ELIZABETH I Flashcards
When did Mary I die, allowing Elizabeth to become Queen
17th November 1558
How old was Elizabeth when she became Queen
25
Other than the Queen, who was in control of the country
- Parliment
- Privy Council
- Lord Lieutenants
- Justices of Peace (Jps)
Who made up parliment, and what did they do
- Made up of the house of lords (lords, bishops and other memebers of the nobility)
- The queen called parliament for advice, but they couldn’t enforce anything
Who made up the Privy council, and what did they do
- Made up of Elizabeth’s main advisors such as powerful landowners (to avoid risk of rebellion)
- Day to day running of the country
- Led by the Secretary of State
- If the Privy Council agreed on a particular issue, then it was hard to ELizabeth to say no
Who made up the Lord Lieutenants, and what did they do
- Appointed by the Queen to take administrative responsibility for a particular area of the country
- Collect tax, and raise a milita to fight if needed
Who made up the Justices of Peace, and what did they do
- Each county had several, and were selected from local gentry
- Enforce laws
- Had the power to send people to prision, and together could sentence death
Who made up the Royal court, and what did they do
- Government officials, ladies in waiting, servant and advisors
- Consisted of 1000 people
What was ‘patronage’ and how did the Queen use it
Gave titles, power or other rewards to ensure an individuals support. Banishing was disgraceful, so patronage was highly desired.
Who was William Cecil (Lord Burghley), and why was he important
- Served as the Secretary of State twich and and was Elizabeth’s most trusted advisor
- Encoraged Elizabeth to take control of Catholic Ireland and fight other Catholic rebels at home and abroad
- Played a key tole in developing the Poor laws and new religious policies
Who was Francis Walsingham, and why was he important
- Served as Secretary of State and was a close advisor from 1573
- Known as Elizabeth’s spymaster
- Helped establish England as a powerful naval force
- Helped expose Mary, Queen of Scots, leading to her execution
What problems did Elizabeth face when taking up the throne
- Succession
- Mary, Queen of Scots
- Ireland - The Irish disagreed with her becoing Queen, and there was a major revolt in 1559 (the first of many) in Northern Ireland, so Elizabeth had to spend thousands of pounds and send her best soilders to limit their rebellions, but nothing worked
- Taxation - Very unpopular for the new monarch
- Religion
- Foreign Policy - France and Spain were both Catholic, and wanted influence over England, but this was not her first concern
Reasons for Elizabeth to marry
- Create a strong alliance with a foreign country, or win the support of a powerful English family
- Produce an hier to succeed her and continue the Tudor line
- Prevent Mary, Queen of Scots from ruling England after Elizabeth’s death
Reasons for Elizabeth NOT to marry
- Marrying a foreign prince could lead to England falling under their control
- Marrying an Englishman could lead to problems over who had authority
- Kept her independence as men had the final say in descions in Tudor times
- Giving birth was risky, and could kill her
- Mary’s marriage to Philiip was widely seen as a disaster and she couldn’t produce an heir
Pros and Cons to marrying Robert Dudley
- His previous wife’s death was a scandal (some thought he deliberatley killed her)
- Key figure in court, and had great power and influence
- Childhood friends (met when 8 years old)
Pros and Cons to marrying Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alencon
- French King’s brother would lead to influence in France
- Francis was heir to the throne
- Elizabeth was 46 at the time, and most assumed she was beyond having children
- If she died childless to him, France would take control
- Francis was a Catholic so many influencial people were against his
Pros and Cons to marrying King Phillip II of Spain
- Most powerful and wealthy men in the world
- Good control of South America and it’s resources made it very rich
- Phillip had married Mary I
- Phillip was a strong Catholic, and what religion the child would be was an issue
What was Parliment’s role in choosing a suitor for Elizabeth
- Elizabeth almost died of smallpox in 1562
- By 1566, Parliment openly discussed her marriage
- She banned the issue ever be brought up again
- Elizabeth was enraged, and was a good example of the relationship between the Queen and Parliment clashed
What was the population increase in Elizabethan England
2.8mil in 1558, and 4mil in 1603 (43% increase)
What percentage of the income went to the nobility
14% (Nobility were about 1%)
Why did the gentry class grow under Elizabeth
The country became more secure after her predecessors, so people were able to settle and make money
How was a ruff a sign of wealth
The more frills the ruff had the richer, as linen was expensive and so owuld require more material
How were excessive windows a sign of wealth
Glass was expensive, and it could be seen from the outside of the building. Latticle frames were required, as glass could not be made that big yet
Why was the theatre so important for the whole of Elizabethan England
Everyone from the poor to the nobels would come to watch plays
What was a patron and what did they do
They provided the funding for groups of actors to star in plays, such as the Lord Chamberlin’s Men and Admiral’s Men. It was a way to show that you were cultured, and to get into the Queen’s good books
Who performed theatre
Only men - women would be played by young boys
How many plays did Shakespeare right, and what were there styles
38 - History, comedy or tragedy
Who was Richard Burbage
One of the most celbrated actos of the Elizabethan period. He was also the leading memebr of the Lord Chamberlin’s men and was the first toplay man roles like Hamlet or King Lear. He also owned theatres.
