Elizabethan England

• 1558 - Elizabeth took the throne, aged 25. She ruled by the divine right.
• 1559 - Elizabeth's religious settlement aimed to establish a form of religion that was acceptable for both Protestants and Catholics.
• 1568 - Mary queen of Scots fled from Scotland to the north of England where Elizabeth imprisoned her
• Illegitimate - The child of unmarried parents. They have no right to inherit the throne.
• The structure of society - God, Queen, Nobels and lords, Gentry, Wealthy merchants, Tenant famers, Poor peasants and Vagrants and the unemployed.
• Court - The monarchs key servants, advisors and friends
• Privy council- A council around 19 leading courtiers and advisors who met every day and advised domestic and foreign issues.
• • Marriage - She was expected to marry a man of equal status.
  • However she thought it would put her under control of another country and be a threat to power on England.
  • She wanted to be married to her own country
  • Under intense pressure form her privy council as they were worried of the threats from abroad if England was lacking stability.
• The economy

  • England was £300000 in debt when she became queen
  • She struggled to raise money as so much was used for wars
  • Debt caused stress and instability
• Challenges from abroad

  • France, Spain and Scotland as well as the pope opposed her being queen and wanted Mary Queen of Scots to be ruler instead
• Puritans - Extreme protestants who based religion on solely what the bible said. The aimed to purify the Christian religion by removing anything that wasn't in the bible
• Act of supremacy- This made Elizabeth supreme governor of the church of England. All clergy and royal officials had to swear an oath of allegiance to the head of church.
• Act of uniformity - Designed to establish the appearance and services of churches. Some aspects of both religion stayed
• Features of the religious settlement

  • Churches had ornaments and decorations
  • Priests had to wear a surplice but could get married
  • Bible and church services in English
  • Protestant prayer book had to be used in church
  • All clergy had to take an oath saying they accepted Elizabeth's titles
• 1568 - MQS was forced to abdicate the throne and was imprisoned but fled to England where she sought refuge from Elizabeth
• 1569 - Revolt of the Northen Earls
• 1587 - Mary was put on trial and found guilty of treason and therefore executed
• 1588 - Spanish armada set sail for England
• 1571 - The Ridolfi plot
• 1583 - Throckmorton plot
• 1586 - The Babington plot
• Key features of the court

  • Group of people near or same house as monarch
  • Made up of members of the nobility
  • Entertain and advise the monarch
  • A public display of money and wealth
• Role of Privy council

  • Debate issues and advise the monarch
  • Make sure monarch's decisions were carried out
  • Oversaw law and order
  • Monitored Justice of peace and parliament
• Key features of parliament

  • Made up of house of lords and commons
  • Could only be called or dismissed by the monarch
  • She called them 10 times during reign
  • They granted extraordinary taxation
  • Passed laws
  • Offered advice to monarch
• Key features of Lords Lieutenant

  • Members of nobility
  • Unpaid and reported to the privy council
  • Position of status
  • In charge of raising and training local military
  • Oversaw enforcement of policies
• Key features of Justice of peace

  • Each country had one chosen by the monarch
  • Members of nobility
  • Essential to maintaining England's defences
  • Part of local government
  • To ensure economic and social policies were carried out
  • Heard county court cases for more serious crimes
• Challenges from home

  • Her legitimacy to the throne
  • Marriage
  • Religion
  • Gender
  • Children
  • Economy
  • Personality
  • Previous Tudor women
• Mary 1 significance

  • Brutal and strict
  • Elizabeth's half sister
  • She executed over 300 protestants for going against catholic church
  • She caused hunger and poverty
  • Lost war against France
  • Put England in debt
• French threat

  • France was wealthier than England
  • Had a larger population
  • Traditional enemy
  • It had a strong friendship with Scotland known as the Auld alliance
  • Countries in Auld alliance were catholic
  • French king Francis 11 engaged to MQS
  • England ahs taken French land Calais and was under threat from France
• Scottish threat

  • MQS thought she was legitimate heir to the throne
  • Border between Scotland and England was difficult to defend as so far away from London - hence many Scottish raids
• Pope threat

  • He still had a large impact and control over beliefs and actions of Catholics
  • Spoke about his dislike for the reformation
  • Counter Reformation
  • He offered support to Spain and France in their actions against protestant countries
• Spanish threat

  • Strictly catholic country
  • Supported MQS claim to the throne
  • Elizabeth worried they would join France and Scotland and become a bigger threat
• Features of Catholicism

  • Pope was head of the church
  • Church can forgive sins
  • Churches should be highly decorated
  • Priests must not marry
  • Bible and church services should be in Latin
• Features of Protestantism

  • Priests can marry
  • People have a direct relationship with god
  • Bible and church services should be in own language
  • Churches should be plain to not get distracted when worshipping
  • Only god can forgive sins
• Features of Puritanism

  • Wanted to manage their own churches without bishops
  • Not necessary to have cardinals, archbishops and bishops
  • No role for monarch as head of the church
  • Church should be purified
  • Priests don't have to wear special clothing
• Role of the church

  • Organised festivals for their parishioners such as May Day and Easter celebrations
  • Promoted loyalty to the queen by repeating prayers of obedience and thanks to her reign in their services
• Features of the religious settlement

  • Priests could now marry
  • Pilgrimages to fake miracles were banned
  • Crosses and candlesticks to be placed on communion table
  • Prayer book and services in English
  • The wording of the services was unclear so Catholics and protestants could interpret it how they want it
• Catholic threat from the religious settlement

  • Pope wanted to stop the spread of protestant faith
  • 1566 - Instructed catholics to stop attending church services and become recusants
  • He supported local communities persecuting protestants
• Elizabeth response to catholic threat

  • She didn't react in a harsh or strict way which stopped further anger towards the rebellion
  • She left them to figure out their differences as long as there wasn't any violent action
• Puritan threat to religious settlement

  • Didn't like the use of the crucifix
  • Didn't like how the clergy wore vestments as they thought that god should be the only important one