elizabeth part 1 Flashcards
when was elizabeth’s reign
1558 to 1603
why didn’t people think elizabeth would be queen
When she was born, no one ever expected Elizabeth to
become monarch. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, had been
executed for treason on the orders of her father, King
Henry Vill. Further, Elizabeth’s elder sister, Queen Mary I of
England, saw her as a potential threat to her own rule. The
family tree shows how unlikely Elizabeth’s coronation would
have seemed when she was a child. She was the middle of
Henry’s three children and both her younger brother and her
older sister came before her in the line of succession. Yet,
as a princess, Elizabeth had been educated and brought
up within the royal household. She learned quickly that
the court could be a dangerous place for her if she was not
careful in what she said, did, and whom she trusted.
power in elizabethan england
Elizabeth was only 25 when she became queen and she
needed to establish her authority quickly, Although being
queen gave her power, she could not do as she pleased
Her government had a clear structure of advisors and other
powerful figures. Most of the power was held by a few key
trusted individuals in Elizabeth’s court. Many, but not all.
of these were privy councillors. The queen could ensure
support through patronage.
court life
The royal court and the government were not the same
thing. The court was made up of all the officials, servants
and advisors that surrounded Elizabeth. The court was the
centre of power, but also the source of the latest trends and
fashions. It included the Privy Council, but Justices of the
Peace and Parliament were not part of it. The government
was made up of the queen and her closest advisors, usually
privy councillors, but always men whom she trusted.
lord lieutenants
Appointed by the queen. Responsible for running a particular area of the country. Responsible for raising a militia to fight for the queen if needed. Many also served on the Privy Council.
justices of peace
Several in every county.
Responsible for
maintaining order and
enforcing the law.
parliament
Made up of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
Had influence over tax and was responsible for passing laws.
The queen could choose when to call Parliament and was free
to ignore their advice.
privy council
Responsible for the day-to-day running of the
country, dealing with all policy areas.
Although the queen could technically appoint
whoever she wished, in reality she had to
appoint the most powerful landowners in the
country, in order to prevent rebellion.
If the council was united, it was almost impossible
for Elizabeth to go against their wishes. However,
unity was very rare in a group filled with ambitious
rivals.
Led by the Secretary of State.
William Cecil and Francis Walsingham were
two significant and powerful figures who each
served as Secretary of State. Both had a huge
influence on Elizabeth.
problems elizabeth faced- succession
Elizabeth was the last living child of
Henry Vill and she had no children of her
own. So it was unclear who would succeed her
if she died before producing an heir. In the past,
situations like this had led to violent struggles for
power.
In 1562, she nearly died of smallpox. This drew
attention to the uncertainty of England’s future.
As a result, senior figures were keen that she
marry as soon as possible.
problems elizabeth faced- foreign policy
Catholic countries like Spain and France wanted influence over England and had the support of the Pope in this aim. The threat of invasion was very real. • One key area of tension was the Netherlands, where the Protestant population was in conflict with its Spanish rulers. Elizabeth had to decide whether or not to become involved.
the problems elizabeth faced- religion
The Tudor period had seen England’s
official religion change a number of times,
and this had created instability and violence.
Many Catholics did not trust Elizabeth and some
claimed that she had no right to be queen (they
did not recognise Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth’s
mother].
Puritanism, an extreme form of Protestantism,
was also seen as a threat. There were a number
of Puritans who had hoped to take control of
Elizabeth’s Church and make it more extreme
this could have damaged the whole religious
settlement.
problems elizabeth faced- taxation
The country was short of money and Elizabeth needed to raise taxes. Poverty was widespread and raising taxes would be very unpopular.
problems elizabeth faced- mary queen of scot’s
With no direct heir, the next in line to the throne
was Elizabeth’s Catholic cousin, Mary. Many
Catholics saw her as an alternative Queen of England and
this made her a serious threat to Elizabeth.
problems elizabeth faced- ireland
Like her predecessors, Elizabeth
considered herself to be Queen of
Ireland. In 1559, she faced a major revolt in
Ireland - the first of several during her reign.
arguements in favour of marriage
Create an alliance with a foreign country or guarantee the
loyalty of a powerful English family.
Produce an heir to continue the Tudor line and stop Mary, Queen
of Scots from becoming queen when Elizabeth died.
arguements against marriage
Loss of authority - either to a foreign ruler or Englishman.
By not marrying, Elizabeth - and England - kept their
independence.
Giving birth was very risky for the mother.
Her experience of marriage had been bad - her father had
married six times and ordered her mother to be executed and
her sister’s marriage to Philip of Spain had been unhappy and
did not produce an heir.
