Section c

• The significance of threats to National security from Spain and Ireland : for , Spain

  • The war was long - 1585 to 1604
  • the war was expensive and unpopular
  • Elizabeths annual income was £300,000 and it cost 100,000 a year to maintain English troops in the Netherlands
  • as england wasn’t as strong as Spain the war underemind the social and economic stability of the country
  • there was a danger of catholic invasion - unsucesful armada attempts in 1596 and 97 and the Spanish uniting with Irish rebels in 1601
• the significance of threats to national security from Spain and Ireland : for , Ireland

  • Tyrones revolt 1595 - 1603 , in 1598 defeated the english at the battle of yellow ford
  • she sent the largest army of her reign
  • they were under the command of Robert Devereux who failed miserably on his mission
• the significance of threats to national security from Spain and Ireland : against

  • 1595 France declared war on Spain and threat lessoned
  • Philip declared bankruptcy in 1596
  • war increased the patriotism of England
  • the English economy was boosted by the capture of 1000 Spanish and Portuguese ships , £400,000 worth of treasure was captured between 1589 and 91
  • lord mounjoy defeated Tyrone at the battle of kinsale in 1601 and he submitted to the English in 1603
• the extent of faction at court and the succession issue : for

  • Faction emerged in the 1590s - Essex vs Cecil
  • They disagreed about the tactics of the war and wanted to maintain their own power once the queen died
  • the queen allowed patronage to come from the Cecil’s
  • Robert Cecil became the queen secretary in 1596
  • an old queen and the uncertain succession led to tensions which exploded in 1601
  • 1601 was essexes revolt where he marched london with 140 followers
  • both factions were in secret correspondents with james v
• the extent of faction at court and the succession issue : Against

  • Essex was too reliant on his small army and he simply could not raise troops from the locals
  • he was never strong enough to challenge the queen in a meaningful way
  • Elizabeth acted quickly in 1601 due to the troops and the lord lieutenant system she could send out the word that Essex was a traitor
  • James accession was established peacefully and there was no armed struggle in 1603
• the importance of growing conflicts with parliament snd the session of 1601 : For

  • some historians ( neale) see parliament growing more challenging and containing more educated and confidence - ie peter wentworth who was executed in 1593
  • it was prepared to challenge the queens prerogative on issues - they were especially challenging in 1597 and 1601
  • the war meant she was reliant on parliament for taxation
  • the 1593 parliament tried to link the money supply to readdress grievances
  • in 1590s the commons were more rowdy and needed more careful management ,some could not ie Robert ceil
• The importance of growing conflicts and the session of 1601 : Against

  • other historians emphasise the amount of cooperation between monarchy and parliament
  • There was only 4 sessions of parliament each lasting between two and four months
  • parliament was not an intergal part of government
  • elizabtheth could still call and dismiss it or use her veto
  • every time parliament met Elizabeth got the taxation she required
  • she skilfully handled complaints ie her golden speech in 1601
• the importance of harvest failures in the 1590s and the growth of social distress : For

  • high taxation became a regular feature - 1590s each county paid £2000 a year to pay for the men abroad
  • real wages declined and in 1597 13% of the population were classed as impotent or able bodied poor
  • a series of poor harvests took place from 1594 - 1597 which caused social distress - some areas suffered more ie small towns
  • in 1596 there were deaths from starvation in cumbria
  • the authorities feared riots and rebellions - 1596 in Oxfordshire broke out over enclosure and food prices
• the importance of harvest failures in the 1590s and the growth of social distress : Against

  • Not all areas suffered , London could access grain from the Baltic and large towns stockpiled food
  • conditions in the 1550s were worse
  • the situations improved after 1588/89 and the population continued to grow in the 1590s
  • the government did carry out measures ie poor law of 1597 and 1601
  • the government remained in control of events , riots lacked leadership and were suppressed
  • loyalty was at a premium in a time of war