Elizabeth Summary sheet – Key topic 1
Queen, government, and religion 1558 -1569
• Elizabeth was only 25 when she was crowned as Queen.
• Her corona9on was January 1559.
Her government
• Queen:
- Government circled around her.
- People thought the monarch should have the divine right to rule so she made it a
government policy to make all important decisions with the privy council’s input.
- She could: declare war & make peace, call &dismiss parliament, rule in some
legal cases, and grant 9tles & land & money & jobs.
- Provided patronage (an important job) which is a way of controlling and geKng
support from people. What she gave she could take away.
- Queen was the ul9mate patron.
• Court (under queen):
- Body of people who lived in or near the same place or house as the monarch.
- Made up of nobility members: Key servants, advisers, and friends.
- To aQend required the monarch’s permission.
- Roles were: to entertain and advise the monarch, public display of wealth &
power, and cour9ers had influence with the monarch rather than actual people.
• Parliament (under queen):
- Made up of the house of lords (including bishops) and the house of commons.
- Could only be called or dismissed by the monarch.
- Elec9ons were held for ever new parliament, but few people could vote.
- Elizabeth only called parliament 13 9mes.
- Their roles were: to grant extraordinary tax, passed laws, and offer advice to the
monarch.
• Privy council (under queen):
- Made up of leading cour9ers and advisers, nobles, and very senior government
officials (e.g., William Cecil).
- Approx. 19 members chosen by the monarch.
- Mee9ngs at least 3 9mes a week which were o]en aQended and presided over
by the monarch.
- The role was: to debate current issues & advise the monarch on government
policy, make sure the monarch’s final decisions are carried out, oversee law &
order/local governments/England’s security, and monitored JPs and the
proceedings of Parliament.
• Secretary of state (under privy council):
- Most important privy council.
- Person in government she was closest to and advised her on maQers important
to the crown.
- William Cecil, who held the posi9on un9l 1573, was very important.
, • JusBces of the peace (under privy council):
- Large landowners who kept law & order in their local areas.
- Unpaid and reported to the privy council.
- Posi9on of status so was very popular.
- Role was: To make sure social & economic policies happened, heard country
court cases every 3 months for serious crimes, and part of local government.
• Lords Lieutenant (under privy council):
- Chosen by monarch.
- Members of privy council (some9mes) and the nobility.
- Essen9al to maintaining the monarch’s power and England’s defenses.
- Their role was: in charge of raising & training local mili9a and overseeing county
defenses, oversaw the enforcement of policies, part of the local government.
Elizabeth’s strength on the throne in 1558
• 1533: Henry VIII divorced Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn.
• He had split from the Catholic church to divorce her so created the Church of
England.
• This was the reforma9on in England.
• Challenges from abroad:
- Scotland was an independent country and an enemy of England. The border
between the two was remote and hard to defend.
- England had held the French port of Calais since 1347. This was useful as a
military and trading base. The English had sided with Spain against France (under
Mary). In 1559 England had to return Calais to France – humilia9ng loss.
- A]er the 1559 treaty of Cateu-Cambrésis, France and Spain were no longer at
war. Both powerful Catholic countries. Elizabeth was Protestant. Divisions were
already causing conflict and there was a possibility of France and Spain uni9ng
against her.
- France was wealthier than England and had a larger popula9on (& Catholic).
England’s tradi9onal enemy and ally of Scotland. This was the ‘Auld Alliance’.
- Mary Queen of Scots was Elizabeth’s cousin and had a strong claim to the throne.
She descended from Henry VII and was half French and became Queen of France
in 1559 through her husband.
• Religious divisions:
- Elizabeth was Protestant, whereas the majority of England was Catholics. Her
predecessor, Mary I, burned many protestants at the stake as here9cs.
• Marriage and Succession:
- Many people thought Elizabeth should marry, but she didn’t want to. She
rejected proposals from Spain, Sweden, and France.
• Doubts about a female ruler:
- The Chris9an religion taught that women should be under the authority of men.
So was unnatural for a queen to rule in her own.
- People didn’t think a queen should rule alone and it did not help that Mary I’s,
first queen to rule alone, did not go well. Her marriage to Phillip of Spain as so
unpopular it led to a rebellion.
, • Financial weaknesses:
- Finances were poor a]er figh9ng expensive wars. Lots of Crown lands had been
sold to pay for them. When she took the throne, the crown was £300,000 in debt.
• Problem of legiBmacy:
- Her legi9macy was in doubt because her father, Henry VIII had divorced
Catherine of Aragon to marry her mother which angered many Catholics.
- Some9mes she took a long 9me to make up her mind, something her Privy
Council and advisers found frustra9ng.
- In 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed for treason, and Henry VIII declared Elizabeth
illegi9mate and excluded her from the succession. However, he later reversed
this decision.
How Elizabeth tackled those problems
• Doubts about a female queen, the stability of her rule and legiBmacy:
- Her choice of council could have caused a problem. But she spent the months
before Mary died decisively, cau9ously, and tacnully choosing them.
- Only way to prove she’s legi9mate is if she married immediately and hand over
power to her husband (male ruler). Since she wouldn’t marry, she had to prove
she was ‘as good as a man’ and that took 9me.
• Doubts about the future of the dynasty: marriage and succession:
- People expected her to marry quickly and have children to provide the next Tudor
monarch. Marriage didn’t mean her husband would take over because of a
previously drawn marriage treaty.
- Problem was who she married. If her council and parliament had been behind
her united on one candidate she would’ve agreed. But they were usually divided
so she stayed single.
