Elizabethan Government Flashcards
Name all 7 Privy Councillors?
William Cecil, Robert Dudley, Francis Walsingham. Robert Deveruex, Christopher Hatton, Robert Cecil
What were Factions?
Factions were rivalries between nobles - as they all wanted to win the favour of the queen she could play them against one another
What is patronage?
When a monarch gives out favours such as land or positions in the court to maintain their support/loyalty
What was the privy councils function?
They were a body of advisors and ministers who were appointed to help her rule.
How often did the privy council meet?
2/3 times a week
Who was William Cecil?
Lord Burghley served as Secretary of State and lord treasure - was an advisor for Elizabeth for more tan 40 years
Who was Robert Dudley?
Earl of Leicester- his close relationship with Elizabeth gave rise to rumours of an affair between them but Elizabeth couldn’t marry him as it was thought he had pushed his wife down the stairs and killed her. Therefore in 1585 Elizabeth sent him to the Netherlands to be commander of the army
Who was Sir Francis Walsingham?
Head of Elizabeth’s secret service- had a network of spies to protect the monarch
Who was Christopher Hatton?
Responsible for organising the annual royal progresses- in 1587 became Lord Chancelllor
Wh was Robert Devereux?
earl of Essex and in charge of attacks against Spain and Ireland
Who was Robert Cecil?
William Cecil’s son who took over Walsnghams job after he died in 1591
What did the local government do?
Helped maintain law and order on a local level
What was the Lord Lieutenant and what was his job?
The Lord Lieutenant was the chief of the local officials. Kept the queen informed about what was happening in the area whilst supervising JPs and the local militia
Who were Lord Lieutenants?
wealthy landowners who were often a privy councillor
How many Lord Lieutenants per county?
1 to supervise JPs
What was the role of JPs?
Responsible for maintaining law and order on a local level daily.
How many JPs in each county?
30-60 depending on the size of the county
What were some of the tasks JPs had to do?
They were justices (judges) in courts for minor crimes; they oversaw the maintenance of highways; and they administered poor relief to the unemployed.
Who were JPs
Wealthy country men who received no money for the role but did it for status and respect
Who were JPs supported by ?
Lesser officers
Who were lesser officers?
parish constable, night watchmen, overseer of poor etc.
Why were sheriffs dying out and what happened to their role?
Their role had medieval roots, there was 1 sheriff per county and most of their responsibilities were being passed to the Lord Lieutenant of JPs
What were a sheriffs jobs/
Concerned with legal affairs
Eg. Appointing juries, delivering prisoners to court, supervising and collecting taxes.
Who were parish constable?
Lesser officer - a former of tradesmen who held the unpaid post of constable for a year
Who were Parish constable being supervised by?
JPs
What were Parish Contables job?
Watching vagabundos, keeping order in taverns and preventing trespassers or poachers
What did night watchmen do
They did a parish constable job but at night
Who was overseer of poor appointed by
JPs and they collected the poor rate and distributed it among those in need
When did parliament meet
Only when the queen called on it
How many times did parliament meet during Elizabeth’s 26 year reign
They only called 10 parliaments and met on 13 occasions in 26 years
Who were in the House of Lords ?
A non elected body or 100 lords, bishops and judges
Who were in the House of Commons
450 elected MPs- 2 MPs per county and 2 MPs per important town within
Who were MPs
Wealthy male landowners
Why did Elizabeth call parliament
She needed money - only parliament had the power to raise money through taxes
She needed to pas an Act of Parliament
She desired support and advice from MPs about certain issues
Was freedom of speech limited in PARLIAMENT
Yes
how was freedom of speech limited in parliament?
Elizabeth appointed the speaker of the house
Elizabeth cose the topics for discussion
MPs who discussed forbidden topics (eg. Her marriage or religion) were dismissed
What did Elizabeth inherit from Mary?
The Marián debt of $227000
Monarchs were expected to do what with their own money?
Use it to pay the costs of running the country
The royal household expenditure was cut and royal court salaries were capped. WHY?
Elizabeth had to deal with inflation and costly foreign wars
Why was local taxation needed?
Poverty was becoming a big problem and local taxes rose to hep pay for increased poor relief
What did Elizabeth do for popularity?
Progresses, portraits
What did portraits display Elizabeth as?
Young, majestic, immortal,powerful and wise
Youthful - showed her subjects she would provide stability as she would be around for a long time
What were royal progresses/
10 week annual tour round south of England
Visited in stately homes of her nobility
Joined by entire Royal Court
What was Elizabeth thought to have been a part of ?
1554 Wyatt Rebellion- so locked up in Tower of London
