Early Elizabethan England Flashcards
Key features of the court
made up of members of the nobility
were the monarch’s advisors
attending the court required the monarch’s permission
Role of the court
to advise the monarch
a public display of wealth and influence
had influence with the monarch rather than power
Key features of the Privy Council
around 19 Privy Councillors
met at least 3 times a week
meetings were often attendeed by the monarch
Role of the Privy Council
to advise the monarch
make sure the monarch’s decisions were carried out
oversee law and order, local government and security
monitered parliament and justices of the peace
Key features of Parliament
made up of House of Lords (included bishops)
made up of house of Commons
could only be called and dismissed by the monarch
Role of Parliament
to grant extraordinary tax
passed laws
offered advice to the monarch
Key features of the Lords Lieutenant
each county had one chosen by the monarch
were members of nobility
were essential to maintaining monarch’s power and England’s defences
Role of the Lords Lieutenant
in charge of raising and training local militia and overseeing country defences
oversaw enforcement of laws
part of local government
Key features of Justices of the Peace
were large landowners
kept law and order in their local areas
were unpaid and reported to the Privy Council
was popular job, was a position on status
Role of Justices of the Peace
to make sure all social and economic policies were carried out
heard court cases every 3 months for serious crimes
part of local government
Divine Right
monarchs believed they were given the right to rule by God
Secretary of State
person in the governemnt that the monarch was closest too
advised the monarch on matters importatn to the Crown
example Sir William Cecil
Roysl prerogative
areas that only the monarch had the right to decide upon
example, foreign policy, marriage and the succession
how monarchs could raise money
rents and income of their own land (Crown lands)
taxes from trade (custom duties)
special additional taxes, had to be agreed by parliament
profits of justice - fines, property or land confiscated from people
loans - were sometimes forced and never repaid
Mary, Queen of Scots’ claim to the throne
She was Elizabeth’s cousin and Catholic so many Catholics thought she should also be Queen of England
Religious settlement, 1559
Key Features
Act of Supremacy - made Elizabeth the supreme governor of the Church of England, all clergy had to swear an oath of allegiance to her as the Head of the Church
Act of Uniformity - established appearance of churches and the sort of service they held
Royal Injunctions - set of instructions given by Cecil to reinforce the acts, included how people should worship God, structure of services etc
Act of Supremacy
Ecclesiastical High Commission set up - job was to maintain discipline within the Church and enforce the religious settlement
Act of Uniformity
the Book of Common Prayer, had to be used in all churches
wording of the services where on purposely unclear so that Protestants and Catholics could take it as they believed
was made clear that priests had to wear special vestments
ordered that everyone had to go to church on Sundays and other holy holidays, could be fined if you didn’t go but this didn’t affect nobility much
Royal Injunctions
anyone who refused to go to church was to be reported to the Privy Council
all parishes had to have a copy of the Bible in english
people had to have a license to preach
Success of the religious settlement
mainly successful
most clergy did 8,000 out of 10,000
only one bishop did but this meant Elizabeth could replace Catholic bishops with Protestant ones
most people accepted it
enforcing the religious settlement
visitations were inspections of churches and clergy by bishops to make sure people were following the terms of the religious settlement
first visitations was in 1559, 400 clergy were dismissed for not following terms
after this visitations happened every 3-4 years
challenges to the religious settlement
crucifixions:
puritans thought they reprented idols - eliabeth liked them and wanted to keep them, wanted a familiar look and feel in churches
when puritan bishops threatened to resign she backed down and got rid of crucifixes - didn’t get her way
vestments:
elizabeth wanted priests to wear special vestments - were important to catholics
1565 clear people weren’t doing this
1566 further guidlines issued for priests and an exhibition was held in london to show them what they had to wear, some refused to go and lost their posts
revolt of the northern earls
in history book
