Elizabeth I: Character and Religious Settlement

Question 1

Character

Answer 1

• Acceded throne at age 25
• E considerably better educated, had a better grasp of political processes, and had a better judge of character than Mary had had
• Due to her brief relationship with Thomas Seymour, she had learned better how politics worked

Question 2

Aims

Answer 2

• Had no interest in the details of government in the same manner as Henry VII
• Took an interest in the decision-making process
• Wanted to keep prerogative powers of the Crown, which meant she insisted on making the most important decisions
• Her short term aims were to consolidate her position, settle religious issues and pursue a peaceful settlement with France

Question 3

Conditions England was in

Answer 3

• Mary’s councillors were aware that E did not have the same religious beliefs
• England had previously suffered bad harvests and a flu epidemic, and England had lost Calais to France

Question 4

Consolidation

Answer 4

• Mary’s key councillors accepted her succession. Nicolas Heath, Mary’s Lord Chancellor and Archbishop of York proclaimed E’s succession (E had support of political Elite). 9 of Mary’s councillors went to support E
• Cecil appointed principal secretary, lasted 40 years. Kept most of Mary’s councillors to keep them speculating about retaining royal favour
• E took herself to the tower, and emerged on several occasions to show herself to the public etc. (normal for new monarchs to do)
• Proceeded to her coronation within two months (fast)
• E gained international conformation from Spain, was offered to marry Phillip II

Question 5

Religious Settlement

Answer 5

• 1559
• Created via media between Catholicism and Protestantism
• Legal status unchanged. Until this could be done, English Church still part of Catholic Church

Question 6

Act of Supremacy 1559

Answer 6

• Restored royal supremacy within Church, as established under Henry VIII
• Papal supremacy rejected
• Reformation legislation restored
• Heresy law revoked
• Royal visitation, as done by Henry VIII, was revived. Could appoint commissioners to keep control of areas
• Act described E as supreme governor
• Oath of supremacy had to be taken by clergymen and Church officials. Those who didn’t, lost their posts
• Crown could act in matters relating to the Church (same as in the reign of Henry VIII)

Question 7

Act of Uniformity 1559

Answer 7

• Specified the use of a single Book of Common Prayer
• More Protestant than previous BoCP in 1552
• Eucharistic wording was permitted e.g. ‘Take and eat this in remembrance’
• ‘Black Rubric’, as in the 1552 BoCP, prevented the practice of kneeling
• Only Church ornaments that were permitted were those in place at the time of Edward
• Many returning Protestant exiles assumed this was an error and did not expect them to be enforced
• Many Calvinist clergy saw all ornaments as ‘popish’, so were also against this

Question 8

Royal Injunctions 1559

Answer 8

• Used as a mechanism for imposing the Crown’s will in relation to Church practices
• First injunction emphasised the ‘suppression of superstition’ (Catholic), and the need to ‘plant true religion by removing all hypocrisy, enormity and abuse’
• Eucharist should take place at a Communion table rather than an alter, and pilgrimages and use of candles was prohibited
• Injunctions drafted in a way which was an attack on Catholic practices
• Parish Churches required to have an English bible and ‘Erasmus’ Paraphrases’ (as in 1538 and 1547)
• Church visitors all strongly Protestant
• E disapproved of clerical marriages

Question 9

Significance of the Religious Settlement

Answer 9

• E faced pressure from radical clergymen, as well as their allies in the HoC (puritan choir)
• E had to accept a much more Protestant prayer book than she wanted to