Part 1 : Elizabeth and her court Flashcards
which years did queen elizabeth reign?
1558-1603
what happened to elizabeth’s mother?
- anne boleyn
- had been executed for treason on the orders of her father king henry VIII
what happened to elizabeth’s older sister?
- queen mary I
- saw her as a potential threat to her own rule
- the family tree shows how unlikely elizabeth’s coronation would have seemed when she was a child
how was elizabeth brought up?
- as a princess, she had been educated and brought up within the royal household
what did elizabeth learn in her childhood?
- the court could be a dangerous place for her if she was not careful in what she said, did and whom she trusted
how old was elizabeth when she became queen?
- only 25
could elizabeth do as she pleased as queen?
no
how was elizabeth’s government?
she had a clear structure of advisors and other powerful figures
who was most of the power in elizabeth’s court held by?
- by a few key trusted individuals in elizabeth’s court like privy councillor
how can the queen ensure support?
through patronage
what was patronage?
- an important way of ensuring loyalty from courtiers
- elizabeth could award titles, land, monopolies and other powerful positions and money-making opportunities in exchange for obedience and support
what is the difference between the royal court and the government?
- court was made up of all the officials, servants and advisors that surrounded elizabeth
- the court was the centre of power but also the source of the latest trends and fashions
- court included the privy council but jps and the parliament was not a part of it
- government - queen and close advisors (usually privy councillors but all men whom she trusted.
which four groups held power in elizabethan england?
- lord lieutenants
- parliament
- the privy council
- justices of the peace
who were lord lieutenants and what were they responsible for?
- appointed by the queen
- responsible for running a particular area of the country
- responsible for raising a militia to fight for the queen if needed
- many also served on the privy council
who were justices of the peace and what were they responsible for?
- several in every country
- responsible for maintaining order and enforcing the law
who were parliament and what were they responsible for?
- made up of the house of lords and the house of commons
- had influence over tax and were responsible for passing laws
- the queen could choose when to call parliament and was free to ignore their advice
who were the privy council and what were they responsible for?
- responsible for day-to-day running of the country and dealing with all policy areas
- led by secretary of state
could the queen appoint anyone she wished into the privy council?
- although the queen could technically appoint whoever she wished, in reality, she had to appoint the most powerful landowners in the country in order to prevent rebellion
did elizabeth have to listen to the privy council?
- if the council was united it was almost impossible for elizabeth to go against their wishes
- however, unity was very rare in a group filled with ambitious rivals
examples of secretaries of state and their influence
- william cecil and francis walsingham were two significant and powerful figures who each served as secretary of state and they both had a huge influence on elizabeth
name the six problems elizabeth faced when she came to the throne in 1558
- succession
- religion
- foreign policy
- taxation
- mary queen of scots
- ireland
describe the succession issue
- elizabeth was the last living child of henry viii and she didn’t have any children of her own
- unclear who would succeed her if she dies before producing an heir
in the past, what did the succession issue lead to?
violent struggles for power
what happened in 1562 which increased the seriousness of the succession issue?
- elizabeth nearly died of smallpox in 1562
- this drew attention to the uncertainty of england’s future
- as a result, senior figures were keen that she marry asap
describe the religion issue.
- the tudor period saw many changes in the official religion which created instability and violence
- many catholics did not trust elizabeth and some claimed she had no right to be queen as she was seen as an illegitimate heir to the throne as they didn’t recognise henry’s marriage to elizabeth’s mother
what was also seen as a threat to religion on the protestant side?
- puritanism
- extreme form of protestantism
- there were a number of puritans who hoped to take control of elizabeth’s church and make it more extreme which could have damaged the whole religious settlement
describe the problem of taxation.
- the country was short of money and elizabeth needed to raise taxes
- poverty was widespread and raising taxes would be very unpopular
describe the ireland problem.
- like her predecessors, elizabeth thought herself to be the queen of ireland
- in 1559 she faced a major revolt in ireland which was to be the first of several in her reign
describe the problem of mary, queen of scots
- with no direct heir, the next in line to the throne was elizabeth’s catholic cousin mary
- many saw mary as an alternative queen of england which made her a serious threat to elizabeth
describe the issue of foreign policy.
- catholic countries such as spain and france desperately wanted influence over england and had the support of the pope in this aim and the threat of invasion was very real
what was one key area of tension regarding the issue of foreign policy?
- the netherlands, where the protestant population was in conflict with its spanish rulers and elizabeth had to decide whether or not to be involved
what was marriage seen as for a monarch?
as an important duty
what were the arguments in favour of marriage?
