Elizabethan England: government and politics Flashcards
When was Elizabeth born?
What hapened?
7th Septmeber 1533
Act of Sucession is passed that confirmed Elizabeth as the new heir to the throne
What happened in 1536?
Elizabeth’s mother was executed (Anne Boleyn)
Second Act of Succession declared Mary and Elizabeth as illegitimate with no fight to inherit the throne
What was Elizabeth’s early life like?
Henry VIII ‘s wife Catherine Parr became a mother figure for Elizabeth, and she was Protestant.
She was academic (good at languages, history, music and sport)
She loved and admired her father despite him isolating her and she was also close to her brother, Edward, but Mary despised her.
When and what was the Third Act of Succession?
1544
Restored Elizabeth to the throne, raising her status but it was considered unlikely she would become Queen
When did Elizabeth come to the throne?
Elizabeth’s ascension - 17th November 1558
crowining - 15th January 1559
the Royal Court
- run by Lord Chamberlain
- mobile operation
- consisted of the Queen’s household (nobles, officials and advisors)
- this was a source of advice and loyalty as well as rivalry
Progresses
- royal tour visits to the homes of the noblility
- allowed Elizabeth to be seen regularly to uphold the image of “Gloriana”
- also a reward for the nobility that acted as hosts
- Elizabeth had everything paid for by the hosts
Patronage
- using wealth, power and influence to promote individuals who them owe their patrons loyalty
- intense competition made everyone loyal to the Queen
- allowed Elizabeth to place politicians in court so it remained a polotical centre (Elizabeth remianed at the heart of politics and controlled everything)
Privy Council
- co-ordinated financial departments (law courts and regional bodies)
- issued instructions to local officials
- they could advise and direct policy but could be ignored by the Queen
- Elizabeth could choose and dismiss members
William Cecil
- moderate Protestant
- wanted to avoid war and unite the nation under moderate policies
- most trusted advisor
- saw all of Elizabeth’s correspondenses
- could manipulate the Queen but would do as told even if he didn’t agree. he was loyal
- he was a rival to Robert Dudely
Robert Dudley
- suspected of having a romantic relationship with Elizabeth
- Elizabeth gave him the title of Earl of Leichester
- radical puritan
- childhood friend of Elizabeth
- frequently argued with Cecil
- Master of the Horse (personally responsible for the Queen’s safety)
Sir Francis Walsingham
- secretary of state
- leader of Elizabeth’s “secret service” (highly efficient spy master)
- very loyal to Elizabeth
- passionate puritain (having seen catholic attacks on protestants in paris)
How was Elizabeth’s Privy Council chosen?
Elizabeth wanted to “divide and rule”
- she showed affection but also punished
- she purposely put conflicting characters together so they would compete for her affection
- opposing views also allowed Elizabeth to reach more balanced and informed decisions
House of Lords
- containing 90 peers (by the end of Elizabeth’s reign there were only 55 members)
- made up of noblemen and bishops
House of Commons
- 450 elected MPs
- made up of educated gentry, lawyers and merchants
- only landowners and wealthy citizens could vote for MPs
How didi Elizabeth control the parliament?
Patronage - many people relied on the crown (their job) to survive
Speeches - to both charm and bully members of Parliament
- she had the power to appoint the speaker (controls the direction of topics and debates)
What was the main reason Parliament was called?
- Elizabeth relied on Parliement for parliamentary subsidies (taxes)
- taxes were asked for in 11 out of the 13 sessions
- sometimes called to also create laws or pass acts
When was the Essex rebellion?