Elizabeth was able to use the possibility of marriage to her
advantage when dealing with foreign leaders and important
figures in England.
potential suitors- francis, duke of Anjou and Alençon
The French King's brother and heir to his throne. By the time a marriage was proposed, Elizabeth was 46 and probably beyond having children. A childless marriage could result in England falling under French control. He was Catholic and many important figures in Elizabeth's court were against the marriage.
potential suitors- king philip II of spain
One of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world. He had been married to Elizabeth's sister, Queen Mary I, but he had rarely visited England and the marriage had not produced an heir. He was Catholic.
potential suitors- robert dudley, earl of leicester
A childhood friend of the queen and a favourite of hers throughout her reign.
Many assumed they were in love.
A key figure in the royal court and a member of the Privy Council.
When his wife died, he became free to marry Elizabeth but the scandal
surrounding her death (and rumours of his involvement) meant this was
almost impossible.
what was parliament
Consisted of lords, bishops and other nobles who sat in the House of Lords and
‘commoners’ (Members of Parliament - MPs] who sat in the House of Commons.
Its role was to discuss issues and advise the queen.
Responsible for passing laws and setting taxes.
Although the queen could decide when to call Parliament (allow it to meet) and did
not have to listen to what it said, in practice she could not ignore it completely. She
needed to deal with Parliament very carefully.
marriage and succession- parliament
Many in Parliament saw it as their duty to find Elizabeth a suitable husband and, by 1566, began to discuss the issue openly. Angry at such interference, she banned them from talking about it again. Elizabeth saw marriage as a decision for her alone.
religion- parliament
The most divisive factor in Elizabethan society was
religion and Parliament reflected this. The majority of those
in both houses of Parliament were Protestants and supported
Elizabeth’s religious settlement. When Elizabeth wished to introduce
laws that made life hard for Catholics, she found support in Parliament.
One area of disagreement, however, was over the issue of Puritanism.
A number of powerful Puritans in Parliament tried unsuccessfully to
introduce new laws to change the Church of England.
freedom of speech- parliament
An MP named Peter Wentworth was arrested three times during Elizabeth's reign for arguing that MPs should be allowed to speak on any matter they chose. Elizabeth clearly did not agree! Some MPs supported Wentworth's view, but others did not. One of his arrests was organised by other MPs wishing to demonstrate their loyalty to Elizabeth.
crime and poverty- parliament
The issue of poverty was significant in Elizabethan England, particularly when it led to crime. Many MPs recognised that simply punishing the poor did not work and attempted to introduce new poor laws. They were unsuccessful, until 1601. when the Poor Law was finally passed.
mary queen of scot’s- parliament
The majority of those in Parliament
saw Mary, a Catholic, as a clear
threat to national security and a significant
number of them called for her execution.
This pressure, and that of the Privy Council,
may have swayed the hesitant Elizabeth
into executing her cousin.
monopolies- parliament
The giving of monopolies was an important way for
Elizabeth to maintain the loyalty of powerful men in England
(for example, the sweet wine monopoly given to the Earl of Essex). In
1571, an MP named Robert Bell criticised them as unfair. Other MPS
joined him in calling for changes in their use. Elizabeth agreed to make
a few changes but MPs pushed for more. In 1601, she made a speech to
Parliament in which she cleverly managed to give the impression that
she was agreeing to make major changes to how monopolies worked
without actually promising very much at all.
essex rebellion- background
Essex had been a loyal subject throughout Elizabeth’s reign and was, for a time,
one of her favourites. He became a privy councilor in 1595 and was awarded the
monopoly on sweet wine in England.
During his time at court, Essex developed a rivalry with Robert Cecil, the son of the
powerful William Cecil and an important and influential figure at court.
Essex pleased the queen when, in 1596, he successfully attacked the Spanish
port of Cadiz.
causes of essex rebellion
Soon after his victory against the Spanish, Essex became involved in an argument with the queen during a Pring
Council meeting. At one point, he turned his back on Elizabeth and she hit him on the side of the head. He nearly
drew his sword but was stopped by other councillors just in time.
Essex was placed under house arrest.
• Later the queen sent him to Ireland to deal with a rebellion. He
not only failed to defeat the rebels but agreed a truce with them
directly against the queen’s orders.
On his return to England, Essex rushed straight into the queen’s
chambers and caught her without her wig!
•
After his failures in Ireland, Essex quickly fell from Elizabeth’s favour.
She refused to renew his sweet wine monopoly. As a result, he lost
much of his wealth and influence.
Angry, and with nothing left to lose, Essex began to gather supporters
and plot a rebellion against the queen.
the essex rebellion
In February 1601, Essex took four privy councillors hostage and
marched them to his London house, along with 200 supporters.
Robert Cecil, Essex’s great rival, responded by labelling him a traitor.
Many of Essex’s supporters left, while others panicked and released
the hostages without his permission.
