Elizabeth Consolidation of Power Flashcards
who was Elizabeth I
Born on 7th September 1533 to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
Elizabeth I’s early life
Elizabeth was made a bastard and illegitimate by the Second Act of Succession 1536 together with her sister Mary I , they were later reinstated in the 3rd Act of Succession 1544
She was implicated in the Wyatt Rebellion 1554 where she was arrested and placed under house arrest in Oxford
Elizabeth’s indecision
She was reluctant to make decisions and took her time to make up her mind which sometimes proved to be useful as it ensured that she thought things through. Like with her marriage and the execution of MQS which took 19 years
Elizabeth’s accession
Mary had died in the early hours of 17th Nov 1558 and Cecil rode 16 miles to Hatfield to alert Elizabeth
why did no one try to interfere with Elizabeth’s succession
Mary had recognised her as her successor and nobody tried to interfere with it as it was a lawful succession
Key problems facing Liz
- The composition of the Privy Council
- Paying off crown debts and restoring royal finances
- Religious issues and what sort of religious policy to impose
- War with France and dealing with the loss of Calais
- MQS
- Poor harvests and the flu epidemic
- Marriage
consolidation of power - councillors
Her path to power was eased by Mary’s Key councillors’ acceptance of her succession; nine of them rode to Hatfield to assure Elizabeth of their loyalty. This was a significant move because it showed that the political elite collectively assented to Elizabeth’s accession
consolidation of power - cecil
Cecil was appointed principal secretary but others were left in the dark to keep them speculating. She had a smaller privy council with 11 out of 30 reappointed as she was unsure of who to trust having been kept under house arrest for all her life
consolidation of power - royal progress
Like Henry VII she emerged on several occasions to show herself to people and attended many pageants organised on her behalf
consolidation - coronation
She coronated herself quickly within two months on 15th Jan 1559 and this was greeted with jow. She was crowned and anointed by the Catholic Bishop of Carlisle Owen Oglethorpe which shows that she was widely accepted
consolidation - international confirmation
She gained international confirmation from Phillip of Spain who has visited her before the death of Mary in hopes of brokering a marriage alliance, though nothing came out of it but it demonstrated that Phillip had no intention to disrupt her succession
short term aims
Consolidate her position
Settle religious issues
End the war with France and pursue a peaceful settlement with them