- the creation of an alliance with a foreign country or guarantee the loyalty of a powerful english family
- produce and heir to continue the tudor line and stop mary, queen of scots, from becoming queen at elizabeth’s death
what were the arguments against marriage?
- the loss of authority either to a foreign ruler or an englishman
- giving birth was very risky for the mother
- her experience of marriage had been bad
- elizabeth was able to use the possibility of marriage to her advantage when dealing with foreign leaders and important figures in england
by not marrying…
elizabeth and england kept their independence
why had elizabeth’s experience of marriage been bad in her childhood?
- her father had been married six times and ordered her mother to be executed and her sister’s marriage to Philip of Spain had been unhappy and did not produce an heir
state the three potential suitors for elizabeth
- francis, duke of anjou and alencon
- king philip II of spain
- robert dudley, the earl of leicester
who was francis, duke of anjou and alencon and why was he not a suitable suitor for elizabeth?
- he was the french king’s brother and the heir to his throne
- by the time a marriage was proposed, he was 46 and probably beyond having children
- a childless marriage could result in england falling under french control
- he was catholic and many important figures in elizabeth’s court were against the marriage
who was king philip II of spain and why was he not a suitable suitor for elizabeth?
- he was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world
- he had been married to elizabeth’s sister, queen mary I, but he had barely visited england and the marriage had not produced an heir
- he was catholic
who was robert dudley, earl of leicester and why was he not a suitable suitor for elizabeth?
- he was a childhood friend of the queen and a favourite of hers throughout her reign and many assumed they were in love
- he was a key figure in the royal court and a member of the privy council
- when his wife died, he became free to marry elizabeth but the scandal surrounding her death and rumours of his involvement meant this was almost impossible
why didn’t elizabeth get married?
- we will never know for sure
- elizabeth said she was married to ‘the kingdom of england’ and that remaining single allowed her to focus totally on ruling her country and keep england secure and independent
what was one of elizabeth’s most challenging relationship?
- her relationship with parliament
what did parliament consist of?
- lord, bishops and other nobles sat in the house of lords
- commoners (MPs) sat in the house of commons
what was parliament’s role
- to discuss issues and advise the queen
what was parliament responsible for?
- passing laws
- setting taxes
how much did parliament influence elizabeth?
- queen could decide when to call parliament and allow it to meet
- did not have to listen to what it said
- however, she could not ignore it completely
- she needed to deal with parliament very carefully
what were the six subjects which caused conflict between elizabeth and parliament?
- marriage and succession
- religion
- freedom of speech
- crime and poverty
- mary queen of scots
- monopolies
describe conflict between elizabeth and parliament regarding marriage and succession.
- many in parliament saw it as their duty to find elizabeth a suitable husband
- elizabeth was angry at such interference and she banned them from ever talking about it again
- she saw marriage as a discussion for her alone
when did parliament begin to discuss elizabeth’s marriage openly?
1566
describe conflict between elizabeth and parliament regarding religion.
- most divisive factor in elizabethan society
- majority of those in both houses of parliament were protestant and supported elizabeth’s religious settlement
- when elizabeth wished to introduce laws which made life hard for catholics, she found support in parliament
- one area of disagreement was over the issue of puritanism
what did puritans in parliament try to do?
- a number of powerful puritans in parliament tried unsuccessfully to introduce new laws to change the church of england
describe conflict between elizabeth and parliament regarding freedom of speech.
- MP Peter Wentworth was arrested three times during her reign for arguing that MPs should be allowed to speak on any issue they choose
- some MPs supported his view but others didn’t
- one of his arrests was organised by other MPs wishing to demonstrate their loyalty to elizabeth
describe conflict between elizabeth and parliament regarding the issue of mary queen of scots.
- the majority of those in parliament saw mary, a catholic, as a clear threat to national security and a significant number of them called for her execution
- this pressure and that of the privy council may have swayed the hesitant elizabeth into executing her cousin
describe conflict between elizabeth and parliament regarding crime and poverty.
- issue of poverty was significant in elizabethan england particularly when it lead to crime
- many MPs recognised that simply punishing the poor did not work and attempted to introduce new poor laws which were unsuccessful until 1601 when the poor law was finally passed
monopolies
an important way for elizabeth to maintain the loyalty of powerful men in england
example of a monopoly
the sweet wine monopoly given to the earl of essex
describe conflict between elizabeth and parliament regarding monopolies.
- 1571 - MP Robert Bell criticised them as unfair
- other MPs joined him in calling for changes in their use
- elizabeth agreed to make a few changes but MPs pushed for more
what speech did elizabeth make regarding monopolies and when?