What time would a show start
3pm
What non-religous opposition was there to the theatre
- Dangerous - drunkeness, crime and other immoral behaviour took place
- Disease - The large gathering might spread disease
What religious opposition was there to the theatre
Puritans wanted them closed down completely, as they saw them as a distraction. They belived people should be spending free time paraying and studying the bible insead of watching plays
What is the significance of the opposition to the theatre
It showed just how influencial and important it had become, and Elizabeth did enjoy it
What was the first theatre opened, and why
The Red Lion in London in 1567, as the popularity increased, so more a permenant venue was required
How many could fit in the globe, and when was it built
3,000 - built in 1599
How did ARTS contribute to Elizabethan England being considered a ‘Golden Age’
- Theatre - Increase of theatre, with many built, and plays are still performed and studied today
- Literature - Poetry and sonnets. References to Greece and Rome
- Education - Increasingly important. Some girls also recieved limited education
- Art - Portraits very popular and very symbolic of wealth and power (Elizabeth had a portrait with her holding a globe). Decorative silverware and highly detailed textiles also popular
How did EXPLORATION AND INDUSTRY contribuite to Elizabethan England being considered a ‘Golden Age’
- Exploration -0 Discovery of new lands and people, as well as England’s growing Navy allowed England to become a major power
- Buildings - Lots of stately homes built to impress the queen and other nobles. Not built for defensive purposes
- Science and Technology - Breakthroughs in navigation and astronomy and growing understanding of how magentism worked. More effective printing press and pamphlets allowed ideas to spread quicker
- Pride - Elizabeth’s long reign compared to those before her estalished peace and order while military success and the country’s growing wealth made people prous to be English
Why might Elizabethan England not be seen as a ‘Golden Age’
- Blood sports like dog fighting and bear baiting were still popular
- Cruel punishments and torture was still used
- Life expectancy for the poor was still low and illnesses could easily lead to death
Why might Elizabethan England not be seen as a ‘Golden Age’
- Blood sports like dog fighting and bear baiting were still popular
- Cruel punishments and torture was still used
- Life expectancy for the poor was still low and illnesses could easily lead to death
Who were ‘paupers’ and what did they do
People without work who relied on charity - this meant either begging or going to the local church for help
What were the causes of poverty
- Henry VIII dissoloution of the monastries - People who wokred there wwere evicted with no where to go, and those who went there for help had no where to go
- War - The cost of war also meant from 1542, Henry debased coins. Damaged trade and jobs,a nd the cloth trade collapsed completely during Edward VI’s reign (England’s main export)
- Faliures in agriculture - Bad harvests between 1594-1598, leading to food shortages and increase in price
- Farming - Land enclosure meant fewer workers were needed leaving many jobless
- Population increase - Rack renting and inflation left many without a job or home
What were the types of poor
- Deserving - Tho who were too ill or wounded to work, or those who wanted to find work but couldn’t
- Underserving - Untrustworthy beggars who had no intrest in honest work
What were the common vagabond stratergies published in Thomas Harman’s 1567 book
- Counterfeit Crank - Would bite on soap so the mouth would froth and pretend to have a fit on the floor. People would give money and feel sorry
- Baretop Trickster - A woman who would trick men into following them, by buying them a meal, or removing items of clothing. A gang would then beat him and rob him
- Clapper Dudgeon - Cut himself and tie himself in dirty bandages so poeple would feel sympathy and pay him money
- Tom O’Bedlam - Pretend to be mad by barking for hours, follow people or stick a chicken head in his ear. People would pay out of sympathy, or for him to leave them alone
What was treatment of beggars like in 1531
- A first offence they were publicaly whipped
- A second offence they had a hole burned in their ear
- A third offence they were hanged
Poor law of 1572
- First compulsory law introduced at a local level
