Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 Flashcards
Summarised timeline to Elizabeth I coming into power
1) Henry VIII marries Catholic Aragon= Mary I
2) Divorces her and starts the Protestant Church as a result
3) Marries Boleyn= Elizabeth I
4) Beheads Boleyn, marries Seymour= Edward VI
5) Henry VIII dies, Edward VI rules but dies at 14 (Protestant)
6) Mary I rules, marries Phillip II of Spain (Catholic)
7) Elizabeth I (Protestant), not seen as legitimate
Elizabeth’s childhood
-During her father’s reign she was well looked after and educated
-Would most likely be married off for alliances (no say)
-In 1554, Queen Mary accused her half sister of conspiring against her and imprisoned her in the Tower of London
2 reasons why some people didn’t want Elizabeth as Queen
-GENDER: Most believed men should rule. Expected her to act as a figurehead without any real power who let her male counsellors or husband take control. However, she was determined to rule in her own right
-ILLEGITIMACY: Divorce was forbidden in the Catholic Church so many saw Henry and Boleyn’s marriage as not valid. This issue weakened her claim to the throne and some saw MQS as having more right
What was the Royal Court?
-A large group of people who surrounded Elizabeth at all times
-Govt officials, ladies in waiting, servants, advisors, privy council, nobles, ambassadors and Elizabeth’s favourites
-1000 members of all different classes
-Courtiers expected to flatter Elizabeth with gifts and love
-Past times included concerts, hunting, tennis and grand meals
4 groups that had power in Elizabethan England
-Parliament
-Privy council
-Lord Lieutenants
-Justice of the Peace (JPs)
Parliament’s power in Elizabethan England
-House of Lords (nobility) and Commons (‘common people’ who were still wealthy and educated)
-Much less powerful than modern day but had an influence on tax and legislation
-Queen decided when to call Parliament and how much of their advice to listen to (disliked it and used it as often as possible)
Privy council’s power in Elizabethan England
-Responsible for day to day running of the country
-Members were Elizabeth’s main and closest advisors
-She appointed the most powerful landowners for the council
-Deal with military/foreign affairs, religion, queen’s security
-If they agreed on an issue, it was hard for Elizabeth to refuse
-Led by the Secretary of State
Lord Lieutenants’ power in Elizabethan England
-Appointed by Queen to take administrative responsibility of a particular area of the country
-Involved settling disputes and collecting tax
-Raised a military to fight for the Queen if needed
-Most were also part of the Privy council
-Position could lead to great power and success
Justice of the Peace (JPs) power in Elizabethan England
-Several JPs for each county to ensure order was kept
-Selected from the local gentry
-Role was to ensure the laws passed were properly enforced
-A single JP had the power to send someone to prison but many were required to sentence a criminal to death
-Swore to treat everyone, rich or poor, equally
What was Patronage?