Essex and his remaining followers were arrested.
consequences of essex rebellion
Essex was put on trial for treason and was sentenced to death.
During his interrogation, he agreed to name other rebels
including his sister, Penelope.
He was executed in private on 25 February 1601. Some of his
supporters were also put to death but most were just fined.
Elizabeth had made it clear, even late in her reign, that she would
not tolerate challenges to her authority.
order of great chain of being
god > queen > nobility > gentry > peasantry > animals and plants
nobility
most powerful and wealthy, titles passed from father to son, most held senior positions such as privy councillor
gentry
often wealthy land owners, help important positions, might be richer but still below nobles in society
peasantry
poorest members of society, farm labourers, often struggled for work
the rise of the gentry
Before Elizabeth’s reign, almost all wealth was held by the
nobility. The stability that the Elizabethan period brought
began to change this. People could make money from
trade. The gentry grew as a result and began to fill powerful
positions by becoming members of Parliament and Justices
of the Peace.
changing homes of the gentry
One way in which the gentry and the nobility could show
off their wealth and privilege was by building lavish
country homes:
Purpose: no longer defence, but to display refined taste.
.
Usually symmetrical with open courtyards, unlike
the closed, secure ones that went before.
Lots of expensive glass windows showed owner’s
wealth.
Medieval great hall replaced by a great chamber.
Privacy: number of rooms increased, separating
servants from owners.
writers, actors and theatre troupes
•Playwrights like William Shakespeare produced new works every year. These included comedies, histories
and tragedies.
Acting was an entirely male profession, with female roles played by boys.
Popular actors like Richard Burbage became very famous and would often return to roles many times or have
parts written specifically for them.
• Works were performed by theatre troupes such as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (of which both Shakespeare and
Burbage were members). Companies were named after the people who provided their funding: the patron. Being
a patron was a good way to impress the queen, who was very fond of the theatre.
a day at the theatre
Performances generally began at 3:00pm and continued into the evening.
The ticket price depended on where you sat (or stood).
• Audience members would push and shove to get a better view and the atmosphere
would generally be very boisterous.
• It was a cheap afternoon out for the poor and an opportunity for the rich to show
how cultured they were.
• Although they occupied different parts of the theatre, the rich and poor would watch
the same play.
why was the theatre so popular
It was affordable. It was new and exciting. It was a social event. It was entertaining - plays were humorous, tragic or historical. Some saw it as sinful. O It was contemporary and relevant to the time - many plays carried political messages.
opposition to the theatre
puritans saw theatre going as a distraction from prayer, some saw it as sinful, there were concerns that large gatherings might spread disease, theatres were dangerous places where there was drunkness, crime and other immoral behaviour
accomplishments of the golden age- art
Portraits - including detailed miniature ones became very popular and often contained symbolism. Decorative silverware and textiles became important signs of wealth and culture in the homes of the rich.
accomplishments of the golden age- peace, power and pride
Before the Tudors, there was conflict over the throne. The reigns of Henry Vill, Edward VI and Mary I brought political stability but religious turmoil. Elizabeth brought stability and security to the country. England's growing wealth and military success made many of Elizabeth's subjects very proud.
accomplishments of the golden age- science and technology
Significant breakthroughs in navigation, astronomy and a growing understanding of magnetism. Improved printing presses allowed new ideas to spread quickly.
accomplishments of the golden age- exploration
Europeans discovered
new lands and new peoples.
England became a major power
in the world.
accomplishments of the golden age- education
Seen as increasingly important.
Wealthy boys and some girls
received an education, but the poor
did not.
accomplishments of the golden age- literature
Many great plays were written during Elizabeth's reign and are still performed today. Poetry was very popular. Many nobles wrote poetry and some, such as Shakespeare, wrote sonnets.
accomplishments in the golden age- buildings
Many great stately homes, such as Hardwick Hall, were built during this period. For the first time, houses were not built with defence in mind,
accomplishments of the golden age- theatre
Theatre became popular with all levels of society. The first permanent theatres were built.
was elizabethan time really a golden age?
Although there were significant accomplishments during Elizabeth’s reign, some
have argued that the idea that it was a ‘golden age’ is a myth. They argue that:
• Blood sports such as dog fighting and bear baiting remained popular.
• Torture and brutal execution were still used by the government.
• A small minority lived in luxury while the majority remained poor.
• Life expectancy was low and medical treatment was ineffective.
Despite scientific breakthroughs in
some areas, other practices were
questionable - alchemy (turning cheap
metal into gold] and astrology (using the
planets to predict the future were very
popular.
The idea of a ‘golden age’ was encouraged by
Elizabeth and her government. Plays, festivals
and pamphlets (small booklets) promoted the
idea. The term Gloriana was used to describe the
spreading of this message. For Elizabeth, this
was a useful way of securing her popularity and
her throne.
