Chapter 2: The difficulties of a female ruler Flashcards
How was succession a problem for Elizabeth’s reign?
Elizabeth was the last living child of Henry 8th and she had no children so it was unclear who was going to succeed her. If she died without an heir then there would be struggles for the throne
How was religion a problem during Elizabeth’s reign?
- The Tudor period had seen England’s original religion change.
- Many Catholics did not trust Elizabeth and some claimed that she had no right to the throne
- Puritans hoped to take control of Elizabeth’s church and would’ve damaged the religious settlement
How was Mary Queen of Scots a problem Elizabeth faced during her reign?
With no heir, Mary would be next in line for the throne. Many Catholics viewed her as an alternative to Elizabeth and many used her a figurehead for rebellions.
How was foreign policy a problem Elizabeth faced during her reign?
Catholic countries like Spain and France wanted to influence England, They had the support of the Pope in this aim.
Invasion was very real.
Why was marriage important for a monarch?
- Was seen as an important duty
- Was a way if cementing alliances and producing heirs
What were the arguments for marriage?
- Create an alliance with a country or the loyalty of a powerful English family
- Produce an heir for the Tudor line
What were the arguments against marriage?
- Elizabeth and England would lose authority
- Would be influenced by foreign monarchs (King Phillip of Spain) who were Catholic.
- England would be at risk of converting back to Catholicism
Why didn’t Elizabeth get married?
We will never know why she decided to not get married. But she said herself that she was married to the kingdom of England and that she wanted to focus on ruling her country.
What was parliament?
- Consisted of Lords and other nobles
- Its role was to discuss and advice the Queen
- Responsible for passing laws and raising taxes
- Still had to listen to the Queen
How did parliament impact the matter of marriage and succession?
Many saw it as their duty to find Elizabeth a suitable husband and by 1566 began to talk about the issue openly. Elizabeth was angry about this as marriage was a decision for her alone.
How did Parliament impact the matter of Mary the Queen of Scots?
The majority of those in parliament saw Mary as a threat to national security and many called for her execution. The pressure of Parliament and the privy council convinced the hesitant Elizabeth to kill her own cousin.
How did Parliament affect the matter of religion?
The majority of those in parliament were Protestant and supported Elizabeth’s religious settlement. When she decided to introduce laws that made life for Catholics difficult, she found support in parliament. However, powerful Puritans tried to introduce new laws to change the Church Of England.
How did Elizabeth manage parliament?
- Made it clear that she was in charge, through her words and actions, issuing arrests to those that criticised her.
- Had the ability to dismiss Parliament at any time
- The privy council and her nobles, made it possible for Parliament to carry out her wishes