-Handing out titles, offices, or monopolies giving men a source of income
-Royal patronage was distributed at court
-Elizabeth used it to ensure loyalty and stability
-People stayed loyal, income and status was dependent on her
-A way to reward her courtiers without spending royal revenues as economy was weak in her reign and income was limited
William Cecil
-Served as secretary of state twice from 1558-1598 and an MP
-Elizabeth’s most trusted advisor
-Highly skilled politician and administrator
-Played a key role in developing the Poor Laws and the new religious policies
-Given title Lord Burghley (1571) and Lord High Treasurer (1572)
Francis Walsingham
-Served as Secretary of State from 1573 until his death
-Known as her ‘spymaster’ with eyes and ears everywhere
-Helped establish England as a powerful force at sea
-Took the lead in dealing with England’s biggest rivals
Examples of disagreements with Elizabeth and Parliament
-MPs were concerned about who would rule after her and tried to persuade her to marry or name an heir
-Some Puritan MPs challenged the religious settlement
-MPs were worried about the threat of MQS and Catholic plots, trying to convince her to take action on Mary
6 problems Elizabeth had as a female ruler
1) Succession
2) Mary, Queen of Scots
3) Ireland
4) Taxation
5) Religion
Succession as a problem for Elizabeth as a female ruler
-Elizabeth was yet to produce an heir
-If she died without an heir, there would be risk of a civil war
-Elizabeth nearly died in 1562 after getting smallpox which drew attention to the uncertainty of her future
-Parliament and the Privy Council were keen for her to marry and have a child but Elizabeth refused to discuss the matter
Mary Queen of Scots as a problem for Elizabeth as a female ruler
-The next in line went to Elizabeth’s cousin MQS
-In 1568, Mary was exiled from Scotland to England and became a huge threat to Elizabeth’s rule
-MQS was a legitimate Catholic with a child making her an ideal ruler especially for Catholics in England
Ireland as a problem for Elizabeth as a female ruler
-Elizabeth considered herself Queen of Ireland
-Many Irish disagreed
-1559 revolt in Northern Ireland saw her spending thousands of pounds and sending her best soldiers to limit it but nothing worked in the long term
Taxation as a problem for Elizabeth as a female ruler
-Government needed money and one of the few ways to get it was increasing taxes
-At a time of great poverty, this would be very unpopular and raising taxes would be very dangerous for a new monarch
Religion as a problem for Elizabeth as a female ruler
-Elizabeth was Protestant but also practical and didn’t want to make enemies immediately angry
-Allowed Catholics to follow their faith privately but many were unhappy and believed she had no right to be Queen
-Many Puritans (extreme Protestants) were unhappy too
Foreign policy as a problem for Elizabeth as a female ruler
-France and Spain were powerful Catholic countries supported by the Pope
-They saw Protestant England as a target
Difficulties of finding a suitable marriage
-Elizabeth would inevitably lose power and authority
-If she married foreign, the foreign country could take too much influence on England
-If she married an English noble, there would be anger and resentment among those not chosen and there would be no chance of a foreign alliance
-It would be difficult for Elizabeth to marry a Catholic
3 possible suitors to marry Elizabeth
1) Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
2) Duke Francis of Anjou
3) King Phillip II of Spain
Robert Dudley as a possible suitor of Elizabeth
-Queen’s childhood friend and one of her ‘favourites’
-A key figure in the Royal Court
-A Privy councillor who yielded great power and influence
-Some thought he deliberately killed his wife to marry Elizabeth
-Members of the Privy Council (including Cecil) were strongly opposed to the match and so it didn’t go ahead
Duke Francis of Anjou as a possible suitor of Elizabeth
-The French King’s brother who could lead to influence in France
-Francis was heir to the French throne
-Elizabeth was assumed too old for marriage by this time (1570’s)
-Francis was a Catholic
King Phillip II of Spain as a possible suitor of Elizabeth
-One of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world as Spain had control in South America
-Her brother in law
-Spent very little time in England
-He was a Catholic ruler
Elizabeth’s 2 new advisors from the 1590’s
-ROBERT CECIL: Son of William Cecil, smart, hardworking
-EARL OF ESSEX: Step-son of Robert Dudley, cocky, unpredictable, good soldier, reminded her of Robert Dudley
Elizabeth I’s relationship with the Earl of Essex
-He often implied they slept together but she was 33 years older
-He was a successful soldier fighting the Spanish in Netherlands
-Appointed to the Privy Council in 1593
-He was initially a ‘favourite’ of the Queen’s but became very disrespectful
Explain 3 problems Elizabeth had with the Earl of Essex
1) He married without PERMISSION (rude and disrespectful to Liz)
2) When they had been arguing, she punched him and he DREW HIS SWORD (banished from court but given a final chance)
3) He saw her without any MAKE UP/ getting dressed (He bursts in after she banished him from court after negotiating with rebels rather than fighting them), she took away his monopolies on wine
Essex Rebellion 1601
-Essex was banished from court and stripped of his monopolies in 1599 after trucing with the rebels in Ireland
-7th Feb= Watches Richard II at the Globe (a play about how his advisors led to his downfall!!)
