Elizabeth Enq 4

• Elizabeth's potential suitors


  ROBERT DUDLEY

  -protestant

  -E loved and respected him- granted a number of titles to him

  -unpopular in court

  -Cecil very against match- sets up alternative matches

  -Dudley family had a very bad reputation

  -rumours he killed his wife
• Elizabeth's potential suitors

  PHILIP II

  -strong catholic

  -saw marriage as his duty

  -E would've lost freedom almost immediately

  -formally rejected him as need blessing from Pope

  -would reinforce Anglo-Spanish alliance

  -may force him to make peace with rebellious
• Elizabeth's potential suitors

  DUKE JOHN OF FINLAND

  -lavish spending in London made match popular

  -protestant

  -forced to give up because of rough seas- saw it as a sign from God not to marry

  -friend zoned him- soft rejection- E not keen
• Elizabeth's potential suitors

  ARCHDUKE CHARLES

  -1559-1563

  -match revived by Cecil in 1564 to undermine Dudley

  -E happy to end match after MQS' overthrowing

  -son of Holy Roman Emperor

  -E said she couldn't marry anyone of a different religion

  -heavily catholic

  -he didn't want to live in England

  -she didn't intend to marry
• Elizabeth's potential suitors

  DUKE OF ALENCON

  -PC persuaded her not to marry him

  -opposition from the public

  -catholic but not deeply committed

  -1579, 1581, 1582

  -courted for 10 years

  -age gap of 23 years

  -her rejection was a sacrifice of her own happiness for her people
• Elizabeth's potential suitors

  CHARLES XI

  -enjoyed competition but wouldn't marry

  -england and france alliance if married

  -big age gap, he was 15 she was 32

  -catholic

  -1565

  -suggested by leicester as an alternative to archduke charles
• Elizabeth's potential suitors

  DUKE OF ANJOU

  -1570

  -she wanted to win French support for help in the Netherlands

  -E found him attractive

  -catholic, the match ended on religious terms

  -as relations with spain soured, a french alliance had some attractiveness
• Domestic problems caused by the issue of marriage

  PRIVY COUNCIL

  -PC prompted 1566 parliament to press on marriage

  -couldn't agree on who successor would be

  -matter of royal prerogative

  -autumn 1562 E had smallpox, issue discussed
• Domestic problems caused by the issue of marriage

  PARLIAMENT

  -marriage and succession debated at length by parliament in Jan 1563

  -HOC raise issue in Jan 1559

  -matter of prerogative and therefore not to be discussed

  -wanted an heir or named successor

  -1566 Parliament pressed E to marry urgently
• Domestic problems caused by the issue of marriage


  SUITORS AND FACTIONS

  -E had a range of suitors

  -Cecil wasn't happy that E could marry dudley

  -robert dudley- cecil worked against it as it'd erode his power

  -archduke charles- norfolk, cecil and sussex supported match, leicester against it

  -duke of alencon- cecil supported it, leicester whipped up public opinion against match using sermons and pamphlets
• using marriage to deal with foreign affairs


  SPAIN

  -traditional ally with strong relations at start of E's reign

  -acts like she wanted to consider phillip ii to avoid excommunication

  -E knew that a friendship with france could force philip to compete for her favour

  -nov 1568 spanish bullion ships took refuge in english ports. part of a loan to pay spanish army

  -tried to distract to prevent domination of netherlands

  -she wanted to retain spain as a counterpoise to france
• using marriage to deal with foreign issues

  FRANCE

  -switched focus to france as relations with spain worsened

  -duke of anjou possibe match led to the treaty of blois where france and england aid eachother if threatened
• using marriage to deal with foreign issues


  POPE

  -E considers proposal of philip ii to avoid/ delay excommunication

  -privy councillors leicester, walsingham , knollys, mildmay and burghley believed france and spain had conspired dwiht church to get rid of protestantism
• how did E use marriage in the foreign sphere?


  POSITIVES

  -balanced power between france and spain

  -able to flexibly react to changing foreign climate

  -prevented foreign invasion/ full control of netherlands

  NEGATIVES

  -domestic problems continue- pressure to announce succession, threat from MQS who had a son

  -leaves her isolated with no ally when armada attacks

  -by 1584 she can no longer use this tactic as she is 50+ and cannot bear children
• how successfully did E deal with the issue of succession?


  POSITIVES

  -no civil war

  -didn't marry agianst her will

  -never named a successor despite pressure

  -golden speech shows she maintained her positive image

  -e wrote regularly to james in later years with advice

  NEGATIVES

  -uncertainty allowed Wentworth and Parsons room to spread rumour

  -by avoiding situation she created uncertainty

  -not conclusive that she never names James as her successor

  -essex also encouraged james to raise arms and demand to be recognised as heir
• Elizabeth's gender enhanced her power


  -used her emotions as a political tool

  -her image portrayed publicly in ascension day tilts

  -Gloriana image also played off the idea of virgin queen devoted to her country and a loving mother

  -E insisted on flattery to enhance her image and encouraged loyalty

  -used her ladies in waiting to hear gossip of plot by norfolk to marry MQS

  -role of court centred around E- she wanted all attention on her as a woman
• Elizabeth's gender inhibited her power

  -her temper could be uncertain

  -queens are usually seen as consort or wife to a sovereign

  -radical protestants use bible to argue that a female monarch is displeasing to god

  -privy chamber staffed by women who could be used to manipulate E

  -E could be fiercely jealous: 1574 Mary Shelton married John Scudamore, 'Betrayal' of Leicester for marrying Lettice Knollys