- 1601
- she made a speech in parliament where she cleverly managed to give the impression that she was agreeing to make major changes to how monopolies worked without actually promising very much at all
how did elizabeth manage parliament?
- she made it clear that she was in charge through her words and actions as she issued regular statements about her authority and she arrested MPs who went too far in criticising her
- she had the ability to discuss parliament when she wished and could also appoint new members to the house of lords
- it was the duty of the privy councillors and nobles to manage parliament and ensure they were clear on her wishes
what were most rebellions and challenges to elizabeth’s authority during her reign connected to?
religion
who was the earl of essex?
- he had been a loyal subject throughout elizabeth’s reign and was for a time, one of her favourites
when did the earl of essex become privy councillor?
- in 1595
what was the earl of essex awarded with when he became privy councillor?
the monopoly on sweet wine in england
during his time at court, who did essex develop a rivalry with?
- robert cecil
- the son of the powerful william cecil and an important and influential figure at court
when did the earl of essex please the queen?
1596 when he successfully attacked the spanish port of cadiz
what happened in a privy council meeting soon after essex’s victory with the spanish?
- soon after his victory with the spanish, essex became involved in an argument with the queen during a privy council meeting
- at one point he turned his back on elizabeth and she hit him on the side of the head
- he nearly drew his sword but he was stopped by other councillors just in time and essex was placed under house arrest
where did the queen send the earl of essex and how did that become a factor in the cause of the rebellion?
- queen sent him to ireland to deal with a rebellion
- he not only failed to defeat the rebels but agreed a truce with them directly against the queen’s orders
- on his return, essex rushed straight into the queen’s chambers and caught her without her wig
what happened to essex after his failures in ireland?
he quickly fell from elizabeth’s favour and refused to renew his sweet wine monopoly and as a result he lost much of his wealth and influence
how did the chain of conflict between essex and the queen cause a rebellion?
angry and with nothing left to lose, essex began to gather supporters and plot a rebellion against the queen
describe essex’s rebellion
- february 1601
- essex took four privy councillors hostage and marched them to his london house along with 200 supporters
- robert cecil, his greatest rival, responded by labelling him a traitor
- many of essex’s supporters left while others panicked and released the hostages without his permission
- essex and his remaining followers were arrested
when was essex’s rebellion?
in february 1601
what were the consequences of essex’s rebellion?
- essex put on trial and sentenced to death
- during interrogation he agreed to name other rebels including his sister penelope
- he was executed in private on 25th february 1601
- some of his supporters were also put to death but most were just fined
- elizabeth made it clear, even late in her reign, that she would not tolerate challenges to her authority
when was the earl of essex executed?
25th february 1601
what was the positive consequence of essex’s rebellion?
- elizabeth made it clear, even late in her reign, that she would not tolerate challenges to her authority
how was everyone’s place in society defined?
through the ‘great chain of being’
the great chain of being
- god
- king/queen
- nobility
- gentry
- peasantry
- animals and plants
who were the nobility?
the most powerful and wealthy - their titles were passed from father to son and they held the most senior positions such as privy councillor
who were the gentry?
- often wealthy landowners
- they held important positions such as a JP
- they might be richer but still below nobles in society
who were the peasantry?
- poorest members of society
- farm labourers
- they often struggled for work
how did the gentry rise?
- before elizabeth’s reign, almost all wealth was held by the nobility
- the stability that the elizabethan period brought began to change this
- people could make money from trade
- the gentry grew as a result and began to fill powerful positions by becoming MPs and JPs
what was hardwick hall?
- owned by bess of hardwick (elizabeth shrewsbury)
- built hardwick hall between 1590 and 1597
- one of the grandest houses in elizabethan england and a way to demonstrate her wealth and position in society
what was one way in which the gentry and nobility could show off their wealth and priviledge?
by building lavish country homes
what was the purpose of these new lavish country homes?
no longer to defend, but to display refined taste
what was the structure of these new lavish country homes?
usually symmetrical with open courtyards, unlike the closed secure ones that went before
what materials were used to build these new lavish country homes?
lots of expensive glass windows which showed the owner’s wealth
what was the medieval great hall replaced with?
a great chamber
how did privacy increase in the new lavish country homes?
the number of rooms increased, which separated servants from the owners
name a playwright of elizabethan england?
william shakespeare - they produced new works every year
what were the new types of new works produced by william shakespeare?
- comedies
- histories
- tragedies
what gender pursued acting?
