Elizabeth I - Religion Flashcards
1559 Act of Supremacy - Religious Settlement
Elizabeth was reestablished as head of the church.
with the title of ‘Supreme Governor’ to appease men, who believed women don’t have spiritual authority over the church - this title allowed Catholics to interpret it as the Pope still being head of the Church.
An oath of loyalty was demanded from the clergy & royal officials, after opposition from Marian Bishops.
Commissioners visited churches to police them.
1559 Act of Uniformity - Religious Settlement
Act of Uniformity ordered a mix between the 1549 & 1552 Protestant Prayer Book into all churches.
Elizabeth established a middle-way to avoid conflict between Protestants and Catholics. For example…
*Altar replaced by wooden tables, although crucifixes hung on walls.
*Removed insulting references to the Pope in the 1552 Prayer Book.
*Garments worn by ministers & decorations in church
1559 Royal Injunctions - Religious Settlement
Set out instructions for the governance of Church.
- Preachers had to be licensed and preach once a month.
- Bibles present in every church.
- Pilgrimages banned.
Although, there was a crucifix crisis, between Elizabeth and Catholic bishops, who believed Priests should still wear Vestments, and crucifixes in church.
- Liz. silenced Walter Strickland by closing parliament so his ideas could not be discussed.
Catholic threat after 1570
1570, Pope Pius V declared Elizabeth a heretic issuing a Papal Bull excommunicating Elizabeth - Liz Treason Act made it treason to deny Elizabeth as Queen.
1574, Seminary Priests began arriving in England to save ‘Catholic Souls’ - 100 executed and unsuccessful due to vast number of Protestants in the South.
1580, Jesuit Priests, including Edmund Campion arrive in England to work the hidden Catholic community to preserve and restore Catholicism .
Francis ‘Throckmorton Plot’ backed by spanish and Catholic Church aimed to replace Elizabeth with MQOS.
- 1585 Act of Parliament imposes death penalty on Seminary Priests and Jesuits & MQOS executed.
Causes of the Revolt of the Northern Earls 1969
*Earl of Westmoreland and Northumberland wanted Catholicism restored in England, and lost influence in court after Elizabeth became Queen in 1558.
*Elizabeth refused to name an heir or marry, creating uncertainty about the future of England - MQOS held in captivity could replace Elizabeth
*Liz. appointed Protestant James Pilkington as Archbishop of Durham to lessen Catholic influence in the North.
Events of the Revolt of the Northern Earls 1969
Started as a court conspiracy, so many knew about the plot, such as Robert Dudley who informed Liz.
- imprisoned Duke of Norfolk in the tower.
Earl of North. & West. became desperate, so pushed ahead with the revolt, capturing Durham Cathedral. Destroyed Protestant evidence and celebrated mass’s.
- Liz. moved MQOS south to prevent her escaping.
However, Spains supporting troops never arrived and Liz had 14000 men, thus retreated back to Scotland.
- rebels executed, including North. who’s head was put on a pike above the City’s gates.
Liz. revenge on executed rebels shows how she saw the revolt as threat to her rule, although the majority of subsistence catholics in the North remained loyal.
Puritan challenge in parliament
1571, A bill was introduced by Walter Strickland to reform the Book of Common Prayer by removing Catholic Practises. In 1572, a bill was introduced on rites & ceremonies removing more Catholic practises.
- Liz. intervened to prevent parliament discussing religious matters without her bishops approval.
1572, ‘Admonition to Parliament’, criticising the Catholic church’s structure and practises, ‘2nd ATP’ published one year later - Authors, Thomas Wilcox & John Fields imprisoned, and puritan press destroyed.
1576, Peter Wentworth led a puritan attack on clerical abuses - Sent to the Tower of London
1584, Peter Turner proposed a bill to change the government of the church at Geneva - the Council prevented MPs from discussing the bill further.
Puritan Presbyterians
Presbyterians were groups of local clergy who met regularly to discuss scriptures & problems in church.
Coordinated by John Fields, and aimed to change the government of the church to the Calvins Church.
This was the most dangerous aspect of Puritanism, as it directly challenged Liz. belief that the Monarch was responsible for the Church and state government.
John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury laid down regulations to improve clerical standards and uniformity from the clergy.
Set up a High Commission to determine the clergy’s obedience to the Elizabethan Settlement.
Ridolfi Plot 1571
1571 Ridolfi plot planned to replace Elizabeth with MQOS. Involved Mary, Phillip II, the Pope and Norfolk.
Cecil demanded Norfolks execution and the Council drew up 2 bills against Mary in parliament.
1 Called for MQOS execution. 2 Barred the succession
However, Elizabeth would only consider Norfolk’s execution and the marriage bar, as she didn’t want to execute her cousin who fled to her for protection.
Acts passed to prohibit papal bulls & treason act.
Decree passed so that any claimant to the throne who knew about the plot was barred from the succession.
Throckmorton Plot 1583
Throckmorton executed and Councillors established the ‘Bond of Association’ set up to kill rebels and their claimant to the throne.
- Spanish Ambassador De Mendoza expelled.
1585 act imposed death penalty on Jesuit & Seminary priests, and those who helped or became priests.
A series of questions for priests devised to determine their allegiance to Elizabeth or the Pope.
Babington Plot 1586
Delegations from both Houses visited the queen in Richmond to demand Mary’s execution.
The council persuaded Elizabeth to trial MQOS.
Found guilty of ‘encompassing her majesty’s death’.
Spain and Scotland pleaded for Mary’s life, but SOS
Davison sent the death warrant without Elizabeths permission and she was executed in Feb. 1587.