-8th Feb= He launches a rebellion in London with 200 followers aiming to seize the Queen and force her to replace Cecil with him
-It fails within a few hours having received no support from Londoners and his friends abandoning him too
-He was arrested, tried for treason and executed on the 25th Feb
The strength of Elizabeth’s authority at the end of her reign
-Lack of support for Essex showed she was still respected
-There was no desire to overthrow her government
-Showed Elizabeth’s authority over her court became weaker
-Patronage wasn’t as effective as it used to be
-She let the Cecils become too powerful risking challenges to her authority like Essex’s Rebellion
-Conflict in court in 1590s made her government less effective
The nobility in Elizabethan England
-Descendants of Norman Soldiers who invaded England in 1066
-Have titles like Dukes, Earls, Barons
-Addressed as Lords
-Average income was £6000 a year (1 million today)
-14% of the country’s income went to this 1% of population
-All titles went to the eldest son
-Don’t work, walk slowly, hunt and party, want to be at court to impress Elizabeth, have monopolies
Male Nobility fashion
-Becomes increasingly more flamboyant through her reign
-Wore make up and jewellery
-Wore tights to show of legs (most desirable part of a man’s body)
-Large ruffs around their neck
Female Nobility fashion
-Huge dresses of expensive materials to show off wealth
-Makeup was deadly white as you didn’t want to look like you worked outside
-The white make up was made of lead which could cause severe skin problems
The gentry
-Class that had emerged in the last 150 years
-Made money through work (owning land)
-Could be richer than nobles
-Roles in maintaining law and order at local levels (JPs)
-Income varied from £10 to thousands a year
-Men from this rank were increasingly given top jobs in government (William Cecil)
Growing prosperity and the rise of the gentry
-Population growth and change in farming practices were good for landowners especially the gentry
-Enclosures meant land was formed more efficiently
-Landowners made lots of money as the price of agricultural products rose
-Growth of towns and development of trade saw merchants become very rich
The peasantry
-Make up vats majority of society and are rural labourers
-Live hand to mouth
-Peasants struggled for work as England’s population rose by a million during Elizabeth’s reign
Theatre at the start of Elizabeth’s reign
-At the start of her reign, there were no permanent theatres but actors would travel to village squares and inn courtyards
-Actors were rough street artists who would often get drunk and commit robberies
The building of Elizabethan Theatres and what they were like
-The first theatres were built in London in the 1570’s including ‘The Theatre’ and ‘The Curtain’
-Open-air buildings with a raised stage that stretched out
-Had roofs called the ‘heavens’
-Actors entered through the heavens or trapdoors
-The Globe was built in Shoreditch in 1576 and moved to Southwark in 1599, it held 3000
Elizabethan Theatre Plays and Playwrights
-Plays were performed by acting companies who often worked on a shareholder system where members contributed to its cost and received a share of its profit
-William Shakespeare, the most celebrated playwright of all time, principal writer of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men
-All actors were male and one of the most famous of the time was Richard Burbage
Attitudes towards Elizabethan Theatre
-Appealed to both the rich and poor
-Elizabeth enjoyed plays but never attended public theatre
-She set up an acting company called ‘The Queen’s Men’
-Some members of the govt were worried it might spread pro-Catholic or anti-govt beliefs so they introduced censorship
4 reasons why Poverty increases
1) Population growth
2) Rising prices
3) Sheep Farming
4) Enclosure
How population growth led to an increase in poverty
-Population grew by 35% in her reign
-Big areas of population boom were towns and cities
-London’s population was 150,000 by 1608
-Everyone needed food and rural areas couldn’t keep up
-Food became sparce and prices rose
