Elizabeth and Her Government

Question 1

The system of government

Answer 1

Queen
Court
Privy council
Lord liutenant 
Justice of the peace

Question 2

Importance of privy council

Answer 2

• It was important because it was a small group of professional politicians who ran country on a daily basis
• Advised Elizabeth
• Elizabeth trusted it and let it go on with its work
• Could issue proclamations in Queens name
• Consisted of most powerful men in country (Walsingham and Cecil)
• Queen relied heavily on Cecil as she respected and listened to him
• Important in early years when Elizabeth lacked political experience

Question 3

Importance of parliament

Answer 3

• It passes laws; turned Elizabeths laws into policies (passed 434 acts)
• Elizabeths financial problems meant she relied heavily on parliament to agree to new taxes (met 13 times,11 for money)
• MPs were well educated and started to express opinions (delved into personal matters like marriage/succession)
• Elizabeth often attended parliament speeches to try and persuade MPs to support her - she knew she needed the backing of parliament even if she didn’t like it

Question 4

How did Elizabeth maintain control?

Patronage

Answer 4

• Elizabeth use the system of patronage which involve showing favoritism by by giving particular men important jobs
• Jobs given by the Queen will highly sought-after because they brought wealth and prestige; winning and keeping the Queen’s favour was very important.
• Patronage created competition and rivalry between people that meant everyone was totally loyal to her

Question 5

How did Elizabeth maintain control?

Divide and rule

Answer 5

• Elizabeth deliberately appointed men who were hostile towards each other.
• By forcing rival factions to work together on the Council, Elizabeth played a game of ‘divide and rule’, which meant the men would compete with each other for her affection.
• They would give her contrasting advice, which would then allow her to make measured decisions
• This also ensured they remained loyal to her

Question 6

Sir William Cecil

Answer 6

• Moderate Protestant who had studied law at Cambridge
• Enormously intelligent and very hard working.
• Made Secretary of State in November 1558.
• A stabiliser. Like Elizabeth, he wanted to avoid war and unite the nation through moderate policies.
• He was naturally conservative, and like the Queen disliked being rushed into rash decisions.
• Elizabeth admired the fact that Cecil spoke his mind if he disagreed with her or other councillors.
• Elizabeth relied heavily on Cecil, counting on his loyalty and trusting him complete

Question 7

Sir Francis Walsingham

Answer 7

• Fervent Puritan.
• Fiercely loyal to Elizabeth.
• Appointed to the Privy Council in 1573, became Secretary of State with special responsibility of foreign affairs
• A superb organiser. Was in charge of the Elizabethan ‘secret service

Question 8

Robert Dudley

Answer 8

• A childhood friend and favourite of Elizabeth
• A member of the Court
• Highly ambitious, he became a PRIVY COUNCILLOR in 1562, proving to be a conscientious worker.
• A radical and a Puritan, he frequently argued with Cecil about the succession, religion and foreign policy.

Question 9

Sir Christopher Hatton

Answer 9

• Studied law at Oxford
• Loyal, kind, clever and hardworking.
• Helped organise Elizabeth’s famousprogresses.
• A moderate Protestant, he hated Puritans and sympathised with Catholic

Question 10

Why was it important for Elizabeth to marry?

Answer 10

• Can a woman rule effectively?
• Need to secure succession/stability
• Secure foreign alliance - support
• Ensure tudor dynasty continues

Question 11

Why did Elizabeth choose not to marry?

Answer 11

• All possible suitors could have serous consequences - better to choose no one
• Concern about loss of power/independence for Elizabeth (position of women)
• Seen too many marriages go wrong - unwilling to make a commitment

Question 12

Why did Elizabeth not marry Phillip of Spain?

Answer 12

• He was catholic
• Unpopular in England
• Marriage to Mary unsuccessful
• Likely to impose his will
• Use Britain to Spains advantage

Question 13

Why did Elizabeth not marry The Duke of Alencon?

Answer 13

• Catholic
• Brother of french king
• England could fall under British control
• Massacre of protestants led to popular anger against France in England

Question 14

Why did Elizabeth not marry any foreign prince/king?

Answer 14

• Alliances good or bad
• Other countries feel rejected
• Could take over England

Question 15

Why did Elizabeth not marry Dudley?

Answer 15

• Already married

- Wife died in suspicious circumstances

Question 16

The question of succession

Answer 16

• Suffolk line - descended from Henry VIII younger sister, her granddaughters Mary grey or Catherine Grey
• Stuart line - descended from Henry VIII elder sister, her great grand son James
• Towards end, the problem solved itself; Mary and Catherine were imprisoned and died before Elizabeth
• James Stuart, king of Scotland was only remaining heir when Queen died so throne was passed to him

Question 17

Years of decline

Answer 17

-By the 1950s Elizabeth’s government was in a crisis
-The country has been damaged by war, plague poverty and poor harvest
The system of patronage was breaking down; one by one her counselors died
-They were replaced by younger ambitious men who is rivalry cause unrest in court and the council
-Elizabeth became increasingly angry depressed and bad-tempered; she lost popularity and faced criticism.
-There was a feeling that she had arranged long enough

Question 18

What made the Earl of Essex important in Elizabethan England

Answer 18

• He disrespected the Queen and challenged her
• He represented the weakness in privy Council (through the divisions by his rivalry with Cecil)
• He led a rebellion against the Queen
• He failed to deal with Irish rebellion

Question 19

Essex rebellion

Answer 19

• He was part of privy council and was jealous of Cecil rise to power and influence over the Queen
• He was banished from court many times for losing his temper with the Queen
• When Essex was away in Ireland Elizabeth promoted Cecil
• He was banned from court and placed under house arrest
• Elizabeth did not renew his Monopoly causing him to be ruined financially and politically
• In 1601 he gathered support and rumours of rebellion began
• Elizabeth summoned him front of the Privy Council but he refused
• He marched with his followers to the centre of London to capture the Queen
• The government responded decisively
• Essex was called a traitor and he got no support from people of London
• The rebellion lastd 12 hours
• He was executed in February 1601

Question 20

Norfolk rebellion

Answer 20

-Mary Queen of Scots arrival in England triggered a Catholic Rebellion
-Many in northern England retained their Catholic
beliefs and there was support for the idea of Mary, Queen of Scots, replacing Elizabeth on the throne.
-Although many northerners were torn between
loyalty to Elizabeth and their religious beliefs, they
nonetheless questioned her right to rule.
-Norfolk left the royal court without permission and headed north.
-Taking this as a sign, a group of northern lords
led by Westmorland (Norfolk’s brother-in-law)
and Northumberland began a rebellion against
Elizabeth.
-They took control of Durham Cathedral
and celebrated an illegal Catholic mass.
-They then began a march south with around 4600 men.

Question 21

How did Elizabeth respond to the Norfolk rebellion?

Answer 21

• Elizabeth got wind of the plan and sent a huge army to crush the rebellion.
• Elizabeth put 800 rebels to death and the two Earls fled to Scotland.