Elizabethan society Flashcards
Society compared to the rest of Europe?
England was technically more stable than other European nations – France and the Netherlands had been ripped apart by religious wars.
Who dominated positions of power within society?
Aristocrats continued to dominate positions of power. Elizabeth was though reticent to create more peers – four Dukes met traitors’ deaths 1547 – 72 and Elizabeth created no more in her reign.
Position of nobility and gentlemen?
The traditional nobility began to decrease whilst a new ‘class’ of wealthy gentlemen and urban elites created through trade began to swell monopolising offices and local government.
Benefits for such new urban elites?
These new urban and country gentlemen snapped up land to justify their new wealth building great houses, deer parks and enclosures.
What percentage of the population lived below the poverty line?
60%
What group of people were the worst hit by the times of depression and inflation?
Landless poor- the people who relied on wages
Define the deserving poor.
A subset of the ‘deserving poor’ were the impotent poor – those who were too ill, disabled or old to be able to look after themselves.
Define the undeserving poor.
The undeserving poor were deemed to be those who avoided work, begged despite being able bodied, were women who got pregnant our of wedlock or wasted their money on drink
1572 legislation for undeserving poor?
For the first time people would be branded as the undeserving poor
1579 undeserving poor legislation?
First time offenders found away from their home parish would be whipped and sent back – two incidences would result in death.
1572 act for the poor?
People with a certain amount of wealth would have to pay a fixed rate which would then be distributed to the poor in the parish
1576 Poor Law Act?
First attempt to create a national form of administration for the relief of the poor. To be enforced locally with money raised and administered locally. In the 1576 Act each town was required to provide work for the unemployed, in effect, the first English Workhouse, or Poorhouse (without accommodation) and Houses of Correction for Vagrants and Beggars. Raw materials, such as wool, was provided and the poor supplied the labour. .
Law in 1601 regarding the poor?
601 each town to create a job role the Overseer of the Poor. Their job was to relieve the impotent poor (including even finding them accommodation in someone else’s house if they were homeless), setting able-bodied men to work and finding apprenticeships for poor children.
Population during Elizabeth’s reign?
4 million
How many lived in London?
150,000-although most people lived in the country side London was popular for migrants
Elizabeth’s attitude towards Ireland?
Should be subjected to a policy of Englishness in both religion and secular matters
Role of Elizabeth in Ireland?
Proclaimed Supreme Governor of Church in Ireland 1560
Why did Elizabeth struggle to impose Catholicism in Ireland?
Population was largely Catholic
Gaelic in language
Customary laws differed majorly from English laws
Rebellions in Ireland?
One in 1569-1572
One in 1579-1582- linked with Spanish incursion to County Kerry
Why were Anglo-Irish relations further soured?
Brutality of response of Lord Deputy of Ireland to crush rebellion
3rd Anglo-Irish rebellion?
Centred on Ulster- Earl of Tyrone rose up in rebellion in 1595 with the Spanish attempting to exploit the situation by including Irish contingent in the Armada in 1596
Battle of Yellow Ford?
Irish rebels under Tyrone were successful- were in control of much of Ireland beyond the Pale- it looked as if Tyrone might establish an independent and Catholic Ireland beyond the pale
Elizabeth response to Battle of Yellow Ford?
Sent E of Essex to act as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1599
Why did E fail to deal with Battle of Yellow Ford?
Essex was ready to disobey the Queen’s orders- he had a large force but instead of confronting Tyrone he made a truce before denying the Queen’s orders and returning to court
High point of Tyrone power?
When truce ended he moved south hoping to link up with the Spanish army - this was where 3000 Spanish troops landed
English triumph on Christmas Eve?
1601 Tyrone retreated back to Ulster eventually offering a peace treaty with Mountjoy- Essex’s replacement- in 1603 where generous terms were offered
Influence of Wales?
Borders remained secure as Wales and England remained intergrated, although Wales were mainly poor, but linguistic and had cultural differences to England there was a rarely a border conflict
How did religion intergrate Wales?
The Book of Common Prayer and Bible were translated into Welsh
When was Northern border security an issue?
When some of the 1569 rebel leaders escaped into Scotland
Elizabeth’s border control policy?
Same as father’s - southerners were appointed rather than magnates from noble northern families
This changed when E had to appoint the second rank of northern landowners
Why did Treaty of Berwick need to be negotiated?
Prevent border governing issues when Francis Russell was murdered
E problems with Council of North?
Based in York she felt the office of president could not be granted to a member of the Northern nobility- who she couldn’t trust- but granting it to a southerner would also create problems