- Each parish was resposible for it’s own aged, sick and poor
- The JP collected tax from landowners (poor rate)
- Money should be collected weekly, and anyone refusing to pay was imprisoned
Poor law of 1576
- Each town was required to provide work for the unemployed and supply raw materials like wool for them to work on
- Institutions were set up, which became known as ‘workhouses’
- The poor now fufiled a useful role in the community
Poor law of 1597
- A new position of ‘Overseer of the Poor’ was created
- They caulculated the Poor rate for the parish, collected poor rate from property owners, dispensed money, clothes or food, and supervised the parish poor house
Poor law of 1601
- A national system
- Each parish would levy a compulsory poor rate
- Provide working materials and work or apprenticeships for children where orphaned
- Offer relief to the deserving poor and collect poor relief rate from property owners
- Ensure parents and children were responsiboe for each other
- The sytem would remain for 233years
Why was religion such a big problem when Elizabeth came to the throne
- Henry VIII broke from the Catholic church officially making the country protestant
- Edward increased protestant rule in the contry
- Mary returned the country back to Catholic faith
- Mary had almost 300 protestants martyred by being burned alive on her orders
What was Elizabeth’s approach to dealing with religion
- Created her religous settlement, with aspects of each faith in
- Priests were allowed to marry, services were held in English and the book of common prayer was re-introduced (protestant faiths)
- Declared herself governor instead of head of the Church
- Allowed Catholics to worship in their own way in private
- Appointed a moderate protestant, Matthew Parker as Archbishop of Canterbury to Oversee the English Church
How were Catholics treated in England when Elizabeth came to the throne
- Many feared protestant retribution for the burnings and persecution from Mary’s reign, however they found Elizabeth was trying to bring the country together
- Recusancy fines for Catholics who refused to attend protestant services were also low
When did the Pope excommunicate Elizabeth from the Catholic Church and what did this mean
- 27th April 1570, Pope Pius V issued his papal bull
- It called on catholics to end her rule
- Some ignored the papal bull, however some chose to rise up against Elizabeth
What did Elizabeth impose in 1581 against Catholics
It was now treason to attend a Ccatholic mass, even in private, and greater fines were introduced for those who failed to attend church services (rose to £20, a very hefty sum)
Northen Rebellion
- 9th November 1569
- Duke of Norfolk (also Lord Lieutenant of the North an Elizabeth’s 2nd cousin) was prevented for marrying Mary, Queen of Scots
- Norfolk left the Royal Court without permission and headed north
- Westmorland and the Earl of Northumberland took control of Durham Cathedral and celebrated an illegal catholic mass
- They then marched south with around 4600 men
- The Earl of SUssex raised an army and defeated the rebels
- Northumberland was executed
- Westmorten escaped to France wehre he died of poverty
- Norfolk was imprisoned for 10months in the tower of London befor ebeing released and placed under house arrest
Ridolfi Plot
- April 1571
- Roberto Ridolfi a Catholic banker from Florence decided that foreign help was needed to stage a rebellion
- He planned to invade England from the Netherlands, and at the same time, another rebellion up North woulld occur
- Elizabeth would be murdered and replaced by Mary, Queen of Scots who would marry Norfolk
- The plan was foiled and Norfolk confesed his involvement and was executed on 2 June 1572
Throckmorton Plot
- November 1583
- Led by Sir Francis Throckmorton
- Plan to assasinate Elizabeth and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots
- Once killed, there would be French Catholic support and a civil Catholic uprising
- When the plot was discovered, Throckmorton was executed, and Mary placed under even closer gaurd
Babington Plot
- July 1586
- Attempt to murder Elizabeth and place Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne
- Led by Anthony Babington, he and 5 other men would kill her and rescue Mary from prison
- Babington needed to know if he had Mary’s support, so got Mary’s servants to hide coded letters in beer barrels
- Her servants actually worked for Walsingham who foiled the plan
- Mary would go on trial for her life
