The early rule of Queen Elizabeth I Flashcards
what were Elizabeth’s early challenges ?
Gender: Many feared that a female ruler would make England seem weak compared to powerful nations like France and Spain, both ruled by kings. Concerns about Elizabeth’s marriage were also significant, as a foreign prince could gain control over England.
Religion: Elizabeth had to address religious conflict. Her father, Henry VIII, had created the Church of England, breaking away from Catholicism. Her sister, Mary, had restored Catholicism, and Elizabeth needed to find a way to satisfy both Protestant and Catholic factions while securing her rule.
Invasion: Elizabeth’s cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, had a claim to the throne. As a Catholic, married to the heir of the French throne, she posed a threat of invasion to challenge Elizabeth’s position.
Money: Elizabeth inherited significant financial debt from her sister Mary, who had left £250,000 in debt, a considerable sum at the time, making it difficult for Elizabeth to manage England’s finances.
who were Elizabeth’s main advisors & their roles ?
- William Cecil - Elizabeth appointed Cecil as the
Secretary of State in 1558.
He was her most important minister and guided her wisely for 40 years. In 1571 he received the title Lord Burghley.
Convinced Elizabeth to take control of Ireland & confront rival Catholics - Robert Dudley - Earl of Leicester and a trusted adviser until he died in 1588.
He and Elizabeth were very close and there were rumours that he and Elizabeth were lovers. - Sir Francis Walsingham - was in charge of Elizabeth’s secret service and advised on
foreign affairs.
In 1586, he uncovered the plot that led to Mary, Queen of Scots’ execution.
How did Elizabeth I control Parliament during her reign, and what role did her Privy Councillors play in this control?
- Parliament could only meet if Elizabeth called it, and she set the agenda.
- Parliament could only talk about what Elizabeth allowed it to discuss.
- Elizabeth mainly used Parliament to grant her taxes - this was her main income.
- Elizabeth could close (prorogue) Parliament at any time.
- Parliament only met 13 times in her 45 year reign for an average of three weeks per year.
- Elizabeth made sure her Privy Councillors sat in Parliament to help control proceedings.
How did Elizabeth I respond to the pressure from MPs regarding marriage and the need for an heir?
Marriage issue
- Some MPs felt Elizabeth should name a suitor to marry and produce an heir in order to secure the line of
succession.
- Elizabeth’s response was that this was her private business and she would marry when and if it was convenient.
How did Elizabeth I address the religious tensions in England during her reign, and what was her stance on Parliament’s involvement in religious matters?
Religion issue
- Elizabeth was a Protestant and re-instated the Church of England when she came to power, but wanting to avoid religious conflict she offered a ‘middle-way’ which did allow some Catholic worship and traditions.
- Some Puritan MPs disagreed with this compromise and challenged Elizabeth by threatening to not grant her taxes. Elizabeth said religion was a ‘matter of state’, not for Parliament, and forbade them to discuss religion.
What was the consequence for Puritan MP Peter Wentworth when he complained about the lack of freedom of speech in Parliament in 1576?
Freedom of speech issue
- In 1576 the Puritan MP, Peter Wentworth, complained that MPs were not free to discuss whatever they liked.
- Elizabeth sent him to the Tower of London for a month for speaking out.
What were the advantages and disadvantages of Elizabeth not announcing a marriage?
Advantages
- Staying single meant that Elizabeth could keep sole control of English affairs, namely government and religion.
- Elizabeth had a range of suitors from different countries. - Her refusal to choose between them allowed her to keep her options open in foreign affairs, whilst at the same time this enabled her to play countries off against each other, making her a strong negotiator.
- She remained the focus of all power since there was no apparent successor.
Disadvantages
- Ongoing uncertainty over who would inherit the throne had the potential to lead to plots and attacks to overthrow Elizabeth.
- For example, plots from foreign, Catholic
powers, such as Mary, Queen of Scots.
- The Privy Councillors and MPs were frustrated because the succession wasn’t settled and they felt this made the country vulnerable.
why was Robert Dudley a suitor for Elizabeth ? what rumour made them unsuitable ?
Robert Dudley:
- Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, was an ambitious, good looking courtier.
- Elizabeth spent a lot of time with him and people thought they were in love, but there was a big problem: he was already married.
- When his wife was found dead there was a scandal and rumours circulated.
- This led Elizabeth to withdraw from Dudley as her reputation and position as queen were threatened.
why was king Phillip of Spain a suitor for Elizabeth ? who opposed ?
King Philip of Spain:
- In the 1560s, King Philip proposed to Elizabeth.
- He was a Catholic who had been married to Mary, Elizabeth’s sister.
- MPs were not in favour of this alliance for fear of causing religious unsettlement and creating a foreign influence in government.
- Elizabeth cautiously rejected this offer.
why was Archduke Charles a suitor for Elizabeth ? why didn’t it work ?
Archduke Charles:
- In 1567 Elizabeth considered marrying Archduke Charles of Austria but his Catholic faith meant there were the same religious differences as with King Philip of Spain, and in the end there was no match.
why was Francis Duke of Alencon a suitor for Elizabeth ? why didn’t it work out ?
Francis Duke of Alencon:
- Marriage negotiations went on for nearly a decade with Francis, who was heir to the French throne.
- There were many political advantages to be gained from this alliance, for example influence over French policy in the Netherlands, and Elizabeth used this to her advantage. - However, Francis died in 1584 and after that Elizabeth was destined to be alone.
who were in parliament and what was their role ?
- house of lords (lords, bishops & other members of the nobility)
-house of commons (‘common’ people although still wealthy and educated) - influenced tax & was responsible for passing laws
- Queen decided when to call parliament & how much advice she would listen to
who were the Lord lieutenants and what was their role ?
- appointed by the Queen to take administrative responsibility for a particular area of country ( settling disputes collecting taxes )
- responsible for militia, fight for Queen if needed
- position lead to great power & influence
who were the Justices of the peace and what was their role ?
- each county had several of them to ensure order was kept
- selected from local gentry, main role to ensure laws passed by parliament were enforced
- single Jp could send someone to prison
- more than one can sentence someone to death
who were the privy council and what was their role ?
- responsible for day-to-day running of country
- members were Elizabeth’s main advisors
- Elizabeth picked them- chose those who were the most powerful landowners to avoid rebellion
- council called upon for most issues
- if they all agreed on a issue Elizabeth could hardly refuse
What was the main reason some MPs protested against monopolies in Elizabeth’s reign, and how did Elizabeth respond to their demands?
Reason for protest:
- Monopolies gave nobles and merchants exclusive rights to manufacture or sell goods, leading to higher prices.
- MPs felt monopolies were unfair and being abused.
Elizabeth’s response:
- Initially granted monopolies to promote business and boost the economy.
- In 1597-8 and 1601, MPs protested and refused to grant taxes until monopolies were withdrawn.
- Elizabeth compromised by withdrawing some monopolies.
- She made her famous ‘Golden Speech,’ flattering Parliament, which helped restore relations.
how did you become apart of the gentry and what was their roles ?
- you have to buy land or purchase estate
- gentry made money from the rent of their land
- made between £10 to £200
- roles performed were justice of the piece, serving in parliament, influence & power over land
- titles were knight and esquire
why did the gentry grow in size & power in Elizabeth’s reign ?
1- Tudors deliberately marginalized the nobles who they saw as a threat by granting very few new titles - gentry filled the gap & became politically powerful
2- dissolution of monasteries by Henry V III - monasteries had owned about 1/6 of all land this made more land available to buy
3- increase in wealth - growth in trade & exploration, helped families make fortunes
