Queen, Government and Religion (1558-69) Flashcards
The social hierarchy of Elizabethan England [6]:
- Nobility
- Gentry
- Yeomen
- Tenant farmers
- Landless/labouring poor
- Vagrants and homeless
The social hierarchy of towns [5]:
- Merchants
- Professionals
- Business owners
- Skilled craftsmen
- Unskilled workers and unemployed
Gentry [definition]:
Wealthy land owners
Yeomen [definition]:
Men who held a small amount of land or an estate
Tenant farmers [definition]:
Farmers who farmed and rented land which was usually owned by gentry or yeomen
Militia [definition]:
A military force of ordinary people rather than soldiers usually raised in emergencies
Divine right [definition]:
The belief that the monarch was chosen and put on the throne by God
Patronage [definition]:
To provide someone with an important job or position
Royal Perogative [definition]:
Areas in which only the monarch had the right to decide upon
Extraordinary Taxation [definition]:
Occasional, additional taxation to pay for unexpected expenses
Why was Elizabeth’s legitimacy questioned ? [2]:
- Catholics refused to acknowledge Henry VIII’s annulment as the Pope didn’t agree to it
- In Catholic eyes, Elizabeth was born out of wedlock and so iligetimate
Who were Elizabeth’s parents ? [2]:
- Henry VII
- Anne Boleyn
Why was Elizabeth’s legitimacy an issue ? [2]:
- Catholic Church was against her
- > Catholic allies and nobles may want to replace her
Elizabeth’s strengths [6]:
- Highly intelligent and educated
- Multilingual
- understood court politics
- confident and charismatic
- Able to make great speeches to influence her subjects
- Strong and ambitious advisors
What languages could Elizabeth speak ? [4]:
- Latin
- Greek
- French
- Italian
Elizabeth’s weaknesses [8]:
- Privy council found her very frustrating
- Had a temper
- Indecisive
- Legitimacy
- Indecisive
- Gender
- No heir
- Unmarried
Who was Elizabeth’s secretary of state?
Sir William Cecil
How long Elizabeth’s secretary of state hold his position?
1558-1563
What year was Elizabeth crowned?
1558
Challenges to Elizabeth at home [5]:
- Debt of £300,000
- Mary had sold the crown lands
- Religious divide
- Disloyal (Catholic) Nobles
- Low moral
Challenges to Elizabeth overseas [4]:
- Possible threat of French and Spanish alliance against England
- Protestant vs Catholic church
- England lost ownership of Calais in 1559
- French and Scottish alliance (The Auld alliance)
The English reformation [3]:
- 1532
- When Henry VIII created the Church of England
- A challenge to the teachings and power of the RC catholic church
Key features of the court [3]:
- The court was a body of people who lived in the same palaces as the monarch
- Attending the court required the monarch’s permission
- Mostly made of members of the nobility, advisors, key servants and friends
The Roles of the court [2]:
- To entertain and advise the monarch
- Act as a public display of wealth and power
Key features of the Privy council [4]:
- Made up of leading courtiers and advisors
- There were about 19 members of the council
- They met at least 3 times a week
- Meetings were often attended and presided by the monarch
The Role of the Privy council [3]:
- To debate current issues and advise the monarch
- Made sure The Monarchs decisions were carried out
- Oversaw law and order and the security of England
Key features of the Parliament [3]:
- Made up of the house of lords and the house of commons
- Parliament could only be called and dismissed by the monarch
- Elections were held before every new parliament
Key features of the Lord Lieutenants [3]:
- They were appointed by the monarch
- They were members of the privy counsel
- They were essential to maintaining the monarch
The role of the privy council [3]:
- They were in charge of raising and training the local militia and overseeing county defences
- They oversaw the enforcement of policies
- Part of the local government
Key features of the Justice of the peace (JPs):
- They were large landowners who kept law and order in their local areas
- They were unpaid and reported to the privy council
- It was a position of status/ a quite popular profession
What was the role of the Justice of the peace [3]:
- To make sure all social-economic policies were carried out
- Heard county court cases every three months for serious crimes
- Part of the local government
What were decisions that monarchs could make in the Elizabethan era? [4]:
- Declare war and make peace
- Call and dismiss parliament
- Reject any kaws proposed by parliament
- Grant titles, money, land and jobs
Patronage [definition]:
To provide someone with an important job or patronage
Who was Elizabeth’s most important privy councillor?
Her secretary of state; Sir William Cecil
Who was Sir William Cecil? [2]:
- Elizabeth’s secretary of state from 1558-1573
- He was later raised to the nobility and became Lord Burghley
What were some advantages of Elizabeth not having a husband? [2]:
+ Her potential husbands could fulfil the role of a military leader at war: which is an important part of a monarch’s role
+ Having children in the future will ensure England’s stability as there would be no ‘vacancy’ for the heir’s throne
Disadvantages of Elizabeth being unmarried [2]:
- Her legitimacy is questioned
- Her claim to the throne is not as strong
Why was Elizabeth’s gender an issue? [2]:
- The previous female monarch (bloody Mary)was generally disliked for her cruelty: This led to prejudice against Elizabeth
- Women were not important in the social hierarchy as they were considered physically and mentally weaker
What were the challenges at home Elizabeth had to face as a monarch? [3]:
- The crown was £300,000 in debt due to the previous monarch’s attempt at war
- The crown lands had to be sold off to help her debt
- Special additional taxes known as subsidies had to be agreed on by parliament; this was an issue as taxes were unpopular
The French threat of 1559 and Mary QOS as their new queen [4]:
- France was wealthier and had a larger population than England
- Her cousin Mary Queen of Scots reformed the Auld alliance with France and married King Francis II in 1559
- This was a problem as Mary QOS had a legitimate claim to the English throne
- Furthermore, she was a Catholic monarch, likely to be supported by the pope and her new Catholic-french allies
Mary QOS and her claim to the English throne [2]:
- When Mary I (Bloody Mary) died Mary QOS declared herself the legitimate Catholic claimant to the English throne
- Mary QOS was the second grandaughter of Henry VII’s sister
Scotland and England as traditional enemies [2]:
- Scotland was an independent country and a traditional enemy of England
- England’s border with Scotland was remote and hard to defend which meant that there was many fights and raids on each side
