Section D: Early Elizabethan England Flashcards
Problems for early Elizabeth: finance
She was in debt: £300,000 in debt (the crown earned £286,667 a year)
Taxes were unpopular an parliament had to agree to them - so if she had to raise taxes, she had to sacrifice so e of her own wealth
Because of war, she had to sell the crown lands (a big income)
Bloody Mary had lost Calais in a previous war
Problems for early Elizabeth: foreign threat
French threat:
French were wealthier and had a huge population
France was the traditional enemy, and was catholic
The Scottish monarch, Mary Queen if Scots, had ties to the French monarchy and was half French (had married Francis)
Spain and France could ally (both Catholic and powerful)
She had turned down the Spanish monarch, Phillip
Problems for early Elizabeth: Religion
Bloody Mary made her promise to be Catholic
B. Mary had burned 300 protestants in her short reign
Tensions between Catholics, Protestants and Puritans
Many countries Catholic and controlled by the Pope
What was the Act of Supremacy, 1559
England became Protestant again
Elizabeth became head of the Church of England instead of the Pope
Bishops would help Elizabeth govern the new church
If they refused they could be imprisoned, or executed if refused three times
What was the Act of Uniformity, 1559
A new Protestant Prayer book to be used in every church
Church services in English (and so was the bible)
Bread and Wine taken
Ornaments and decorations allowed in the Church
The clergy had to wear vestment and had to take an oath agreeing to the new prayer book (and were allowed to Marry)
Attendance in Church compulsory. Those who refused had to pay a fine of 1 shilling a week
Reactions to the religious settlements
Some extreme puritans against Bishops and their robes were imprisoned
Some who did not attend Mass were fined - although this was barely enforced
130 Catholic priests were captured for treason through her reign
Catholic Bishops who refused Elizabeth as the church head were dismissed
Some ministers ignored the prayer book and continued to follow Catholic rules
A survey in 1564 showed only 50% of JPs supported the settlement
Catholic Priests were hunted down
By 1568, most had fallen in line with the settlement
Factors for Poverty in Elizabeths reign
21% born in a year died before 16
Life expectancy 28 -41
No sewers Inequality Unemployment Subsistence farmers Most had no education
Reasons for extreme poverty in Elizabeths age
Population growth:
During her reign, it grew by 35%
So more mouths to feed, whilst less farmed
Inflation:
Food production did not grow with the population
Grain prices and house prices grew faster than wages
Sheep farming:
Became popular, so farmers grew less crops
Needed less workers
Enclosure:
This was where land being farmed by many became owned by one
So less income and less crops grown
Rural depopulation:
Less grew crops as they moved to the cities
What happened in the Babington plot
In 1586, Babington met John Ballard, a Catholic priest who also wanted Mary on the throne of England
The plan was to assassinate Elizabeth, free Mary queen of Scots, and to start a rebellion. King Phillip of Spain promised to send troops to England once Elizabeth was assassinated.
Babington sent Letters to Mary, talking about the plot. They were intercepted and read by Francis Walsingham, the leader of the English spy unit. Walsingham sent undercover Gilbert Gilford to regain contact with Mary
They found letters to Mary from her supporters, including Babington, in a beer keg.
The plot was foiled
Response/consequences to the plot
The conspirators were executed
Mary Queen of Scots was trialled and executed
Massive spy network
Why was Mary Queen of Scots executed
As a result of the Babington plot
She had became too dangerous
She was a figurehead Catholics wanted to use
She had agreed to the Conspiracies
Her presence bought dangers for France and Spain
What happened in the Francis Drakes raid on Cardiz 1587
“The singeing of the kings beard”
The English fleet arrived at Cadiz on the afternoon of 29 April, and sailed through the defending galleys into the harbor. The English quickly sunk a Genoese merchantman and then began to attack the many ships at anchor, removing their cargoes and setting them alight
Losses: English - 1 ship captured out of 21
Spanish - 33 ships destroyed
