Lizzy

• E1's accession


  • No police force/permanent army
  • Very clear social structure, huge influence on society
  • Equality not important, and society, the gov & law was based on this
  • God at top of hierarchy, then monarch
• E1's government


  • The court
  • Privy council
  • Parliament
  • Lord Lieutenants
  • Justices of the Peace (JPs)
  • The monarch
  • The Secretary of State
• The court


  Made up of noblemen, they were monarchs' advisors/friends
• Privy council


  Nobility who helped govern country
• Parliament


  Advised E1's gov, Passed laws & approved taxes, Made up of House of Lords & House of Commons
• Lord Lieutenants


  Noblemen, appointed by gov, Governed counties & raised local militia (emergency army)
• Justices of the Peace (JPs)

  Large landowners, appointed by gov, Kept law & order, and overheard local court cases
• The monarch


  Gov centred around monarch, Monarch believed they had the "Grace of God" & divine right to rule
• The Secretary of State

  Most important Privy councillor – closest to monarch, Advised queen on matters to the crown
• Society in countryside


  • Nobility – Major landowners
  • Gentry – Owned smaller estates
  • Yeoman farmers – owned small amounts of land
  • Tenant famers – rented land from Yeoman famers & gentry
  • Landless & labouring poor – Didn't own/rent land, worked to provide for selves
  • Homeless & vagrants – Moved from place to place to find work
• Society in towns


  • Merchants – Wealthy traders
  • Professionals – lawyers, doctors, clergymen
  • Business owners – Highly skilled craftsmen
  • Craftsmen – Skilled employees including apprentices
  • Unskilled labourers & unemployed – People w/ no regular work
• The eight problems


  • Choosing Privy councillors
  • Financial weaknesses
  • Challenges abroad
  • Religion
  • Gender
  • Legitimacy
  • Marriage and succession
  • Peace and prosperity
• Choosing Privy councillors


  They were responsible for crowns finance, and made important decisions, E1 needed a loyal team = successful reign
• Financial weaknesses


  Crown had to pay costs of running a country, If needed more money = Parliament asked for extra taxes
• 1558 – War w/ France


  Strained finances, debt of £300 000
• E1 cut back gov spending, made sure all debts were called in and sold crown lands


  By 1585 – M1s debt paid off, reserve of £300 00 built up
• Challenges abroad


  • Scotland – Ruled by MQS & strong links to France as MQS lived there
  • Spain – Most powerful & wealthy country, Catholic & against Protestantism spreading
  • France – At war w/ Eng & Spain, Had direct interest w/ Eng as MQS was married to French King's son
• E1 could either continue w/ war (victory would be popular & stopped invasion risk)

  Or make peace (looked weak)
• Jan 1559 – Treaty of Canteau, made peace, lost Cambresis and Calais
• E1 spent £100 000 at beginning of reign on military arms (took massive loans) showing she viewed invasion as a massive problem
• Religion


  • HVIII changed Eng from Catholicism to Protestantism, Then M1 was Cath., M1 burnt 300 Prot. Martyrs who didn't change beliefs, Majority of Eng = Cath, especially in North whereas E1 = Prot
• Gender


  Believed women were too weak to lead, but be silent and obedient, If married, power would be handed over to male leader
• Legitimacy


  HVIII divorced CoA, before marrying Anne Boleyn (E1's mother), Pope refused to acknowledge divorce, 1536 = AB executed, so E1 removed from line of succession (was added back later)
• Marriage and succession


  People expeced Elizabeth to marry quickly to provide stability, Marrying a foreigner was at least as big as problem, She decided to reamin loyal to her country and not marry
• Peace and prosperity


  Quality of harvests and epidemics of diseases affected peoples prosperity, This couldn'tt be controlled by the monarch, E1 was anxious about food riots and other social unrest after bad harvests in the 1550s, the harvest of 1558 was good which created some peace
• More problems - divisions

  • Clergy – Most of Eng. Bishops = Catholic & would not agree to work in Prot. Church
  • Geographical – Parts of Eng. more Cath. Than others, so less likely to accept Prot.
  • Puritans – Extreme Protestants
• Religious settlement, 1559


  1. Act of Supremacy

  2. Act of Uniformity

  3. Royal Injunctions
• Act of Supremacy


  Made E1 Supreme Governor of CofE & all clergy & royal officials swore oath of allegiance, Ecclesiastical High Commission made keep maintained discipline in church
• Act of Uniformity


  Set appearance, and form of services held in the Book of Common Prayer, Clergy had to use Prayer book in services or punished – wording unclear so Cath. could take meaning as bread/wine = body/blood & Prot. could see it as act of Remembrance, Priests wore special clothing, Everyone had to attend church on Sundays and Holy days or be fined
• Royal Injunctions


  Set of instructions issued by Cecil on E1's behalf, reinforcing other two Acts, Had instructions on how to worship God and structure of serviced, Each parish needed license to preach, pilgrimages banned
• Aims of religious settlement


  Wording of communion unclear in prayer book so open for interpretation, Prot. approved of ban on pilgrimages, Cath. would like use of candles, crosses and vestments
• 8000 clergy out of approx. 10,000 accepted the settlement
• Many Bishops who had served under M1 opposed the settlement were replaced
• The majority of ordinary people accepted E1's religious settlement and attended church services, even though many of them held onto Catholic beliefs
• As long as people conformed outwardly, E1 did not want to prosecute
• E1 hoped the Catholic faith would fade away
• Role of church on society

  • Ran courts & judged minor issued and dealt w/ wills & inheritance
  • Helped enforce settlement through visitation & inspections
  • Gave guidance to community
  • Legitimised E1's rule and encouraged people to remain loyal and not rebel
  • Preached Govs. message
• Roman Catholicism


  • Pope = head of the Church
  • The cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests
  • The Bible and church services should be in Latin
  • Church can forgive sins
  • Durng mass a miracle occurs as the bread and the wine become the body and blood of Christ
  • Priests should wear vestements
  • Churches should be highly decorated in honour and glory of God
  • Seven sacraments
  • Priests are forbidden to marry
• Protestantism


  • Should be no pope
  • Not necessary to have cardinals, or even archbishops or bishops
  • Bible and church services should be English
  • Sins can only be forgiven by God
  • Bread and wine simply represent the Last Supper – no miracle
  • Priests shouldn't wear special clothing
  • Churches should be plain and simple so as not to distract from worshipping God
  • Only two sacraments – Holy Communion and baptism
  • Priests are permitted to get married if they wish
• The Puritan challenge to settlement


  • Puritan Clergymen ignored parts, e.g. Act of Uniformity in the conduct of services
  • Crucifix controversy
  • Vestment controversy