Challenges?

• Women were seen as weak and incapable of ruling a country - not enough character
• She needed to have children to carry on the bloodline - which meant marrying
• Catholics would rebel if Elizabeth made the church more Protestant
• Lots of puritans in parliament wanted all traces of catholicism to go
• Mary queen of Scots was next in line to the throne if Elizabeth died childless - she was catholic
• Ireland was catholic and hard to control - fears that Spain might invade Ireland, form a joint catholic army and invade
• Mary had fought an expensive war with france - the country was in huge debts
• The main industry of wool making was collapsing in the 1550s - less money from taxes
• She had removed the pope as head of the church - upset Italy
• She had refused to marry Philip II of Spain - upset Spain