Problems

• What problems did Elizabeth I face when becoming Queen?

  • Legitimacy
  • Gender and Marriage
  • Financial weakness
  • French threat
• Why was Elizabeth seen as illegitimate?

  Her father divorced his first wife in order to marry Anne Boleyn and the divorce was not recognised by the Pope

  Henry declared her illegitimate when Boleyn died in 1536 but later reversed this decision
• Why was her gender a problem?

  Women were not seen to be emotionally, mentally or physically fit to govern and Christianity taught that women should be under the authority of men
• Why was there financial weakness?

  When Elizabeth took on the throne, she was in debt of £300,000
• Why was France a threat?

  • Tension over Calais

  Had to give Calais back to France after Treaty of Cateau-Cambreisis

  • France and Spain end war (1559) and become allies
  • Francis II and Mary Queen of Scots were married and allied
• Why was Scotland a threat?

  • Scots upset about how Henry behaved with his divorce
  • Allied with France
• Why was Spain a threat?

  • Catholic
  • Had troops in the Netherlands