The Last Years Of Elizabeth Flashcards
The political condition of England by 1603?
Effective and successful government
However, royal authority and the quality of administration declined during the 1590s, because of:
- diminishing talent following the death of her long standing minister (e.g. Leicester and Burghley)
- increasing factional rivalry in government as younger courtiers sought power, the conflict between Essex and the Cecil faction - involving the Essex ‘rebellion’ of 1601 - illustrated the problems
- problems of an ageing queen who could no longer control her courtiers as effectively as in the past
- anxieties over the succession
- economic problems
The economic condition of England by 1603?
Considerable economic growth during the 16th century, with the expansion of trade and industry
- by 1603, some of the structures that would contribute to englands commercial domination within Europe in the 17th century had been established - e.g. trading companies to challenge Spanish/ Portuguese/ Dutch domination, and the beginnings of an interest in the americas
- domestic demand thrived. Cottage industries such as nail making and soap manufacturing flourished, and total production rose substantially during her reign
- although inflation was a problem, the stability of the eliz era did much to aid commercial prosperity
The state of society in England by 1603?
England remained socially divided - huge differences in living standards between the wealthy dew and the poor majority
- in contrast with the many continental societies, the nobility were subject to taxation, and for the majority of the time, most people could be fed
- the lives of those at the lower end of society were still highly dependant on uncontrollable forces such as weather, orders and taxation demands from central gov and the localities, and the problems of wartime
- however, many survived from thrift, multiple employments and hard work
- there was only one subsistence crisis, in the 1590s. The distress of those years led to the reforms of the poor law enacted in 1598 and in 1601. These limited the worst effects of poverty, at least for the deserving poor.
State of religion by 1603?
By the end of her reign, there was a broad consensus surrounding the Church of England, which ensured a substantial degree of religious unity
