Elizabethans Overview

• Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn
• She became queen aged just 25 after the death of her brother Edward VI and sister Mary I.
• Elizabeth’s main priorities were to settle religious problems and ensure England’s security.
• She was willing to compromise for the sake of her people. She never married, deciding to put the security of England before herself.
• Elizabeth I was sovereign of England, and all agents of government were answerable to her.
• Elizabeth surrounded herself with a loyal group of advisers (the Privy Council) to guide her.
• Elizabeth controlled Parliament and set the agenda of what it was allowed to discuss and pass laws about.
• However, during her reign Parliament did become more influential and was in conflict with issues such as religion, marriage and her monopoly licenses.
• The Spanish Armada planned to meet the Duke of Parma at Dunkirk.
• By the spring of 1588, the Armada was complete, and Phillip II was ready to launch his “Enterprise of England.” The Armada consisted of around 130 ships, approximately 8,000 sailors, and an estimated 18,000 soldiers.
• Phillip II appointed the Duke of Medina Sidonia to lead the Armada.
• Phillip respected the Duke of Medina Sidionia‘s high social status and trusted him to obey instructions. However, the Duke lacked naval experience and tried unsuccessfully to turn down the command
• The spanish had thousands of soldiers stationed in the Netherlands under the leadership of the Duke of Parma. Phillip’s plan was for the Armada to meet Parma’s army at Dunkirk, and then sail across the Channel to England under the protection of the Armada’s warships.
• The Armada set out in May 1588 but was delayed for several weeks by bad weather in the Bay of Biscay and by attempts of an English fleet to intercept it.
• In July, the Spanish fleet was sighted off Cornwall, and beacons were lit along the south coast to alert Elizabeth in London. English ships set sail from Plymouth to meet the Armada
• The Armada sailed up the Channel in a crescent formation, an effective defensive strategy that used large, armed galleons to protect the weaker supply and troop ships. The English navy carried out a few minor raids but was unable to inflict much damage. Only two Spanish ships were lost, both due to accidents.
• After sailing up the Channel, Medina Sidonia anchored at Calais to wait for Parma’s troops. However, Parma and his men were blockaded by Dutch ships and could not reach the coast in time
• In the middle of the night, the English sent eight fire ships loaded with flammable arterials among the anchored Spanish ships. This caused panic among the Spanish sailors, who cut their anchor cables, broke their defensive formation and headed for the open sea.
• The spanish ships regrouped at Gravelines, but the weather made it impossible for them to return to their defensive position at Calais. The English navy attacked, resulting in a battle that lasted for many hours. Five Spanish ships were sunk, and the rest of the fleet was forced to sail away from the French coast and into the North Sea
• An English fleet followed the Spanish Armada as far north as Scotland to ensure they did not regroup and return to collect Parma’s army
• The Privy Council consisted of about 20 members
• The Privy Council directly advised the Queen
• The Privy Council was responsible for implementing royal descisions
• Members of the Privy Council had to show absolute obedience
• Elizabeth rarely summoned Parliament because she wanted to maintain her absolute power
• Elizabeth called Parliament 12 times during her 44 year reign
• Local government posts like Justice of the Peace and Sherriff were unpaid but many men were volunteered in order to increase their local power and influence
• The primary purpose of Elizabeth's patronage systems were to ensure support of the nobility and gentry
• A trade product that was particularly significant for England's economy during this period was woolen cloth
• Poverty was a significant problem during this time period