Elizabeth's Problems and Decisions Flashcards
State the year Elizabeth I was born, and explain her familial situation.
- 1533 to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, his second wife
- Anne Boleyn was beheaded for treason in 1536 and Elizabeth was declared illegitimate (and so lost her right to the throne)
- After the birth of Edward (son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, his third wife) Elizabeth’s chances of being queen were almost non-existent
- Elizabeth only saw her father and half-brother on special occasions
- After Henry VIII married his sixth wife, Catherine Parr, in 1543, she persuaded him to bring Elizabeth back to court
What was Elizabeth I like growing up?
- She was raised a Protestant
- She learnt multiple languages, and other skills
- She liked music and was taught Bible stories
- Her tutor, Roger Ascham, and later many ambassadors, praised her highly for her intelligence and strong personality
What was Elizabeth I’s life like before becoming queen?
- In 1554, Queen Mary I (her sister) had suspected her involvement in Wyatt’s Rebellion
- Elizabeth was accused of treason (which was punished by death) and imprisoned
- She was later released due to a lack of evidence
- As Elizabeth was Mary’s heir to the throne, foreign ambassadors and English courtiers began to take notice of her
How old was Elizabeth when she became Queen, and what was her coronation like?
- Mary I died in November 1558, when Elizabeth was 25
- Elizabeth’s extravagant coronation was held in January 1559
- She wore ermine, symbolising purity and wore her hair loose as it represented her virginity
List 8 problems Elizabeth faced as soon as she ascended the throne.
- Choosing councillors
- Financial issues
- Challenges from abroad
- Religious divisions
- Doubts about her ability to rule as a woman
- Problem of her legitimacy
- Marriage and children
- Creating prosperity
List 6 reasons why the issue of choosing councillors was so important.
- The government, which consisted of the nobility and the gentry, was made of councillors chosen by the monarch
- The nobles of England had a lot of power, and many were related to the royal family
- Not giving them roles could anger them, and monarchs had been previously overthrown by displeased nobles
- Choosing members of the Privy Council was particularly important as it contained the heads of the government departments
(- Such as the Lord Treasurer, who was in charge of the crown’s finances and spending) - They met almost daily, and for important issues, such as war
- They were responsible for administration, such as controlling the business of Parliament
List 8 things Elizabeth I did to solve the issue of choosing councillors.
- She made William Cecil Secretary of State; her principal advisor
- He became an MP under Henry VIII and held an important position under Edward VI
- He had lost his position under Mary I, but had started working with Elizabeth then
- She filled the rest of the positions quickly- within 3 months
- She had 20 councillors, unlike Mary who had 50
- Elizabeth kept 10 men who had served under Mary that had a lot of experience and influence
- She thanked past councillors for their work to keep their support
- She mostly appointed relatives and trusted colleagues as councillors
- Elizabeth waited for 4 years before making her friend Robert Dudley a councillor, to prevent jealousy
- Much of the work of the government was carried out by a smaller group of Protestant councillors that Elizabeth trusted and worked closely with, rather than the whole council always meeting
How successful was Elizabeth at choosing councillors, and why?
- Very successful
- Mary I had been ill for months, and Elizabeth had that time to plan who she would choose as her councillors should she become queen
List 4 reasons why financial issues were so important.
Monarchs gained money through renting/ selling crown lands, fines, customs duties and feudal dues; money paid to the monarch as a landowner.
- In the 1500s, the monarch was expected to pay for the costs of running the country (such as going to war, the court and the royal household)
- If the crown needed extra money, such as for going to war, they needed to ask Parliament to approve increased taxation, and monarchs disliked this as it increased Parliament’s power
- War with France had caused a debt as big as £300,000 by 1558
- Prices had risen, but rent rates were fixed, and the crown’s main source of revenue was rent
List 4 things Elizabeth did to improve her finances.
- Elizabeth built on reforms introduced by Edward and Mary to improve how the Exchequer (the government department that looked after finances) was ran
- She cut back on government spending, and costs such as those of her household
- Exchequer officials were ordered to call in debts
- Crown lands were sold in the next 20 years
How effective was Elizabeth at solving her financial issues?
- Her approach took time to work, but by 1585 Elizabeth had paid off Mary’s debt and had a reserve of £300,000
- Only war with Spain later caused both a strain on finances, and increased taxes
What was the political situation in Europe like when Elizabeth became queen?
- There was a strong link between Scotland and France as Mary, Queen of Scots was married to the heir of the French throne
- Spain was the richest and most powerful country in Europe, and its empire included parts of Central and South America
- England and Spain had been friendly during the Tudor period, and King Philip of Spain had been married to Mary I
- Philip II was afraid of France’s growing influence and kept good relations with England
- Mary I had invaded France along with her husband, and lost Calais (the last English stronghold in France) in January 1558
- France had retaliated to the invasion by increasing the number of their forces along the Scottish border
- Losing Calais had been a national humiliation, but Mary had made no move to win it back
List 6 problems stemming from the war with France in 1558.
- England was threatened by the combined force of France and Scotland, which were Catholic
- France were interested in the English crown as they believed Mary (Queen of Scots) should be the Queen of England
- French soldiers were also stationed in Scotland, so there was a risk of a joined attack across the Channel and from the northern border
- Defeat would start off Elizabeth’s reign disastrously
- The Privy Council didn’t believe they had the necessary resources to win
- England couldn’t send aid to Spain
- Farming communities didn’t have men to spare due to famine and epidemics
List 3 reasons for continuing the war with France.
- A military victory and winning back Calais would restore national pride and start off Elizabeth’s reign positively
- Victory would end the fear of danger from France and Scotland
- Making peace could make Elizabeth look weak
What did Elizabeth decide to do about the war with France?
- She made peace with France in January 1559 in the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis
- Calais was permanently lost
