GCSE History OCR B (The Elizabethans 1580 - 1603) Section 2: The royal court, Parliament and the Essex Rebellion Flashcards
Define the key term “royal court”
The royal court was the group of nobles and privy councillors who surrounded the queen
Name 3 activates that people would do for entertainment at the royal court.
Jousting tournaments
Dancing
Watch plays
State 2 positions of power that Elizabeth could grant a person.
A seat on the privy council
A place at court
How did patronage guarantee loyalty to Elizabeth?
She could remove it at any time, so if people wanted the benefits of it they had to stay loyal to Elizabeth.
Power was built on personal relationships with the queen.
How frequently did the privy council meet?
Daily
What did the privy council advise Elizabeth on?
Important issues at the time (e.g war)
Who was the privy council led by?
The Secretary of state.
How did Elizabeth control the privy council?
She appointed councillors with different viewpoints so she could get different opinions on certain topics
Who did Elizabeth appoint as secretary of state for most of her reign and what was his nickname?
William Cecil or ‘spirit’
In 1587, what did Cecil manipulate into doing?
Executing Mary Queen of Scots
By 1590, how did a rivalry develop in the Privy Council?
Cecil become too old to properly run the council so a rivalry emerged between his son, Robert Cecil and other councillors such as the Earl of Essex
Who controlled and enforced laws in individual counties?
A lord lieutenant, this was usually the most powerful noble in the county
State 2 duties that a lord lieutenant carried out.
1) To keep the queen and privy council informed of what was going on in the county.
2) Raise a local army to deal with rebellion
Who were the main people responsible for maintaining law and order in each county?
Justicies of the peace (JPs)
How many JPs were in each county?
Approx. 40
Who were JPs appointed by?
The queen - this was a form of patronage
State 3 things JPs were responsible for.
Collecting taxes and fines.
Enforcing the poor law.
Judging court cases.
Why were some JPs corrupt?
They were unpaid, so this led to bribery
What were the 2 main things that Elizabeth’s MPs voted on?
New laws and changes in tax
What stopped Elizabeth from raising taxes when she wanted?
Elizabeth need the consent of parliament to raise taxes which allowed them to push for changes that MPs wanted to see
State 4 things Puritan MPs pushed Elizabeth to do.
1) Marry a protestant and name a protestant heir
2) Remove archbishops and bishops - allow elected committees to control churches
3) Stop priests wearing vestments
4) Give MPs freedom of speech so they could discuss whatever they wanted in Parliament
How many times did Parliament meet in Elizabeth’s 45 year regime?
13 times
What was the role of the privy council in parliament?
To control parlamental debates
What 2 topics were banned in Parliament?
1) Religion
2) Her marriage
Why was Peter Wentworth imprisoned?
He demanded that Elizabeth named a protestant heir.
What happened to John Stubbs, a Puritan MP, and why?
His hand was chopped off in 1593 for criticising Elizabeth’s proposed marriage to a catholic duke.
What 2 things did Elizabeth project herself as through propaganda?
A powerful and popular monarchs
What 2 things did Elizabeth emphasise about herself through her portraits?
Her power and lack of any weakness
What did Elizabeth do to establish a presence throughout England?
She went on regular tours of the country so she could be seen by ordinary people
On her tours, who did Elizabeth stay with?
She stayed with local nobles who would put in extravagent shows for her in order to gain patronage
What 2 things did Elizabeth do to interact with the public while on tours?
1) showed off her wealth to the public
2) spoke with people as she passed
What areas did Elizabeth never visit and why?
The North and West - they weren’t protestant areas
At what age did the Earl of Essex become Elizabeth’s favourite court member?
Age 18
How did the Earl of Essex win a seat on the privy council?
His success as a military commander impressed Elizabeth and he has offered a seat.
What traits led to Robert Devereux execution?
His egotistical and rash behaviour
In 1598, what did Devereux do that worsened his relationship with Elizabeth?
Reached for his sword during an argument with Elizabeth
in 1599, what did Devereux do that worsened his relationship with Elizabeth?
Led a failed military campaign in Ireland
In 1600, what did Devereux do that worsened his relationship with Elizabeth?
Abandoned his soldiers in Ireland and forced his way into Elizabeth’s bedroom
In 1601, what did Devereux do that worsened his relationship with Elizabeth?
Plotted an armed rebellion to remove Elizabeth and make James of Scotland the king.
