How important was the Privy Council in the Elizabethan government? Flashcards
What key themes can you identify were diving Elizabeth’s Privy Council?
-fear of Catholic threats
-religion
-unified council but usually disagreed with Elizabeth
-suitors
-foreign/foreign potential threats/fear
What key things were discussed in the Privy Council? 1559-1570s
-1559-1560 intervention in Scotland
-1562 Queen ill from smallpox
-1566 possibility of the queen’s marriage
-1568 MQS
-1572 French envoy/St Bartholomew’s massacre
-1573 Francis Walsingham
-1970s
-1579 whether Elizabeth would marry the Duke of Alencon
-1584 William of Orange assassinated
-1576 question of aid to the Dutch rebels
-1570s and 1580s core team
What can’t the Privy Council do?
pass laws
What were the frequency of the Privy Councils meetings?
-frequency of meetings
What were the frequency of meetings like in 1588 onwards? Why?
-daily->due to the Spanish Armada
Why did Elizabeth had to chose her council wisely?
-it could end up being factionated
What did Elizabeth depend on?
-it was depended on Elizabeth->she needed to have support
When did Elizabeth appoint and address her council?
-3 days after Mary’s death
Who were her Secretary’s of state?
-William Cecil 1st
-Francis Walsingham 2nd
-Robert Cecil 3rd
What was William Cecil’s role?
-he was very powerful
-was like the head of the Council besides Eilzabeth
-had a lot of control over things->he had access to Elizabeth’s private rooms
-he was ‘everywhere and everything’ and ‘Elizabeth’s voice to the world’
-like Elizabeth’s right hand man
-Secretary of State 1558-1573
-gets a title in 1571->Lord Burghley
What expectations does Elizabeth have of her Privy Council?
-loyalty
-not much Patronage
-hear their opinions
-for them to put the welfare of the country before anything else
What key themes can you identify that were dividing the PC?
-marriage
-religion
-foreign
-political->marriage, succession