How rising prices led to an increase in poverty
-Food prices were exacerbated by several poor harvests
-Bread prices were so high due to bad harvests of grain
-More workers=Lower wages
-Led to more starvation
How sheep farming led to an increase in poverty
-Wool was extremely valuable, 86% of English trade was wool
-Farmers gave up cops to herd sheep instead
-Less food grown and much of the food grown went to animals
-Needed less people than food farming so many lost jobs
How enclosure led to an increase in poverty
-In the Middle Ages, land was communal meaning peasants could graze livestock and grow crops on the land
-New farming techniques were better suited to close off fields
-Rich landowners closed off their lands
-Poor farmers had less land access and less man power was needed so rich farmers needed less employees
Explain the 3 categories of the poor
1) Helpless poor= Unable to support themselves (orphans, elderly, sick or disabled)
2) Deserving poor= People who wanted to work but couldn’t find a job in their town or village
3) Undeserving poor= Beggars, criminals and people who refused to work. Classed as vagabonds and treated very badly
Explain 3 important laws passed by the government on poverty
1) Statute of Artificers 1563- Ensure poor relief was collected. Anyone who didn’t pay tax could be imprisoned
2) Vagabond Act 1572- Stop vagrancy. Vagabonds whipped. Introduced a national poor rate. Towns had to find work for the able-bodied poor
3) Poor relief Act 1576= Differentiated able and deserving poor. If ables refused to work they could be sent to special prisons
Did Elizabeth successfully look after the welfare of the people?
-End of reign= wide-ranging laws were passed to support the poor, which remained in place for the next 200 years.
-Poor Laws worked
-The government was responsible for the welfare of the weakest people in society
The Age of Exploration/Discovery
-Began in the 15th Century
-A period of time when Europeans began exploring the world by sea in search of new trading routes, wealth and knowledge
Why did Exploration begin in Elizabethan England?
-There were lots of valuable goods not available in Europe
-Good opportunity to gain an advantage of their rivals Spain
-Allowed England the chance to spread Protestantism
Drake’s Circumnavigation of the globe (1577-1580)
-Spain had a massive empire in the Americas (New World)
-Liz supported privateers like Drake who stole gold from Spain
-1577= Liz asks to sail the bottom of South America into Pacific
and raid the Spanish Empire there
-Drake took 5 ships and 164 men on 13th Dec 1577
-1 ship left by the Pacific: The Golden Hind
-He robbed Spanish ships and the Empire there
-Captures Spanish ship which surrenders when Hind opens fire
-They take 36kg gold and 26 tonnes silver
-He sailed across the Pacific to Indonesia and across Indian Ocean
-He arrived back in Sep 1580 with 59 men left
-Drake gets knighted
The royal recognition and wealth Drake brought encourages more English sailors
John Hawkins’ Transatlantic Slave Trade
-The first English privateer to take part in Transatlantic slave trade
-1562= Sails to Guinea Coast with 100 men, raided settlements, took 300 prisoners who they sold to slavery in the Caribbean
-156= Ships return to England with ginger and sugar from the NW
-Liz investigates expedition, marking England’s intro to slave trade
-Spanish resent English intrusion on trade they saw as their own
-1568= Hawkins attacked by a Spanish fleet
3 Trading companies in Elizabethan England
1) Eastland Company
2) Levant Company
3) East India Company
Eastland Company trade
-Baltic trade routes had been dominated by Hanseatic League
-1579= Trade depot set up in Poland where the company can get in on the action
-Goods like cloth and naval supplies entered English markets
-Eastern direction of trade brought wealth to Eastern ports like Hull, but London still dominated trade
Levant Company trade
-1570= English traders start working directly in the Mediterranean, bypassing Italian Merchants in London
-Goods like silk, spices, olive oil and currants imported to England
-1580’s= Trade introduced with the Ottoman Empire and an ambassador was sent to Constantinople
