Elizabeth

• What problems did Elizabeth face in 1558?

  • Legitimacy
  • Gender & Marriage
  • Religion
  • Financial Weakness
  • Foreign Threat
  • Mary Queen of Scots
• Why was Elizabeth’s legitimacy a problem?

  • In the view of Catholics, Elizabeth was illegitimate as Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon was never approved by The Pope
  • Some people believed that Anne Boleyn was pregnant before she married Henry VIII
  • This meant that according to laws of succesion Mary Queen of the Scots was the rightful heir to the throne
• Why was Elizabeth’s gender a problem?

  Some feared a female ruler meant that England would continue to be seen as a weak country. France and Spain were the most powerful nations and had kings
• Why was money a problem for Elizabeth In 1558?

  Her sister Mary had left debts of £300000 due to her expensive war with France
• Why were Spain and France a problem for Elizabeth in 1558?

  There were tensions between the two countries as Spain and France were both Catholic and England was Protestant. Elizabeth had also rejected a marriage proposal from the Spanish King and England was recently at war with France
• Why was Religion a problem for Elizabeth in 1558?

  The Reformation and Mary converting the country back to Catholicism created divides in the country. Elizabeth now had to settle the situation maintaining security and establishing an agreement that would keep her people content
• Why was Mary Queen of Scots a problem for Elizabeth?

  She was a Catholic who married the French heir. They could invade England and replace Elizabeth
• What was the Privy Council?

  19 powerful noblemen appointed to advise her. They met every day and discussed domestic and foreign issues
• What were the advantages and disadvantages of Elizabeth not announcing a marriage

  • Kept her options open and could negotiate her hand in marriage
  • A husband could easily threaten her power
  • Maintained her control over English affairs
  • Uncertainty over who would inherit the the throne led to plots to overthrow her
  • Privy Councillors and MPs were frustrated as the succession wasn’t settled so the country was vulnerable
• Who was William Cecil?

  Appointed as Secretary of State in 1558 and was her most important minister
• Who was Sir Francis Walshingham?

  Elizabeth’s spymaster and advised foreign affairs. He uncovered the plot that led to Mary’s execution
• Why did Elizabeth come up with the Religious Settlement?

  To compromise between the Puritan population and the Catholic population
• Two features of the Religious Settlement

  • Act of Supremacy
  • Act of Uniformity
• What was the Act of Uniformity?

  • It made Protestantism England’s official faith
  • Outlined rules of religious practice in a revised prayer book
  • It retained some Catholic traditions which Elizabeth hoped would make a good compromise
• What was the Act of Supremacy?


  Elizabeth was established as the Supreme Governor of the Church. All clergy members had to swear an oath of allegiance to her
• What was the Puritan challenge to the Religious Settlement?

  • Puritans did not believe the crucifix should be present in Churches
  • Puritans did not believe priests should wear any special clothing
• What was the Catholic challenge to the Religious Settlement?

  • The Pope told Catholics to not attend church services
  • The Pope excommunicated Elizabeth and encouraged plots against her
• Reasons for Revolt of the Northern Earls

  • Political - Elizabeth had weakened many northern nobles by removing their land and power
  • Religious - Northern Earls were Catholic and resented Elizabeth for making the country Protestant
  • Personal - Many lords were facing financial hardship as a result of the loss of their land
• Reasons for the failure of the Revolt of the Northern earls

  • Lack of clear plan - The earls could not decide if they wanted Mary to replace Elizabeth immediately or if they just wanted Mary to be named heir
  • Decisive Response - Elizabeth raised a large army commanded by the Duke of Sussex
• Two features of the Revolt of the Northern Earls

  • Plan was to overthrow Elizabeth and replace her with Mary
  • Marched into Durham Cathedral, destroyed Protestant liturgy and performed Catholic Mass
• Two features of the Ridolfi Plot

  • The plan was to restore Catholicism in England by marrying Mary to the Catholic Duke of Norfolk and replace Elizabeth
  • An invasion from the netherlands was going to happen. The Duke of Alba would have led spanish troops to invade England
• How did the Ridolfi plot increase tensions between Catholics and Protestants?

  • The plot increased fears of Catholic interference and Elizabeth took a tougher stance
  • Increased surveillance of Mary
  • Discrimination against Catholics
• Two features of the Throckmorton Plot

  • The plan was to put Mary on the throne by killing Elizabeth
  • Foreign Invasion. Throckmorton had planned for the French Duke of Guise to invade England
• Why was the Throckmorton plot a threat to Elizabeth?

  • The plan was to kill her
  • Foreign Invasion
  • Encourage an uprising among Catholic nobles
• Two features of the Babington Plot

  • Plan to assassinate Elizabeth and replace her with Mary
  • Foreign powers, such as Phillip II supported the plot hoping to restore Catholic England
• Two features of the Catholic organisation of the Church

  • The pope is the head of the church, not the monarch
  • Bible and Church services must be in Latin, not in English
• Two features of the Protestant organisation of the Church

  • Churches should be plain and simple to not distract from worshipping God
  • Priests should not wear special vestments and dress plainly and simply
• Explain why Walshingham so effective at dealing with plots

  • He had an effective spy network which was extended to other countries
  • He used torture methods to extract information from people
  • He had codebreakers to decode plots and employed a man to re-seal letters
• Two features of Elizabethan society

  • Lack of social mobility - Labourers could not climb the social ladder by becoming major landowners or gentry
  • The monarch was at the top of the social hierachy while vagabbonds were at the bottom
• Why was Mary, Queen of Scots executed in 1587?

  • She was a legitimate heir to the throne so plotters exploited against this
  • She was Catholic, therefore France and Spain would prefer to see her on the throne, leading to plots
  • Evidence against Mary - she denied involvement in the Ridolfi and Throckmorton plots but she wrote a direct reply to Babington’s proposal
• Why did poverty increase in Elizabethan England?

  • Population increased by 35% which means there was less food to go around
  • Poor harvests meant there was less food to go around
  • Rising rents
  • Urbanisation
• Why did Elizabethans explore?

  • Triangular Trade
  • Adventure
  • New Technology
• What sports did Elizabethans play?

  • Hunting on horseback
  • Hawking
  • Fishing
  • Fencing
  • Real Tennis
• What pastimes did Elizabethans have?

  • Literature
  • Theatre
  • Music
  • Dancing