Elizabeth- govt and religion

• England in 1558

  • Surrounded by mainly Catholic countries
  • More Catholicism in the North, Protestantism in the South around London
  • Elizabeth does not support all the Protestant beliefs but supports some of the Catholic beliefs such as special vestments, clergy not marrying
• 800 protestants returned when Elizabeth become Queen
• Religious Settlement was first in Parliament in January 1559, but not passed until Easter
• The Act of Uniformity led to the use of the 1552 Book of Common Prayer
• The Act of Supremacy made Elizabeth the Supreme Governor of the Church of England
• Seminary Priests were Roman Catholics trained in England. In 1577 Cuthbert Mayne was executed for treason, showing that he was viewed as a threat
• Jesuits took an oath to follow the Pope‘s orders. Their presence led to and act being passed in 1585, that made it treasonable to be a Catholic Priest.
• 133 Seminary Priests and Jesuits were executed, showing they were viewed as a threat
• The Ridolfi Plot was in 1571, it was a plot to kill Elizabeth and replace her with Mary Queen of Scots
• The Revolt of the Northern Earls was in 1569
• The Throckmorton Plot was in 1583, it was a plot to kill Elizabeth and replace her with Mary Queen of Scots
• The Throckmorton, Ridolfi and Babington plots had Spanish support
• The Babington Plot was in 1586, Mary Queen of Scots was arrested and executed as a result
• Catholic failure

  • not a threat in the first 20 years of her reign
  • 1581 Recusancy fines increased to £20 a month
  • In 1585 it became treasonable to be a Catholic Priest
  • In 1587 Mary was executed so they didn’t have a figurehead
  • Failure of the Spanish Armada
• Puritans were extreme radical protestants
• Puritans thought that vestments should be plain and simple, 37/110 refused and were sacked
• Walter Strickland, MP was banned from Parliament for attempting to reform the prayer book.
• John Stubbs, MP, opposed the marriage of Elizabeth to the Duke of Alencon, by producing a pamphlet. As a result, his right hand was chopped off.
• Puritans challenged the use of Crucifixes, as they didn't want it displayed. Elizabeth backed down.
• William Cecil and Robert Dudley were Puritans
• Puritan failure

  • did not have a figurehead
  • Declined after success against Spain
  • Limited in number and location - powerful as they were in Parliament
• Elizabeth was excommunicated in 1570
• There was a decline in Catholic threat over time
• The Privy Council were a group of her closest advisors
• Parliament only met 13 times in 44 years
• In 1576, Peter Wentworth demanded freedom of speech, but he was imprisoned in the Tower
• Parliament created petitions in 1559 and 1563 to encourage Elizabeth to marry and name an heir.
• Protests against monopolies in 1597 and 1601, showing that she did not deal with the threat initially, but eventually did not grant taxes
• Factional divisions between Cecil and Dudley
• Elizabeth had the power to open and close Parliament
• Cecil died in 1598 and he was her key advisor
• The Privy Council were successful in stopping Elizabeth from marrying Dudley
• Mary Queen of Scots fled to England in 1568
• Archbishop Grindal refused to suppress puritan prophesysings in 1576, so he was suspended then sacked. His suspension discredited the church and showed a threat as he was powerful.
• The religious settlement was first in Parliament in January, but not passed until Easter and when members of opposition in the House of Lords were absent
• Spain were Catholic so could threaten Elizabeth if a protestant religious settlement was introduced. But their threat was limited as they needed access through the Channel to the Netherlands for trade.
• Scotland were a threat as Mary had a strong claim to the throne and she was supported by Spain and France. But, in 1559 the protestant nobles took over in Scotland, which reduced the threat.
• England were at war with France, who were Catholic, England lost Calais. France were close to England and supported Mary. Peace could be more easily acheived if the protestant settlement was not too aggressive.
• Elizabeth own views of religion shaped her religious policy as well as the large support for catholicism in England after Mary.
• The religious settlement achieved Elizabeth's aims as it was 'via media', did not change, avoided foreign attack and satisfied personal Catholic beliefs