Elizabeth I and her court

• When was Elizabeth born?

  7th September 1533
• Who was Elizabeth's mother?

  Anne Boleyn
• Who was Elizabeth's father?

  King Henry VIII
• How old was Elizabeth when her mother died?

  Two and half years old
• How did Elizabeth's mother die?


  She was accused of incest, adultery and witchcraft, and was ordered to be executed by Henry VIII in 1536
• What year was Elizabeth's younger brother Edward VI born and what did this result in?

  Edward VI was born in 1537, resulting in Elizabeth becoming third in line to the throne, after her half sister Mary I
• Why was Elizabeth declared illegitimate in 1536?

  Because the marriage between Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII was annulled in parliament
• What was Edward VI's reign like?

  Edward VI succeeded the throne when he was nine in 1547 and ruled for six years, until he died in 1553. He was a staunch Protestant whose reign was full of political instability, and until the end of 1549 the power behind the throne was his uncle, the Duke of Somerset, before he was exiled for treason.
• What was the third act of succession?

  It was an act passed by Parliament in 1543 which returned Mary and Elizabeth to the line of succession behind Edward
• Why did Edward override the third act of succession?

  He was manipulated by his adviser, the Duke of Northumberland, to name his Protestant cousin Lady Jane Grey as his heir, so that when he died, his Catholic half-sister Mary would not become Queen.
• Who was Thomas Seymour?

  The second husband of Catherine Parr, the widow of Henry VIII
• What happened between Thomas Seymour and Elizabeth?

  After Katherine's death, there were accusations made that Seymour and Elizabeth were to marry so that he would gain more influence over King Edward VI. Seymour was executed for treason and Elizabeth's loyalty remained under suspicion through both her siblings' reigns.
• When did Mary I succeed the throne?

  In 1553, shortly after the execution of Lady Jane Grey
• What was the reign of Mary I like?

  • She spent much of her reign feeling paranoid about threats and rebellions, seeing Elizabeth as a potential symbol or leader for her enemies
  • This lead to Elizabeth being imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1554 after she was accused of supporting a rebellion
  • Many of Mary's enemies wanted Elizabeth to replace her Catholic sister and become a Protestant monarch
• When did Elizabeth become the queen?

  She became queen in 1558, at age 25, after her sister Mary I died
• Who was parliament?

  • Was made up of the House of Lords (lords, bishops, and other members of nobility) and the House of Commons ('common' people, although still wealthy and educated)
  • It had influence over tax and was responsible for passing laws
  • The queen decided when to call Parliament and how much of their advice she should listen to
• Who were the Privy Council?

  • Took responsibility for the day-to-day running of the country
  • Its members were Elizabeth's main advisors
  • Elizabeth could choose who was on the Council, but she often had to appoint the most powerful landowners to avoid the risk of rebellion
  • The Council could be called upon to deal with almost any issue, including military and foreign affairs, religion and the queen's security
  • If the Privy Council agreed on a particular issue, it was hard for Elizabeth to refuse it, but the privy councillors were rarely united
  • The Council was led by the Secretary of State
• Who were the Lord Lieutenants?


  • Appointed by the queen to take administrative responsibility for a particular area of the country
  • This involved settling disputes and collecting taxes
  • They were also responsible from raising a militia to fight for the queen if needed
  • Many Lord Lieutenants held other important roles in court, most notably privy councillors
  • The position of a Lord Lieutenant could lead to great power and influence
• Who were the Justices of Peace?

  • Each county had several Justices of the Peace to ensure order was kept
  • They were always selected from the local gentry and their main role was to ensure that the laws passed by Parliament were properly enforced
  • A single JP had the power to send somebody to prison but more than one JP was required to sentence a criminal to death
  • On taking office, JP's swore to treat everyone who they dealt with equally, whether they were rich or poor
• What was the royal court?

  • The court was made up of the government officials, ladies-in-waiting, servants and advisors who surrounded Elizabeth
  • It was the centre of political power but also the source of trends and fashions for the country
• What was patronage?

  • Giving titles, power or other rewards to ensure individuals' support
  • This was one way in which the queen could ensure loyalty from her government
• Who was William Cecil?


  • Served as Secretary of State twice and as a Member of Parliament, and was Elizabeth's most trusted advisor
  • He encouraged Elizabeth to take control of Catholic Ireland and to fight other Catholic rivals in England and abroad
  • Cecil played a key role in developing the Poor Laws and the new religious policies
• Who was Francis Walsingham?


  • Served as Secretary of State and was one of the queen's closest advisors from 1573 until his death
  • Known as Elizabeth's 'spymaster', Walsingham was said to have eyes and ears everywhere
  • He helped establish England as a powerful force at sea and took the lead in dealing with England's biggest rivals: Spain, France and the Netherlands
  • He played a role in the trial and execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, a rival for Elizabeth's throne in the 1580s