2 - War & Society in early Modern Britain 1500-1750 Flashcards
What years were Elizabeths wars?
1585-1603
How did England become divided 1550s?
Henry VIII supported Catholics until he established himself as head of the Church after quarrelling with the pope.
He died = Edward VI (his son) led the church
He died = Sister Mary made England Catholic
She died = Elizabeth made England protestant again
What did Elizabeth face in 1569?
Catholic rebellion and many plots attempting to kill her.
What were the natures of Elizabeths wars?
Religion, main threats were Catholic France and Spain.
Defence and survival, Spanish attempted an invasion in 1588 and in the mid-1590s.
Ambition, wanted to increase England’s power and influence in the world.
How did Elizabeth carry out her wars?
Using sea power
Saw that a strategy based on attacking Spanish ships and seaports could be very effective.
Sea power became much more important.
Why was Spain Englands greatest enemy during Elizabeth’s reign?
Most powerful country in Europe - wealth from gold and silver mines, mainly in South America.
Spanish King, Phillip II, was. a Catholic
Who attacked Spanish ports in America and captured Spanish ships on his voyage around the world?
Francis Drake
What benefit did Elizabeth gain from Francis Drake and what did she award him?
Elizabeth pocketed what is worth £80 million today
Drake earned a knighthood.
What effect did privateering have on England?
Bought immense wealth
Saved Elizabeth the expense of building warships - therefore less taxes on the people
What did Elizabeth help in the 1570s? What did it mean?
A protestant rebellion in the Netherlands against Spanish Rule.
War w/ Spain became ‘official’.
Who assembled an armada to invade England and when?
King Phillip II
Late 1580s
What gave Elizabeth time to improve her defences in the Spanish Armada? When?
1587
Francis Drake attacked the Spanish port of Cadiz which delayed the departure of the Spanish Armada.
When did the Spanish Armada finally set sail?
1588
Explain the evens of the Spanish Armada
Orders were to sail to Netherlands to meet Duke of Parma.
Instead they were tracked by the English:
Spanish = More men English = Better artillery
Armada anchored Calais but English sent fire-ships so armada sailed off in chaos.
Bad weather and rough seas = more damage than the English had on them so returned to Spain.
What did the English victory show off in the Spanish Armada?
Superiority of Elizabeths naval forces.
Why did Elizabeth send Drake, 1589, with ships and troops to Spain? What did it result in?
Feared King Phillip II would attack again.
Failed and thousands of soldiers died.
What did the English fear Spain would use Ireland as?
a ‘back door’ to attack England.
Why did England loose control of most of Ireland?
Because a revolt broke out in Ulster and Spain sent troops to help the Irish
What did Elizabeth decide to do with Ireland?
Launch a full-scale conquest of Ireland.
Tactic worked and in 1603 Hugh O’Neill, leader of revolt, made peace.
What was the effect of Elizabeths war in Ireland?
Cost Elizabeth about the same as the entire war of Spain.
Remained a troublesome territory for England.
What were the 4 impacts of Elizabeths wars?
Recruitment
Taxes
Economic crisis
Casualties
Impact of Elizabeths wars:
Explain Recruitment
Army:
Over 110,000 English soldiers fought abroad. - Most were criminals.
No shortage of nobles and gentlemen willing to serve yet in 1585 few had military experience.
Navy:
English ships were among the best built and armed in Europe.
Many of Elizabeth’s 50,000 sailors were volunteers who hoped to get rich by capturing Spanish ships.
Impact of Elizabeths wars:
Explain Taxes (How were the wars paid for?)
Selling crown lands and borrowing money from wealthy subjects
Ship money – Traditionally in wartime the crown requisitioned merchant ships to use in the navy but Elizabeth demanded money as well. When extended to inland areas = bitterly opposed.
Increased local taxes to pay for the repair of coastal forts, equipment and training.
Impact of Elizabeths wars:
Explain Economic Crisis
War contributed to England’s economic crisis in the 1590s with unemployment and inflation.
Military recruitment had a big effect on the economy as men were taken away from their land jobs.
War also led to a disruption of trade and food shortages due to bad harvests in the mid-1590s.
Impact of Elizabeths wars:
Explain Casualties
No fighting on English soil
Military casualties very high - Historians estimate around 30,000 English soldiers died in the wars in Ireland, mostly from disease.
How did Elizabeth keep the support of the People?
Propaganda / portraits
War weariness
Explain how Elizabeth used propaganda / portraits to keep the support of her people during the war
Portraits = wise, successful, clever and brave.
-Leading nobles had copies hung in their homes = spread and strengthened her title.
Government also used printing and press to good effect:
Pamphlets, songs and plays were used to emphasize the rightness of the English cause and the evil nature of Spain and of Catholicism. Also used the defeat of the armada to its advantage for many years to come.
Explain how Elizabeth used war weariness to keep the support of her people during the war
Lot of support when Spanish armada threatened to invade in 1588. – Large army of volunteers assembled at Tilbury.
Victory over the Spanish celebrated all over country.
Some criticised cost of the war and the way it was handled but little open opposition.
BUT in the 1590s, as wars dragged on, war-weariness took over as many Englishmen disliked the increased tax and the levying of troops.
When were the Civil Wars of England?
1642-51
Why did Britain tear itself apart in the civil wars? What was the nature of the wars? (3)
Religion (biggest reason)
Political ideology
3 Kingdoms and racial prejudice
