England In 1558 Flashcards

Question

Financial weaknesses in 1558

Answer 1

The Crown was £300,000 in debt in debt and had an annual income of £286,667. Mary Tudor had sold off Crown Lands to pay for wars with France , so the Crown's income from rents was falling. Over £100,00 of Crown debts was owed to foreign moneylenders (the antwerp exchange), which charged a high interest rate at 14%.

Answer 2

Since the 1540s, the Crown had debased (devalued) the coinage, by reducing its silver and Gold content, in order to make more money to fight wars against france. This resulted in inflation, as the value of currency fell.

Answer 3

Raise taxes to boost the crown's income Improve the quality of money by increasing the gold and silver content in the coinage

Answer 4

- She did not raise taxes but insteas hoarded the income and cut her household expenses by half - Like her predecessors, she sold crown lands, raising £120000 (By 1574, the queen could claim that the crown was out of debt for the first time since 1558)

Answer 5

In spite of Elizabeth's careful management of Crown finances, there was limited reform. Parliamentary grants were raised locally, with many landowners acting as Lord Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace, pocketing some of the proceeds before the rest was sent to the Crown. This meant that ordinary people faced a heavier financial burden while the wealthy benefitted.

Answer 6

The French threat The Auld Alliance France ending its war with Spain England losing calais to France Cost of war

Answer 7

France was wealthier than England and had a bigger population. Elizabeth's cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots,was married to the heir to the French throne. Mary had a strong claim to the English throne and English Catholics might rally to her if the French invaded.

Answer 8

War was an expensive business and the crown was in debt, England could not afford a war with france, scotland or spain, as this would be ruinously expensive and deepen the government's debts.

Answer 9

French military resources were no longer stretched by war with Spain, making a war with England more likely. There was also the possibility that France and Spain, both Catholic countries, would unite against Protestant England. Spain also had troops in the Netherlands, not far from England.

Answer 10

France's alliance with Scotland threatened England. Mary of Guise (James V's widow), who ruled Scotland on behalf of her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, kept French soldiers there, who could attack England. The relationship between France and Scotland was further strengthened by the marriage of Francis (the heir to the French throne) to Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1558. Francis became King Francis Il of France in 1559.

Answer 11

Under the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis England had lost Calais to France. This was England's last remaining territory on the continent and there was pressure on Elizabeth to regain it. However, war with France would be expensive and dangerous.

Answer 12

• She sought to avoid war with France by signing the Peace of Troyes (1564), which recognised once and for all the French claim to Calais. • Elizabeth was able to deal with the threat posed by Scotland by placing Mary, Queen of Scots, who fled Scotland in 1568, in custody in England. • By imprisoning Mary and making peace with France, Elizabeth had only one significant threat by 1569: Spain.