Elizabeth I and her court

• Court Life

  The Elizabethan court was central from 1558 to 1603 under Elizabeth I with at least 1,000 attendees when she was present. Gentry (lawyers, merchants, officials) owned land, aided nobles, and gained wealth. Farmers worked nobles' land, giving food and money, while merchants paid taxes. Nobles maintained order, rewarded with jobs and land for loyalty. The court moved between palaces, hosting dances, music, banquets, and hunting expeditions from 1558 to 1603. Elizabeth I impressed ambassadors with her intelligence, making the court the decision-making hub. Nobles and gentry competed for favor, with patronage growing as Elizabeth rewarded loyalty with land and money, showcasing wealth throughout her reign.
• Key Advisors

  Elizabeth I's court grew to over 1,000 people by 1603, with a Privy Council of about 19 members meeting regularly from 1558. Robert Dudley became Earl of Leicester in 1564, a Protestant favorite, rivaling William Cecil, Secretary of State from 1558, Lord Burghley in 1571, dominant until 1598. Francis Walsingham, Secretary from 1573, was a spymaster, while Christopher Hatton rose to Lord Chancellor in 1587. The Church of England was established in 1559 with Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity, but the 1570 Papal Bull excommunicated Elizabeth, prompting Cecil and Walsingham to enforce Protestantism against Catholic threats amid tensions in the 1560s.
• Public Image

  Elizabeth I's reign from 1558 to 1603 used propaganda via 20 progresses (1559-1578), visiting 241 towns and staying in 236 houses to show power. The Queen's Men, formed in 1583, promoted her image through plays. Nicholas Hilliard's Pelican portrait in 1573 and controlled depictions from 1563 enhanced her majesty. The Stationers' Company, chartered in 1557, enforced censorship, tightened in 1581. Key events included the 1558 coronation, 1569 Northern Rebellion, 1570 Ridolfi Plot and excommunication by Pope Pius V, and the 1588 Spanish Armada victory, shaping public perception until her 1603 death.
• Family History

  Elizabeth I, born in 1533, became queen in 1558 after Mary I's death, ruling until 1603. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, was executed in 1536, and Elizabeth was imprisoned in 1554 under Mary I. She defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 and executed Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1587 for plotting. Economic issues included 1553 disease deaths, 1569-1570 war and price hikes, plus rebellions: Kett's in 1549 and Northern in 1569 (crushed by 1570, 300-400 deaths). Her family tree spans Henry VII (1485-1509), Henry VIII (1509-1547), Edward VI (1547-1553), and Mary I (1553-1558).
• Government Structure


  From 1558 to 1603, Elizabeth I's Privy Council, with 19-50 members including nobles, bishops, Lord Chancellor, Lord Treasurer, and Secretary of State, met weekly. It advised on foreign policy, economic matters, and protection, proposing laws and taxes to an infrequent Parliament. William Cecil and Francis Walsingham were key, managing ambassadors and pirates. The Council suppressed the 1569 Northern Rebellion and oversaw Mary, Queen of Scots' execution in 1587. Elizabeth retained final control, navigating plots and invasions over her 45-year reign, supported by a structured government