East India Company trade
-1591= James Lancaster reached India and English traders presented a letter from Liz to the Mogul Sultan in Agra
-This didn’t instantly lead to much profit but these links led to the founding of the East India Company in 1600
-This dominated trade in the subcontinent and was a foundation of English imperialism
Raleigh planning of the Colonisation of Virginia
-1584= Liz gives permission to set up a colony on the Atlantic Coast of North America (Virginia)
-A fact finding mission said it was a paradise with friendly people
-1585= Raleigh and 108 soldiers, farmers, craftsmen set sail
-5 ships head off to Roanake Island
Raleigh’s 1st attempt to colonise Virginia (1585-56)
-Initially, many got very ill on the voyage
-Arrived too late to plant crops, the ship was damaged and their food was ruined
-Settlers couldn’t feed themselves and relied on native population
-There wasn’t precious metals or good land to farm
-Soldiers couldn’t farm, fisherman struggled fishing
-Chief of local tribe Wingina got annoyed with the constant requests for food
-Wingina prepared to attack English but English found out, ambushed Americans and killed Wingina
-Settlers gave up and went back to England
Raleigh’s 2nd attempt to colonise Virginia (1587-90)
-Left in 1587 but with women and several families on board
-Poor people came thinking they’d be suited to harsh conditions
-Each person promised 500 acres of land
-Americans were hostile from the start
-English tried to attack Americans but mistakenly attacked friendly Indians (the Croatans)
-John White returned to England to inform Raleigh
-Raleigh went back in 1580 and found the settlement deserted
The Religious/Elizabethan settlement (1559)
-Elizabeth’s plan to find a middle way (via media) between Catholics and Protestants
-Her Church had Protestant beliefs (no transubstantiation) but looked Catholic (stained glass windows, decoration etc)
-Elizabeth was titled the Supreme Governor of the Church as opposed to Supreme Head
-Act of Supremacy and Uniformity made England Protestant
Act of Supremacy (1559)
-Made Elizabeth the Supreme Governor of the Church of England
-All clergy swore on oath of allegiance to her as the head
-She choose ‘governor’ rather than ‘head’ to appeal to those who disagreed with a woman having this power
Act of Uniformity (1559)
-Established appearance of churches and forms of services held
-Ornaments and decorations were hymns allowed (Catholic)
-Church was compulsory and there was fines for missing it
-A new Book of Common Prayer was issued (P)
-All parishes had to have a copy of the Bible in English (P)
Mary Queen of Scots background
-Became Queen of Scotland at 6 days old
-Becomes Queen of France at 17 after marrying the King
-After husband’s sudden death in 1560, she returns to Scotland
-Marries Scottish nobleman Lord Darnley in 1565 (have James)
-He was violent, ruled like the King of Scotland, murdered in 1567
-Marries Earl of Bothwell months later but the marriage is unpopular and Scottish nobles rebel against Mary
-They imprison her, her 1 year old succeeds her, in 1568 she escapes and flees to England
Elizabeth’s treatment of Mary Queen of Scots
-Mary hoped Elizabeth would help her regain control of Scotland
-Elizabeth refuses due to Mary’s claim to the English throne
-Elizabeth imprisons Mary and sets up an inquiry to see if she was involved in Lord Darnley’s assassination
-Even though she was imprisoned, she still posed great threat and was hugely involved in the Catholic resistance
3 reasons why Catholics wanted MQS to be Queen of England
-Mary was a clear heir to the throne being Henry’s Great Niece and she was seen as more legitimate than Elizabeth
-Mary was a committed Catholic which was an issue in Protestant Scotland but was popular with Catholics in England
-Mary gave birth to a legitimate son in 1566, James I which meant if she was Queen, she would have a successor unlike Liz
Lord Darnley’s assassination (1567)
-10th Feb, Darnley was blown up whilst in the pub
-Mary was believed to be behind the assassination
-A Civil War happened in Scotland where Mary and Bothwell lost
