Elizabeth The Problems She Faced Flashcards
How was succession a problem for Elizabeth?
- Elizabeth was the last living child of Henry VIII and she had no children of her own - so it was unclear who would succeed her
- in 1562 she nearly died of smallpox - this drew attention to the problem so senior figures were keen that she marry
Why was religion a problem for Elizabeth?
- during the Tudor period englands religion changed several times causing instability
- many catholic did not want Elizabeth and claimed she had no right to the throne as they didn’t recognise Henry’s marriage to Ann Boleyn
- Puritanism was seen as a threat as they wanted to take control of Elizabeth’s church and make it more extreme
Why was taxation a problem for Elizabeth?
- the country was short of money and Elizabeth needed to raise taxes
- but poverty was widespread and raising taxes would have been unpopular
Why was Ireland a problem for Elizabeth?
She considered herself the queen of Ireland too but in 1559 she faced a major revolt - the first of several
Why was Mary Queen of Scot’s a problem for Elizabeth?
- with no heir, the next in line to the throne was Elizabeth’s cousin, Mary
- many catholics saw her as an alternative queen of England which made her a threat
Why was foreign policy a problem for Elizabeth?
- catholic countries like Spain and France wanted influence over England and had the support of the pope so the threat of invasion was very real
- in the Netherlands the Protestant population was fighting its Spanish rulers - Elizabeth had to decide whether to get involved
Why was marriage important for Elizabeth?
- create and alliance with a foreign country, or the loyalty of a powerful English family
- to produce an heir to continue the Tudor line and stop Mary Queen of Scot’s from becoming Queen when Elizabeth died
What were the arguments against marriage for Elizabeth?
- loss of authority - by not marrying Elizabeth and England kept their independence
- giving birth was risky for the mother
- her experience of marriage had been bad - her father had married six times and executed her mother and her sisters marriage to Phillip of Spain had been unhappy and not produced and heir
- Elizabeth could use the promise of marriage to her advantage with foreign leaders and important figures in England
Who were three potential suitors for Elizabeth?
- Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alencon
- king Phillip II of Spain
- Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester
Why was Francis, Duke of Anjou and alencon unsuitable for marriage?
- by the time marriage was proposed, Elizabeth was 46 and probably not able to have 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
Why was King Phillip II of Spain a potential suitor for Elizabeth?
- he was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world
- he had been married to Elizabeth’s sister Mary I but had rarely visited England and had no heir
Why was Robert Dudley considered a potential suitor for Elizabeth?
- he was a childhood friend of Elizabeth - many assumed they were in love
- he was a key member of the royal court and A member of the privy council
- the scandal around the death of his wife (and rumours of his involvement) meant they couldn’t marry
What was parliament made up of?
- House of Lords - lords, bishops, nobles
- House of Commons - commoners/members of parliament (MPs)
What was parliaments role?
- To discuss issues and advise the queen
- to pass laws and set taxes
What was the queen’s relationship with parliament?
Although the queen could decide when to ‘call’ parliament - allow it to meet - she did not have to listen to it. But she could not ignore it completely - she needed to deal with them carefully.
