problems Elizabeth faced at the beginning of her reign? Flashcards
what were the 6 problems that Elizabeth faced?
-succession
-religion
-foreign policy
-Mary, Queen of Scots
-taxation
-gender
what was the problem for Elizabeth for succession?
-Liz was the last living child of her father, and because she didn’t have any children- it was unclear who would succeed her if she died before producing an heir.
1562 she almost died of smallpox. this drew to the uncertainty of England’s future. result- senior figures were keen that she marry as soon as possible
why was foreign policy an issue for liz?
catholic countries like Spain and France wanted influence over England and had the support of the Pope. there was a threat of invasion
-one key area of tension was the Netherlands- protestant populations was in conflict with Spanish rulers. Liz had to decide if she wanted to be involved or not
Why was Mary Queen of Scots an issue for Liz?
-Liz had no direct Heir, so the next in line was Liz’s catholic cousin, Mary Queen of scots.
-many catholics saw her as an alternative queen of England and this made her a threat to Elizabeth
mary was a catholic and married to the heir of the french throne. They could try and invade and threaten Liz’s position. spain and france also had the support of the throne
why was taxation an issue for Liz?
-the country was short of money and Liz needed to raise taxes
-poverty was widespread and raising taxes would be very unpopular
why was religion an issue for Liz?
-the tudour period had seen official religion changes numerous of times which created violence and instability
-many catholics did not trust Liz and some claimed she had no right to be Queen (they did not like the marriage of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII)
-puritanism was an extreme threat. there was a number of puritans who hoped to take control of Liz’s church and make it more extreme- this could have damaged the whole religious settlement.
why was gender an issue for Liz?
some feared a female ruler meant that England would be seen as weak. There were also worries about who Liz might marry, a foreign prince could end up taking control.
