Society Flashcards
social discontent factors
Problems in the region
Problems in Ireland
Wales
Poor harvests
Essex Rebellion
Northern Rebellion
Economic and Social Problems
problems in the region - was england always peaceful
England under Elizabeth was a much more unified state than France or Spain, it was more peaceful as her reign only witnessed one serious rebellion - Northern Earls 1569 which collapsed fairly quickly compared with greater social disorder in Spain and civil war in France. However the country was not always peaceful
why was Ireland initially a threat
Elizabeth felt that Ireland should be subjected to Englishness in both religious and secular matters. She was supreme governor of the church in Ireland but felt she lacked the power to impose Protestantism on a largely catholic population, there have been attempts by the English to strengthen their control over the clans because Ireland like Scotland was seen as strategically important to national security and like Scotland it offered foreign powers a tempting base from which to threaten England
why did the threat from Ireland grow
The threat grew worse under Elizabeth because Irish Clans remained loyal to the Catholic Church while England moved towards Protestantism. Spain in particular saw the potential in this religious disagreement to make Ireland a distraction for the English Crown. During the 1550s relations deteriorated further when settlers began arriving from England to implement the policy of plantation.
what is the policy of plantation
English colonists taking control of lands owned by Irish Clans
what rebellion occurred in Ireland
Hugh O Neil Rebellion
events of the hugh o neils rebellion
Hugh O Neil, the earl of Tyrone had an army of 6000 men who defeated the much smaller English force at the Battle of the Yellow Ford in August 1598, threatening them to dismantle all the control built up by the plantation policy.
who did Tyrone have links with
Tyrone had links with Spain which promised to double the men at this disposal
what battle was fought against Ireland
the Battle of the Yellow Ford in August 1598
Elizabeth’s action against Ireland
Elizabeth quickly sent over a larger force commanded by the Earl of Essex but it was a complete failure. He failed to follow specific instructions and failed to exploit the military advantages that existed on his arrival. Essex was disgraced and returned home losing his influence in court, driving him into rebellion
did poor harvest lead to widespread social discontent
The one significant rebellion in the North in 1569, the Northern Earls had little to do with the social and economic aspiration of the poor - for the most part, the reign was a period of relative order. Even in the mid-1590s when there was severe harvest failure, rising prices and outbreaks of plague created a desperate situation for many, social stability held up. The authorities feared vagabonds and reserved severe treatment for those whom they considered to be undeserving poor.
riots against poor harvests
Food riots took place in London, Kent, Hampshire and Norfolk. There was a heavy-handed response by the authorities to the so-called Oxfordshire Rising 1596 in reality it was not a rising but an ill-thought-out scheme by a tiny group of four men made desperate by their experience of poverty to march on London reflected a fear of social disorder which was not the reality
when was the Essex rebellion
1601
what did the Essex Rebellion demonstrate about Elizabeth’s handling of government
It demonstrated that she had lost her skill at handling different factions at court and the breakdown of council due to the death of key men and how her playing focus on certain noble families leads to others rebelling
events of the Essex Rebellion
In 1599, Elizabeth finally gave Essex a chance to show himself by appointing him to command her army in Ireland. He threw away this opportunity and fell from royal favour once again and was banished from court, he lost his monopolies and government position. He rebelled in 1601 and attempted to seize strategic places in London. He and his supporters also detested the power of families such as the Cecils who he intended to remove from power and have James IV officially recognised as the heir to the throne.
