Challenge to the Religious Settlement Flashcards
Describe what Caused the Crucifix Controversy
-To Puritans, crucifixes represented idols. Elizabeth, however, liked them and also wanted churches to keep their familiar look and feel.
-This was an important part of her religious settlement because she didn’t want to anger her Catholic subjects by changing too much too fast.
-She therefore demanded that each church should display a crucifix.
Describe the Consequence of the Crucifix Controversy
-When some Puritan bishops threatened to resign, the queen backed down.
-She was unable to enforce her will in this instance, as she could not afford to ignore their concerns.
-There wasn’t yet enough Protestant clergymen to take the place of any bishops who were dismissed.
-Nevertheless, she insisted on keeping a crucifix in the Royal Chapel.
Describe what Caused the Vestment Controversy
-Puritans also had issues over what priests were allowed to wear. Some thought they should not have special clothing at all. Others believed it should be very plain and simple.
-Elaborate vestments suggested that priests were set apart from ordinary people but this was not what Protestants believed.
-Elizabeth wanted the clergy to wear special vestments as set out by the Royal Injunctions. However, by 1565, it was clear that not all clergy were wearing what the queen had commanded.
-Some were also not following instructions on how to conduct services properly.
Describe the Consequence of the Vestment Controversy
-In 1566, the archbishop of Canterbury, Matthew Parker, issued further guidelines for priests in his ‘Book of Advertisements’. These followed Elizabeth’s commands.
-He also held a special exhibition in London to show priests what vestments they must wear and when. Of the 110 invited, 37 refused to attend and lost their posts.
-Unlike the crucifix controversy, the majority of priests consented to Elizabeth’s insistence that special vestments must be worn, despite some opposition.
Describe what Caused the Counter Reformation
-The Catholic Church was trying to tackle the spread of Protestantism by dealing with corruption and other problems throughout Europe.
-It was also leading an active fight back to strengthen Catholicism by supporting local communities, persecuting heretics and encouraging the waging of war against Protestants.
-This campaign against Protestantism was called the Counter Reformation.
Describe the Consequence of the Counter Reformation
-Although the papacy did not offer much leadership to English Catholics, in 1566 the Pope issued an instruction that they should not attend Church of England services.
-Although there were penalties for those who did not conform to the religious settlement, they were generally not imposed.
-However, punishments for repeat offenders included fines, imprisonment or loss of property, job and even life. Despite this, the authorities were told not to investigate recusants too closely.
-Elizabeth did not want to create martyrs and preferred to ignore smaller examples of disobedience.
Describe the what Caused the Threat From Catholic Nobles
-It is estimated that one third of the nobility were recusants, especially in the north-west. The nobility who remained Catholic often came from ancient families.
-The earls of Northumberland and Westmorland, for example, had been prosperous under Mary I but when Elizabeth became queen, they found their influence greatly reduced.
-They disliked her favourites such as Dudley and Cecil who were Protestant and from new noble families or not noble at all.
Describe the Consequence of the Catholic Nobles’ Threat
-In November 1569, the earls of Northumberland and Westmorland led a rebellion in the north.
-Even though the reasons stemmed from a lack of political power and influence under Elizabeth I, the Catholic religion brought many other northerners to their cause.
-Despite these reasons, most nobles remained loyal to Elizabeth anyway.
-The rebellion was successfully put down by royal troops. In retaliation, Elizabeth I had hundreds of rebels executed in public, marking a change in her relationship with her Catholic subjects.
Describe the Significance of the Papal Bull
-On 27 April 1570, Pope Pius V disrupted the peace developed between Elizabeth and her catholic subjects when he issued a papal bull.
-Pius excommunicated Elizabeth, officially excluding her from the Church. He also called on all Catholics to remover her from power.
-Suddenly, English Catholics faced a major dilemma: did they follow the instruction of the Pope or remain loyal to their queen.
-For Elizabeth, this was a major problem: every Catholic in the country was now a potential threat.
Describe the Threat Foreign Powers Posed to Elizabeth and her Religious Settlement
-England was not the only place where Protestantism was taking root. Scotland, France and the Netherlands all had growing Protestant populations.
-However, Europe was dominated by catholic powers determined to limit the spread of Protestantism.
-One of the greatest of these was the Habsburg family, who controlled both the Spanish and Austrian empires and also the Holy Roman Empire.
-Although each of these was ruled by competing family members, defending the Catholic faith was one cause that could unite them.