1601
Robert Cecil
- son of Willian Cecil
- trained in spycraft by Walsingham and father
- became secretary of state
- moderately anti-puritan and anti-catholic
- arch nemesis of Robert Devereux
- 1591: appointed to the Privy Council
Robert Devereux
- step sonof Robert Dudley
- Earl of Essex
- hated Robert Cecil
- ambitious and short-tempered
- disrespectful to Elizabeth but often forgiven
CAUSES of the Essex rebellion
- Essex was sent to defeat a rebellion in 1598 but ended up making peace against Elizabeth’s orders
- whilst Essex was fighting Robert Cecil was promoted, sparking jelously in Robert Devereux
- Devereux burst into the Queen’s bedchamber (to protest) before she was wigged and gowned
- as punishment he was banoshed from court and placed under house arrest
- Devereux lost his job and monopoly on sweet wines
EVENTS of the Essex rebellion
- Essex gathered 300 supporters (unsuccessful courtiers and unemployed soldiers)
- Essex fortified his mansion
- 4 Privy Councillors came to his house (as rumours had spread of a rebellion) and he locked them up as hostages
- Essex marched to the centre of London in an effort to capture the Queen
- instead of joining the effort most Londoners were unimpressed (nobody joined)
- the road was blocked so Essex returned to his mansion to find it surrounded, he was arrrested
FALIURES of the Essex rebellion
- Essex overestimated Londoners’ reaction and support for the rebellion
- most of the supporters left once they were offered a chance at pardon by the government
- Essex didnt have the element of surprise as the government had intel on Devereux’s plans thanks to the spy system
- government responded quickly by blocking his path and surrounding the mansion
When was Robert Devereux executed?
25th February 1601,
after being found guilty of treason
Why was Elizabeth’s government weak by 1590s?
- the country had been damaged by war, plague, increased poverty and harvest failures
- councillors died (Dudely, Walsingham, William Cecil)
- Elizabeth had no successor and could no longer use marriage as a barganing chip as she was too old
Why was it important that Elizabeth marry?
- it would encourage confidence in Elizabeth as ruler (women were seen as inferior, marrying would bring respect)
- marrying a foreigner could help mend or improve international relations
- marrying could let her have children which would solve the problem of succession, allowing religious stability
- marrying someone rich could increase economic stability
Why didn’t Elizabeth want to marry?
- she would have to share her power
- she would be limited in personal freedom
- foreign marriage could make other countires jealous or worsen relations
- Mary I’s marriage caused rebellion
- english husband would unbalance groups at Court
- the best suitors were Catholic and not Protestant
Philip II as a suitor
- Mary’s widower (Mary’s marriage was disasterous and caused rebellion)
- keen to regain title as king of England
- Catholic
- King of Spain which was a very rich country
- Spain were traditional allies of England against France
Robert Dudley as a suitor
- close friend and favourite of Elizabeth
- as an Earl he was inferior to Elizabeth (previously he had been even more inferior before he was amde Earl by Elizabeth)
- was already married
- rumours spread: Dudely’s wife was murdered to allow the Queen and Dudley to marry (this made their possible relationship scandalous)
Duke of Alençon as a suitor
- younger brother to the king of France
- Catholic
- somewhat deformed physically
- after the Protestant massacre in 1572 by Catholics in France, the French became very unpopular in England
- marriage with France could improve relations and prevent war with France but anger Spain
Mary Queen of Scots
(The Stuart Claim to the throne)
- Elizabeth’s cousin (strong claim to the throne)
- Catholic and brought up in France
- Elizabeth tried to have her marry Robert Dudley (to keep her under English influence)
- she ended up marrying Lord Darnley (cousin) which strengthened her claim to the throne
- had only one child: James VI
Explain the Sufflolk claim to the throne
- Henry VIII’s will stated the throne would pass to Mary (Duchess of Suffolk)
- Mary had three children: Jane, Mary and Catherine
- Lady Jane Grey ahd already been executed by Mary I for attempting to seize the throne
- Lady Mary and Catherine Grey were barred from succession after they married sectretly
How was the problem of succession ended?
Mary Queen of Scots died and thus her son, James VI of Scotland would take over, he was Protestant so religious stability was confirmed
- 1601: Robert Cecil began secret correspondence with James to prepare to take the throne once Elizabeth died
- 1603: Elizabeth died and James was crowned as the first single monach of Great Britain
