Elizabeth Full Topic

• Hierarchy in Elizabethan society


  • God
  • Monarch
  • Nobles and Lords
  • Gentry
  • Wealthy Merchants
  • Yeomen (farmers who owned their land)
  • Labourers
• Elizabeth's Government


  • The court
  • Privy council
  • Parliament
  • Lord Lieutenant
  • Justice of the Peace
• The court


  Body of people who lived near or with the monarch, made up of nobles. Entertained and advised the monarch, were a public display of wealth and power.
• Privy council


  Made up of leading courtiers, advisors, nobles and senior Government officials who met at least 3 times a week (often with the monarch in attendance). They debated issues and advised the monarch on government policy and ensured that law and order was overseen.
• Parliament


  House of Commons and Lords, could be dismissed by the monarch and called at any point, elections were held and Parliament consisted of lots of the gentry. They granted extraordinary taxation, passed Acts of Parliaments (laws) and advised the monarch.
• Lord Lieutenant


  Someone chosen my the monarch in each county, often members of nobility and Privy Council who were vital in defending England and the monarch's power. They raised and trained local militia and oversaw enforcement of Government policies.
• Justice of the Peace


  Large landowners in local areas who kept law and order and reported to the privy council. They were popular due to the status they held and mainly came from the gentry.
• Overall, Queen Elizabeth had fully solved the issues of England's financial weaknesses and choosing her councillors.
• Elizabeth had temporarily solved the issues of challenges from abroad, religious divisions and peace & prosperity.
• Elizabeth had not solved the issues of her legitimacy, womanhood and marriage & succession.
• Act of Supremacy


  Established Elizabeth as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England
• Act of Uniformity


  Established the Book of Common Prayer and required all churches to use it
• Church of England


  Name of the new church Elizabeth had stated
• Clergy


  Any member of the Church
• Puritan


  More radical/extremist Protestant
• Recusants


  Refuse to attend CofE services
• Vestments


  Decorated robes worn by members of the clergy during special ceremonies
• Features of the religious settlement


  • Protestant - Bible in English, bread and wine symbolised body and blood, clergy could marry, monarch as head of church

  Catholic - Bible in Latin, bread and wine became body and blood, clergy could not marry, pope as head of church

  Puritan - Bible in English, did not believe in great purpose of communion, clergy could marry, church run by elected committees
• Elizabeth was said to be the Head of the Church, with the title Supreme Governor. Clergy, Government etc. took an oath to recognise this title.
• Ornaments and decoration was allowed in Churches and the singing of hymns continued.
• Bible and Church services has to be in English. A new Protestant prayer book was issued to all churches.
• Holy Communion offered bread and wine, however the reason for such offering was left very vague.
• A blind eye was turned to the one shilling fine that recusants should have paid if they were absent from Church.
• Accession Day was added to the Church festival calendar.
• Head of the Church

  Believed that the monarch should be Head of the Church
• Catholic view on Head of the Church

  Believed pope should be Head of the Church with cardinals, bishops to help run the church
• Puritan view on the Head of the Church

  Wanted the Church to be run by committees elected by the people
• Bible and Church services has to be in English. A new Wanted members of the Church to wear richly decorated robes called vestments, new Protestant prayer book was issued to all churches.
• Accession Day was added to the Church festival calendar, a day of drinking, having fun and feasting to be associated with the Queen.
• The clergy were licensed and told what to say in their sermons. In prayer, people said prayers for the Queen's safety and gave thanks for the blessings of her reign.
• The clergy were allowed to marry.
• The clergy wore a surplice (white gown)
• Puritans preferred to have Elizabeth as Queen, the alternative was Mary Queen of Scots.
• Puritans were split between moderates, Presbyterians and Separatists - having divisions even among themselves means that it'd be difficult for them all to agree on how to rebel.
• Puritans were a minority.
• There were influential Puritans like the Earl of Leicester and Sir Francis Walsingham.
• Puritan pressure forced Elizabeth to remove crucifixes from churches
• Some Puritans refused to accept roles as bishops and tried to abolish bishops completely.
• Catholics accepted parts of the CofE like Elizabeth being Supreme Governor, not Head
• Those who still worshipped as Catholics were mostly ignored.