Queen, Govt And Religion Flashcards
What was the court
body of people (courtiers) who lived in same house as the monarch (key servants, advisers and friends)
What is the privy council
approximately 19 leading courtiers, advisers, senior officials (e.g. William Cecil).
What was a Lords Lieutenant
one for each county chosen by monarch. Members of nobility, sometimes on Privy Council, helped to maintain
What was Justices of the peace
large landowners, kept law and order in their areas. Unpaid role but a position of status so was an popular job
What problems did Elizabeth face in 1558?
Legitimacy
Society
Financial weaknesses
Relations with other countries
France and Mary Queen of Scots
Religion
Why was Legitimacy a problem for elizabeth
as the daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII after his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, not everyone accepted Elizabeth’s legitimacy (especially Catholics)
Why was Society a problem for elizabeth
Women were thought to be inferior. A queen ruling by herself was very unusual so many felt that Elizabeth should marry
Why was Financial weaknesses a problem for elizabeth
England had fought costly wars before Elizabeth became Queen. Crown was £300,000 in debt when she took throne.
Why was Relations with other countries a problem for elizabeth
England was weak compared to others (France and Spain= most powerful and were both Roman Catholic). England had also recently lost control of Calais and Elizabeth was keen to regain this. There was also a concern about the potential of France and Spain forming a Catholic alliance against England and its Protestant Queen.
Why was France and Mary Queen of Scots a problem for elizabeth
Many Catholics saw Mary Queen of Scots as the legitimate monarch. Mary was half French and therefore had a lot of support in France.
Why was Religion a problem for elizabeth
In 1558, country was divided by religion (Catholic until Henry VIII’s reign), many thought country’s differences would lead to civil war
What was the Elizabethan religious settlement
Elizabeth tried to follow a Middle Way in religion, which both Catholics and Protestants could accept. They passed two Acts of Parliament – the Act of Supremacy and the Act of Uniformity. Together, these are
known as the Elizabethan Church Settlement.
What did catholics like about the religious settlement
Could still believe in transubstantiation
Churches still had a Catholic ‘feel’ (eg images allowed in churches)
What did catholics dislike about the religious settlement
Queen was head of the Church (‘Royal Supremacy’)
Forced to use the book of Common Prayer
Pilgrimages banned
What did Protestants like about the religious settlement
Ended control of Pope Royal Supremacy
Book of common prayer in English More basic churches Bible in English
What did Protestants dislike about the religious settlement
Catholic ‘feel’ to some churches
Catholics could still believe in transubstantiation
What did Puritans (radical Protestants) like about the religious settlement
Ended control of Pope
Everyone had to attend church
What did Puritans (radical Protestants) dislike about the religious settlement
Images still allowed in churches
Royal Supremacy – no one should be head of the church
Catholic ‘feel’ to some churches
Catholics could still believe in transubstantiation
What was the most serious challenge to the settlement?
Puritans
Catholics
Foreign powers
Why was puritans a serious challenge to the settlement
Many Puritan clergymen ignored the settlement, meaning Elizabeth’s aim of uniformity was not met. The main problems that the Puritans had was with the use of crucifixes and vestments
What was the Crucifix controversy
to Puritans, the crucifix represented idols so they disagreed that they should be displayed in church. Elizabeth was forced to back down because many of the Puritan bishops were very influential
What was the vestment controversy
Elizabeth wanted priests to wear special vestments but many Puritans felt that they should not wear special clothing at all. After Matthew Parker, the Archbishop of Canterbury, issued further instructions in his ‘Book of Advertisements’ the majority of priests consented to Elizabeth’s
demands.
Why were Catholics a serious challenge for the religious settlement
The papacy issued instructions to not attend church services in 1566 but did not offer much other leadership, as it was focusing on the Counter Reformation in Europe. Many of the English Nobilty in the North of England were recusants (Catholics that refused to go to Elizabethan church services). The Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland for example, disliked Elizabeth as they had been relatively influential under Mary I. They then lead to revolt of the Northern Earls. Elizabeth was eventually successful in defeating the revolt but it showed how dangerous the Catholic threat was and this prompted her to be harsher with Catholics.
Why was foreign powers a serious challenge to the religious settlement
Protestantism was rising across many parts of Europe but many leading Catholic powers were a threat to
Elizabeth’s settlement. Religious war broke out in France in 1562 and Elizabeth was worried about this threatening her position if it this conflict spread to England. Elizabeth’s helped Protestant rebels in Scotland in 1560 and France in 1562 and this further irritated Catholic monarchs such as Phillip II of Spain.