-Mary was deposed and fled to England in 1568
Why Northern Nobles were unhappy
-Elizabeth had confiscated a large amount of land from the Earl of Northumberland and shared it between his rivals
-Elizabeth had reduced the power of the northern nobles and increased her control in the North
-They blamed Elizabeth’s advisors like Cecil who they thought had too much power
Plan of the Northern Rebellion (1569)
-Duke of Norfolk (Catholic on the Privy Council) would marry MQS in secret and have a son
-There would be a rebellion in the North of England led by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland
-The rebels hoped to gain foreign support from France or Spain
Story of the Northern Rebellion (1569)
-The plan gets found out and Norfolk begs for forgiveness
-Westmorland and Northumberland rebel anyway
-They say Mass at Durham Cathedral with 6000 people
-Liz sends 16000 to fight the rebels but they had already fled
-800 are executed
Queen Elizabeth’s excommunication from the Catholic Church (1570)
-When hearing how Elizabeth violently responded to the Northern Rebellion, Pope Pius V issued the Papal Bull in 1570
-Elizabeth is excommunicated from the Catholic Church
-English Catholics are excommunicated if they obey Elizabeth
-Elizabeth strengthened the consequences for Catholics
Anti- Catholic laws
-1571= Treason Act, act of treason to have a copy of the Papal Bull
-1581= Recusancy fines increased to £20
-1585= Any priest obtained after 1559 could be executed
-1593= Catholics couldn’t travel more than 5 miles from their house without permission
Threat of Missionary priests
-1568= William Allen founded a missionary college at Douai to train English Catholic priests
-Once trained, they returned to England and secretly ministered
-279 arrived in England and 27 were executed for treason
-600 Jesuit priests arrived in England and 133 were executed
-Led to increase in Recusancy fines
3 plots against Queen Elizabeth
1) Ridolfi Plot (1571)
2) Throckmorton Plot (1583)
3) Babington Plot ( 1586)
Ridolfi Plot (1571)
-Thought up by an Italian banker named Robert Ridolfi
-Planned for the Duke of Norfolk and MQS to marry and for Spanish forces to invade England (10k men, backed by Philip)
-Cecil finds out and parliament met to demand the execution of MQS and the Duke of Norfolk
-Norfolk was executed in June 1972 but Elizabeth let Mary live
Throckmorton Plot (1583)
-Very little known about this plot as the letters were destroyed
-Aim was to free Mary and restore Catholicism with an invasion of Spanish forces
-Walsingham found out and Throckmorton was arrested and executed
-No one backed it but wasn’t too big of a threat
Babington Plot (1586)
-Babington wrote to Mary to propose French invading England to put Mary on the throne with support of Spain and the Pope
-Mary wrote back approving of the plot
-The letters were intercepted and decoded by Walsingham who had proof that Mary was plotting against Elizabeth
-Mary was put on trial and executed as a result
Execution of Mary Queen of Scots
-Oct 1586= Mary was found guilty of treason and sentenced
-Elizabeth was reluctant to execute Mary
-Parliament and Privy Council believed it was vital to weaken Catholic threat and protect the Religious Settlement
-Elizabeth finally agreed and was executed on the 8th of Feb 1587
-This removed Catholic Threat within the country but made Phillip of Spain more determined
4 ways Puritans challenged Elizabeth and the Religious settlement
1) Presbyterians
2) Prophesying
3) Seperatists
4) Surplice controversy
Presbyterians
-Small, dedicated group who refused to give in
-Continued to argue against what they saw as a Popish Church
-Didn’t like the idea of Bishops and wanted them removed
Prophesying
-Meetings involved members of the clergy meeting for prayer and discussion often criticising Elizabeth’s church strongly
-Elizabeth saw this as a threat and asked the Archbishop of Canterbury (Edmund Grindal) to remove them
-He was a moderate Puritan, thought it was good, so he refused
Separatists
-1580= New Separatist Church established in Norwich
-Leader was Robert Browne who was arrested but later released
