Elizabeth

• Elizabeth I


  Daughter of Henry VIII, brought up as a Protestant, became Queen of England in 1558 at age 25
• Elizabeth I was a bright, hard-working student who could speak 5 languages
• Elizabeth I was close to her stepmother Catherine Parr during her upbringing
• Elizabeth I's younger brother Edward VI became King in 1547 and made England Protestant, but died in 1553
• Elizabeth I's older sister Mary I became Queen in 1553 and made England Catholic again, briefly imprisoning Elizabeth in the Tower of London
• When Mary I died in 1558, Elizabeth I became Queen at age 25
• Succession issues when Elizabeth I became Queen

  • No natural successor, potential claimants included Jane Grey, Catherine Grey, Mary Queen of Scots
• Europe in 1558 was dominated by powerful Catholic countries like Spain, France and the Papacy, while England had become Protestant
• Great Chain of Being

  Idea that God gave monarchs the power to rule, with nobles, gentry, yeomen, servants in descending order
• Challenges Elizabeth I faced as Queen


  • Doubts about her legitimacy as a female monarch, financial problems, religious divisions, threat from Mary Queen of Scots
• How Elizabeth I solved her main problems

  Avoided marriage to maintain power, religious settlement, made peace with France, kept Mary Queen of Scots confined, raised money through Parliament and monopolies
• Patronage


  Giving important positions and responsibilities to supporters, e.g. William Cecil
• Elizabeth I used a mixture of patronage, privy council, and parliament to run the country
• Elizabeth I kept the other countries on side and kept the peace for most of her rule
• Elizabeth I was not someone that particularly wanted to go to war and she did for her most part she tried to avoid war and conflict during her rule
• Elizabeth I got more money from parliament and sold monopolies to raise money
• Elizabeth I kept Mary, Queen of Scots locked up and confined through the whole time that Mary Queen of Scots was in England from 1568 and eventually executed her in 1587
• Patronage


  Giving people important positions of power and responsibilities to keep them on side
• People given important positions

  • William Cecil (Lord Burley)
  • Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester)
• Elizabeth I had a royal court of around 500 nobles, advisers and servants
• Courtier


  A person who attended the royal court
• Privy Council


  Elizabeth's most important advisors, kept relatively small at around 19 members
• Elizabeth I would tour the country on 'progress', mainly in the south and midlands, to be seen by the people
• Elizabeth I had lots of portraits done of her and used propaganda to reinforce her image as a powerful monarch
• Elizabeth I remained very popular within England, particularly in the capital city London
• Elizabeth I managed to keep control of parliament during her rule quite successfully
• Key ministers of Elizabeth I

  • William Cecil (Lord Burley)
  • Francis Walsingham
  • Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester)
  • Sir Christopher Hatton
• Most of Elizabeth I's key ministers died in the 1590s, signalling the end of the Elizabethan era
• Royal Court


  The group of nobles, advisers and servants that travelled around with Elizabeth I
• Privy Council


  Organised the work of the justices of the peace, led government departments, ensured security, advised the Queen, controlled parliament and organised propaganda
• Elizabeth I kept the Privy Council small, loyal and under her control
• Elizabeth I used harsh punishments for rebels, such as the execution of the Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Essex
• Elizabeth I's public image and coronation in 1559 were important in reinforcing her power and wealth
• Elizabeth I used portraits, publications and plays to present a powerful image of herself
• Challenges for a female ruler in 1558

  • England aside from Queen Matilda in the 12th century had not had a female monarch until Queen Mary
  • Many people did not feel a female would be able to run the country
  • Expectation that Elizabeth would be a figurehead and her male advisers or a future husband would make the decisions
• Elizabeth showed determination to do things her own way and became one of England's most powerful and significant monarchs despite the challenges
• Parliament


  • The nature of parliament was quite different in the 16th century compared to today
  • Elizabeth only attended parliament on important occasions but held sway over it
  • The privy council organised the work of parliament
  • MPs tended to be merchants, gentry and lawyers
  • Parliament could pose a threat and problem to the monarch
• How Elizabeth controlled parliament

  1. Decided when parliament met

  2. Could make laws through royal orders (royal prerogatives)

  3. Needed parliament's approval for big changes like religious settlement or taxes

  4. 434 laws passed during Elizabeth's rule, mostly related to taxation

  5. MPs were largely compliant, only 10% spoke in debates

  6. Responded to opposition with imprisonment and dissolution of parliament

  7. Used her strong personality to charm and intimidate parliament

  8. Controlled the speaker and blocked difficult laws

  9. Privy council members in both houses of parliament helped steer debates in her favour

  10. Many MPs owed their positions to Elizabeth's patronage
• Monopolies


  Elizabeth sold the right to trade in particular products, which was opposed by some in parliament
• Puritans in parliament wanted Elizabeth to bring in further religious changes, whereas she saw the 1559 religious settlement as the final deal