Later Years (1588-1603)

• Key terms:

  • Golden Age - Time of culture and the arts
  • Gerontocracy - Society ruled by the elderly
  • Royal Prerogative - Power and right as a monarch
  • Cult of Gloriana - Cult of Elizabeth, the “glorious ruler”
  • Mask of Youth - Elizabeth is flawless and ageless; used an illusion of youthfulness through her propaganda and portraits, her motto was semper diem (always the same)
  • Cult of Gloriana: Idea of Elizabeth being a glorious ruler
• She had been Queen for 30 years (age 55), had mostly economic problems with one regarded succession - most severe would be succession, then war, when entering her final years, Elizabeth remained as popular as ever - and while old age brought her reverence, it also brought loneliness: Elizabeth outlived all of her advisors and friends
• Problems: purveyance (argued it was her perogative), succession, war with Spain in 1588 (called parliament four times in this period), and monopolies (inequality)
• Succession: By not saying it she didn't get disposed and although people were critical, there was barely any opposition (no LJG type of fiasco)
• War against Spain: Even Pope one of her biggest adversaries approved so massive propaganda victory; Tilbury Speech (riled troops? - actually it was after the victory, and famous quote added after); “Military Queen” - didn't have any impact on the actual victory (it was the weather - she used this to claim God waso her side)
• Unrest: Oxfordshire (small, massive government over-reaction), no plots over life, Armada fighters went unpaid and Essex
• Historians’ often refer to this as the ‘second reign’, gerontocracy (society ruled by the elderly)
• There was plague in London 1592, and war in 1596 (Cadiz), the death of Dudley and William Cecil sees a new generation of courtiers in the 1590s: Devereux, Robert Cecil, Essex
• She can be portrayed as incompetent, aging (even decaying!), angry, arrogance (refusing to let Cecil retire), violent, and bad tempered - yet, she left her country united, prosperous and peaceful
• Elizabeth’s success in dealing with the problems of her later years - Succession: By not saying it she didn't get disposed and although people were critical, there was barely any opposition (no LJG type of fiasco)
• Elizabeth’s success in dealing with the problems of her later years - War against Spain: Even Pope one of her biggest adversaries approved so massive propaganda victory; Tilbury Speech (riled troops? actually it was after the victory, and famous quote added after); “Military Queen” didn't have any impact on the actual victory (it was the weather, she used this to claim God waso her side)
• Elizabeth’s success in dealing with the problems of her later years - Unrest: Oxfordshire (small, massive government over-reaction), no plots over life, Armada fighters went unpaid and Essex