-A second Church was set up in London in 1592 by Henry Barrow and John Greenwood were arrested but also hung
Surplice controversy
-Puritans preferred ordinary, plain clothing but the bishops of the Church of England had to wear white gowns
-Puritan priests refused to wear this
-However, by 1968, most agreed to it to not lose their jobs
3 archbishops in Elizabeth’s reign and what they did
1) Matthew Parker (59-75)= Ended surplice controversy, defeated Puritans at Vestment’ controversy, fairly good job
2) Edmund Grindal (75-83)= Refused to stop prophesying, wrote 6000 word letter defending Puritans, placed under house arrest for 6 months, did a bad job
3) John Whitgift (83-04)= Prosecutes Field and Wilcox, cracks down on non-conformists, president of a special court to root out Puritans (400 sacked in 1583)
How Elizabeth and the government dealt with Puritans
-A new High Commission gave the power to fine and imprison Puritans who didn’t conform
-Elizabeth punished Puritan printers
-Introduced rules to ban unlicensed preaching and enforced attendance at Church
3 reasons for tension between England and Spain
-Political= Spain had a large empire in the Americas and by the 1570’s England also tried to colonise. This began a rivalry
-Religious= Phillip was Catholic and was involved in Catholic plots against Elizabeth damaging her trust in him
-Economic= Elizabeth encouraged privateers to trade illegally with Spanish colonies, raid Spanish ships and attack treasure fleets
Beginnings of England helping the Dutch
-1572= Dutch people try and get rid of Spanish rule in the Netherlands (Dutch Revolution)
-Elizabeth was hesitant to help Dutch rebels as it is expensive and Spain is very powerful to start a war with
-Elizabeth decides to help the Dutch a bit by unofficially sending money, being friendly to France and encouraging others to fight with the Dutch
Sacking of Antwerp (1576)
-Nov 1576= Spanish didn’t pay some soldiers and they went on a rampage in Antwerp, killing civilians
-7000-18000 civilians were killed
-Dutch rebels were angry and made the Pacification of Ghent demanding Spanish troops to leave Netherlands, Netherlands would have autonomy and an end to religious persecution
Treaty of Nonsuch (1585)
-Spain + France join forces to sign Treaty of Joinville in 1584
-Liz signs Nonsuch= 7000 troops and weapons to help the Dutch
-England and Spain are effectively at war
-English army is weak and many joined the Catholics (split loyalty)
-Phillip saw the treaty as a declaration of war against Spain
-Spain began building a huge fleet (Armada) to invade England
Singeing of the King of Spain’s beard (1587)
-Liz sends Drake to spy on Spanish prep and attack their ships
-Drake attacks Spanish port on Cadiz
-He destroyed around 30 ships and seized tonnes of supplies
-This delayed the Armada by a year, giving England valuable time to catch up
-He captured planks from seasoned wood meaning Spanish had to use unseasoned which couldn’t preserve food or water well
-This affected the welfare of soldiers on the Armada
Spanish plan for invasion of England (Spanish Armada)
-By Spring 1588, Armada was complete
-Armada was a huge fleet of 130 ships, manned by 8000 soldiers and carried an estimated 18,000 soldiers
-Phillip appoints Duke of Medina Sidonia to lead Armada
-Spanish had thousands more soldiers stationed in the Netherlands under the leadership of the Duke of Parma
-Phillip planned for Armada to meet Parma’s army at Dunkirk
-Combined forces would then sail across the Channel to England under the protection of the Armada’s warships
Story of the Spanish Armada (1588)
-May 1588: Armada sails to Lisbon by Duke of Medina Sidonia
-July 1588: Armada arrives off the coast of England, English fleet, led by Drake, engages in skirmishes
-Aug 1588: Major battle at Battle of Grave lines. English navy defeats Armada with superior tactics and faster ships
-Armada forced to retreat, sailing around Scotland and Ireland, where many ships are destroyed by storms
-Oct 1588: Remnants of Armada return to Spain, defeated
3 reasons why the Spanish Armada fails
1) Weather
2) Spanish and English planning
3) Spanish and English leadership
How the weather contributed to the fail of the Armada