Describe the Threat France Posed to Elizabeth and her Religious Settlement
-When religious war broke out in France in 1562, Elizabeth I was concerned about its potential to threaten her realm by encouraging religious conflict in England.
-In 1562, Elizabeth agreed to help French Protestants hoping to get Calais back in return. She had already helped Scottish Protestant lords rebel in 1560.
-However, this time her policy failed and the French Protestants made peace with the Catholics later in 1562.
-In 1564, Elizabeth signed the Treaty of Troyes confirming that Calais belonged to France. All she had achieved was to irritate Philip II of Spain by supporting Protestant rebels.
Describe the Threat Spain and the Spanish Netherlands Posed to Elizabeth and her Religious Settlement
-In the 16th century, the Netherlands belonged to Philip II of Spain. He was a strict Catholic and did not look favourably upon Elizabeth’s support for Protestant rebels in Scotland and France.
-In 1563, he banned the import of English cloth to the Netherlands as he believed that English merchants were encouraging the spread of Protestantism there.
-This trade embargo affected both countries economically and only lasted a year.
-For her part, Elizabeth was concerned that Spain and France might form an alliance against her as they were both Catholic countries.
Describe the Dutch Revolt
-Since the 1550s, there had been a growing unhappiness in the Netherlands about Spanish interference in Dutch affairs.
-Although the Netherlands belonged to Spain, they were used to governing themselves.
-When Philip II decided to reorganise the Dutch government and Church, he also brought the Spanish inquisition, a brutal and deadly force, to the Netherlands.
-These actions united both Catholics and Protestants against Spain, leading to the Dutch Revolt, which broke out for the first time in 1566.
-In 1567, Philip sent the Duke of Alba with an army of 10,000 men to the Netherlands to put down the revolt. By 1568, it had been defeated.
Describe the Duke of Alba’s Actions While in the Netherlands
-Alba established a Council of Troubles in the Netherlands (nicknamed the Council of Blood) to enforce both Catholicism and obedience to the Spanish Crown.
-It was made up of loyal Dutch nobles and Spanish officials. it ignored local law and legal processes, condemning thousands to death.
-Most of these were Protestants who had been protesting violently against Catholicism.
-Alba’s actions led to thousands of Dutch Protestants fleeing into exile, many to England.
Explain why Elizabeth I was Concerned Over the Duke of Alba’s Presence in the Netherlands
-Alba’s large army, with its mission against Protestantism, was within striking distance of England. This especially concerned Sir William Cecil.
-Elizabeth did not want to become seen as Europe’s leading Protestant monarch. She wished to avoid war and openly condemned the Dutch rebels.
Explain why Elizabeth I was Pressured to Help the Dutch Rebels
-Many Protestants, including those on Elizabeth I’s Privy Council saw events overseas as part of an international struggle between Protestantism and Catholicism.
-There was a belief that Spain, as the greatest Catholic power wanted to destroy Protestantism everywhere.
-Elizabeth was therefore coming under pressure to deal with the threat posed by Alba in the Netherlands. However, she wanted to avoid war at all costs.
-England did not have the resources to take on Spain. A war fought over religion could also threaten civil war in England.
-Yet at the same time, Elizabeth was very aware of the dangers posed by Spain’s mission in the Netherlands.
Describe the Resistance of the Dutch Sea Beggars
-Some Dutch rebels fled by taking to the water. They became known as the Sea Beggars,
-They attacked Spanish ships in English Channel that were carrying men and resources to Alba’s army in the Netherlands.
-In 1567, Elizabeth began allowing the Sea beggars to shelter in English harbours.
Describe the Genoese Loan
-In 1568, Spanish ships carrying gold to pay Alba’s troops in the Netherlands also took refuge in English ports- from the Sea Beggars.
-The money was a loan to Philip II from bankers in the Italian city of Genoa.
-Elizabeth decided to take the gold herself, arguing that since it was a loan it didn’t belong to the Spanish but to the Italian bankers.
-These developments greatly angered the Spanish.
Describe Elizabeth I’s Aim in the Netherlands
-Elizabeth was trying to protect English interests without going to war.
-By making Spain’s task in the Netherlands as difficult as possible, she hoped to encourage Spanish forces to leave an allow the Dutch to continue governing themselves as before.
-Her strategy of harassing Spain was risky and became riskier still as the Catholic threat from within England grew and became more serious.
