privy councillors introduced bills and committees.
  • Outbursts in 1563 and 1566 when House of C. tried to debate marriage and succession.
• By 1593, traditional methods of parliamentary management had less success.
• Relationship between Elizabeth and Parliaments broke down at the end of her reign due to monopolies of 1601.
• Parliament and Elizabeth didn't always agree, Elizabeth intervened on bills she didn't like and refused royal assent over 15 bills in 1585.