-There were strong winds in the English Channel blowing Spanish ships into the dangerous North Sea
-Ships didn’t have engines and relied on winds
-Once in the North Sea, ships smashed on the rocks around the coast of Scotland and Ireland
-Made many think God was on England’s side
-Phillip blamed the defeat on the winds
How English and Spanish planning contributed to the fail of the Armada
-SPANISH= Ambitious plan relied on ships meeting with soldiers in Netherlands. It was difficult to communicate long distances. Ships were too big and slow and they had to scrap their formation
-ENGLISH= Drake used clever schemes by using fire ships to set Spanish ships alight. They set old ships on fire and sailed them at the Spanish. English sailors were better and more knowledgeable
How English and Spanish leadership contributed to the fail of the Armada
-SPANISH= Duke of Medina was the leader but had never led a fleet before (little experience) Wasn’t confident in the movement of the fleet and didn’t understand the importance of the wind
-ENGLISH= Drake was an experienced sailor and had led many fleets. Elizabeth played an important role by giving an inspirational speech boosting morale
How England’s victory removed the threat of a Spanish invasion
-Phillip sent 2 further Armadas in the 1590’s but unsuccessful
-It was the last serious Spanish threat to Elizabeth’s throne
-It contributed to England’s development as a strong naval power
-England went on voyages of discovery to establish trade routes
-Boosted Liz’s popularity and strengthened Protestant cause
Main facts about Hardwick Hall
-Built by Bess of Hardwick
-Built between 1590 and 1597
-Near Chesterfield in Derbyshire
-Queen Elizabeth never visited as it was too far
Bess of Hardwick
-Born into averagely gentry family in 1527
-Married 4 times (Sir William Cavendish (2), Sir William St Loe (3))
-Marriages helped her climb through society to nobility
-Inherited a fortune from the death of her husbands
-Influential friends like William Cecil, Robert Dudley, Francis Walsingham and the Queen
-Owned lot of land giving her iron, glass, clay to use for her house
Houses in the 1400s
-Small
-Servants and owners ate together in the Great Hall
-Great Hall is the only room with a fire
-Building is mainly built for defence
Houses in the 1500s
-Large
-Servants and owners are separate and never eat together
-Many luxurious rooms
-Built for comfort as opposed to defence
Design of Hardwick Hall
-50m long galley on the second floor
-Ceilings got higher on each level (higher= more important)
-Massive alabaster fireplace (state of the art, expensive, cost 1 million today)
-Servants on the ground floor away from the family (small rooms, low ceilings)
-Loggia (Italian design of columns) outside
-Turkish carpets, velvet curtains, French gardens, French furniture
Stats and Facts on Hardwick Hall
-Designed by architect Robert Smythson
-Built in the Renaissance style
-Lots of windows (glass was expensive)
-The High Great Chamber was the main banqueting hall covered in tapestries
-The Royal Coat of Arms is at the top of the house showing the owner is loyal to Elizabeth
Elizabethan era as a culture of comfort
-Period saw growing prosperity amongst the gentry in a time of stability in England which houses reflected
-Country houses were no longer the communal centre of a village but a private residence for a cultured noble
-Architects focused on how the houses looked and its comfort rather than the security of the owner
Elizabethan style homes
-Renaissance was inspired by ancient/classical civilisations as it demonstrated a cultured mind and refined taste
-Buildings was symmetrical and built around an E or H shape
-Open courtyards
-Rich oak pannelling, geometric plaster work set of walls with colourful tapestries
-Walls full of windows
-Chimneys like classical columns and often in stacks of 2 or 3
4 ways the Gentry rose in society
-Trade
-Land (Gentry bought from monastries which Henry closed)
-Wool trade
-Marriage
Key members of the gentry
-Francis Drake (explorer)
-Sir Walter Raleigh (English colonisation of America)
-Francis Bacon (essayer and philosopher)