- an entirely male profession
- female roles played by boys
state a popular actor
- richard burbage
- became very famous
- would often return to roles many times or have parts written specifically for them
who were works performed by?
- troupes
- such as Lord Chamberlain’s Men (of which burbage and william shakespeare were members
who were companies named after?
the people who provided their funding, the patron
what benefits did being a patron bring you?
a good way to impress the queen, who was very fond of theatre
what changes did the elizabethan period see in terms of theatre?
- major change
- how the theatre worked, with the building of the first permanent theatres
which classes attended performances?
both rich and the poor, whereas previously, theatre had been seen as something for ordinary people, usually performed in the back room of an inn
the galleries
seated, covered areas for the rich
the roof
over the stage, often called the ‘heavens’ and ropes and rigging were used for scene changes and dramatic entrances
the lords’ rooms
the most expensive seats, sometimes used by actors and musicians during performances and is often called a juliet balcony
the gentlemen’s rooms
balconies on either side, seats at around 4 pence
the stage
often decorated with scenery and almost always a trapdoor for special effects like smoke and the back wall was called the ‘Frons Scenae’ and had a door for actors to enter and exit
pit
where ordinary people stood to watch, often heckling the actors and completely open to the weather
the tiring room
where the actors put on their attire
describe an elizabethan day at the theatre
- performances generally began at 3 and continued into the evening
- ticket price depended on where you sat or stood
- the audience members would push and shove to get a better view and the atmosphere would generally be very boisterous
- it was a cheap afternoon for the poor and an opportunity for the rich to show how cultured they were
- although they occupied different parts of the theatre, the rich and poor would watch the same play
why was the theatre so popular?
- it was affordable
- it was new and exciting
- it was a social event
- it was entertaining - plays were humorous, tragic or historical
- it was contemporary and relevant to the time as many plays carried political messages
what was the opposition towards the theatre?
- puritans saw theatregoing as a distraction from prayer
- there were concerns that large gatherings may spread disease
- theatres were dangerous places where there was drunkenness, crime and other immoral behaviour
- some saw it as sinful
what is the elizabethan era often regarded as?
a ‘golden age’ in english history - a time of great achievement
name 8 areas of elizabeth accomplishment
- peace, power and pride
- science and technology
- education
- literature
- buildings
- theatre
- exploration
- art
describe the elizabethan accomplishment of peace, power and pride.
- before the tudors, there was conflict over the throne
- elizabeth brought stability and security to the country
- england’s growing wealth and military success made many of elizabeth’s subjects very proud
the reigns of henry viii, edward vi and mary i brought..
political stability but religious turmoil
describe the elizabethan accomplishment of science and technology.
- significant breakthroughs in navigation, astronomy and a growing understanding of magnetism
- improved printing presses allowed new ideas to spread quickly
describe the elizabethan accomplishment of education.
- seen as increasingly important
- wealthy boys and some girls received an education
although wealthy boys and some girls received an education…
the poor did not
describe the elizabethan accomplishment of literature.
- many great plays were written during elizabeth’s reign and are still performed today
- poetry was very popular and many nobles wrote poetry and some, such as shakespeare wrote sonnets
describe the elizabethan accomplishment of buildings.
- many great stately homes such as HH were built during this period
- for the first time, houses were not built with defence in mind
describe the elizabethan accomplishment of theatre.
- theatre became popular with all levels of society
- the first permanent theatres were built
describe the elizabethan accomplishment of exploration.
- europeans discovered new lands and new people
- england became a major power in the world
describe the elizabethan accomplishment of art.
- portraits, including detailed miniature ones, became very popular and often contained symbolism
- decorative silverware and textiles became important signs of wealth and culture in the homes of the rich
how to remember the features of a ‘golden age’
BAT SLEEP
buildings/art/theatre/science and technology/literature/education/exploration/ peace, power and pride
why might elizabeth’s reign not really be a golden age?
- blood sports such as dog fighting and bear biting remained popular
- torture and brutal execution were still used by the government
- a small minority lived in luxury while the majority remained poor
- life expectancy was low and medical treatment was ineffective
- despite scientific breakthroughs in some areas, other practices were questionable (alchemy and astrology were very popular)
what was alchemy?
- turning cheap metal into gold
what was astrology?
- using planets to predict the future
how was the idea of the ‘golden age’ encouraged by elizabeth and her government?
- plays, festivals and pamphlets promoted the idea
- the term ‘gloriana’ was used to describe the spreading of this message
- for elizabeth, this was a useful way of securing her popularity and her throne