- There were later marriage possibili9es however they would all cause upset so it
was not worth it.
• Religious divisions between Catholics and Protestants – a Protestant queen:
- She was protestant. In an age when religion and belief in eternal sounds was so
important it was significant. Since Mary’s religion was Catholic, a change in
religion could signal a break from the past which means she could be portrayed
as an inspira9on.
- A compromise seems like a solu9on but that would please no one.
- She con9nued to privately worship protestant beliefs, but kept some things linked
to Catholicism. Behind the scenes her and the privy council were drawing up a
religious seQlement.
• Challenges from abroad: France, Spain, and Scotland:
- She had two choices for a French invasion possibility, either con9nue the war and
if she won, victory would make her look good. Or make peace which would save
limited recourses and food/epidemics. But it would make her look weak.
- She ended up signing peace with France in Jan 1559, 3 months a]er she became
Queen.
- She spent over £100,000 at the start of her reign on arms and muni9ons, which
meant big loans.
- Fear of invasion con9nued, & she decided to have a protestant church in England.
, • Financial weakness: the royal finances and food prices:
- To strengthen royal finances, she severely cut back government spending from
the beginning of her reign and monitored the cost of her household.
- Exchequer officials were ordered to balance the accounts and make sure debts
were called in. Crown lands were sold over the next 20 years bringing £600,000
into the Exchequer.
- Not only did she pay off debt by 1585 but she had a reserve of £300,000.
England’s religious divisions by 1558
• Un9l 1517, Catholicism was the dominant religion in Western Europe.
• In 1517 a rebellious German monk Mar9n Luther is said to have nailed his 95 theses
to the door of a church. This simple act of protest sparked a religious revolu9on – the
reformaBon.
• He thought the church was way too much about money and too liQle about God.
Catholics Protestants
The pope is the head of the church There should not be a pope
The church can forgive sins Sins can only be forgiven by God
The church acts as an intermediary People have their own direct rela9onship
between God and the people with God through prayer and bible study
Underneath the pope are cardinals, It is not necessary to have cardinals, or
archbishops, bishops, and priests even archbishops or bishops
The bible and church services should be in The bible and church services should be in
La9n your own language
During mass a miracle occurs when the The bread and wine simply represent the
bread and wine become the blood and last supper in the bible. There is no miracle
body of Christ
Priests are special and should wear special Priests are not special and should not wear
vestments special clothing
Churches should be highly decorated in Churches should be plain and simple to not
honor and glory of God distract from worshipping God
Religious settlement (1559)
• The 1534 Act of Supremacy declared Henry VIII and his successors as the supreme
head of the church, replacing the pope. This started tension in England.
• Elizabeth wanted to create peace and unity. She wanted to find a form of
Protestan9sm that was acceptable to Catholics. Not puritan views.
• Puritan views were radical protestant views. They worked to develop their own
church and authority which would challenge Elizabeth’s authority as Queen.
• She spent late 1558 drawing up plans and she called a mee9ng of parliament in
February 1559.
• The Act of Supremacy:
- Made Elizabeth supreme governor of the Church of England.
- An Ecclesias9cal High Commission was established with the job of maintaining
discipline within the church and enforcing the Queens religious seQlement.
Queen, government, and religion 1558 -1569
• Elizabeth was only 25 when she was crowned as Queen.
• Her corona9on was January 1559.
Her government
• Queen:
- Government circled around her.
- People thought the monarch should have the divine right to rule so she made it a
government policy to make all important decisions with the privy council’s input.
- She could: declare war & make peace, call &dismiss parliament, rule in some
legal cases, and grant 9tles & land & money & jobs.
- Provided patronage (an important job) which is a way of controlling and geKng
support from people. What she gave she could take away.
- Queen was the ul9mate patron.
• Court (under queen):
- Body of people who lived in or near the same place or house as the monarch.
- Made up of nobility members: Key servants, advisers, and friends.
- To aQend required the monarch’s permission.
- Roles were: to entertain and advise the monarch, public display of wealth &
power, and cour9ers had influence with the monarch rather than actual people.
• Parliament (under queen):
- Made up of the house of lords (including bishops) and the house of commons.
- Could only be called or dismissed by the monarch.
- Elec9ons were held for ever new parliament, but few people could vote.
- Elizabeth only called parliament 13 9mes.
- Their roles were: to grant extraordinary tax, passed laws, and offer advice to the
monarch.
• Privy council (under queen):
- Made up of leading cour9ers and advisers, nobles, and very senior government
officials (e.g., William Cecil).
- Approx. 19 members chosen by the monarch.
- Mee9ngs at least 3 9mes a week which were o]en aQended and presided over
by the monarch.
- The role was: to debate current issues & advise the monarch on government
policy, make sure the monarch’s final decisions are carried out, oversee law &
order/local governments/England’s security, and monitored JPs and the
proceedings of Parliament.
• Secretary of state (under privy council):
- Most important privy council.
- Person in government she was closest to and advised her on maQers important
to the crown.
- William Cecil, who held the posi9on un9l 1573, was very important.
, • JusBces of the peace (under privy council):
- Large landowners who kept law & order in their local areas.
- Unpaid and reported to the privy council.
- Posi9on of status so was very popular.
- Role was: To make sure social & economic policies happened, heard country
court cases every 3 months for serious crimes, and part of local government.
• Lords Lieutenant (under privy council):
- Chosen by monarch.
- Members of privy council (some9mes) and the nobility.
- Essen9al to maintaining the monarch’s power and England’s defenses.
- Their role was: in charge of raising & training local mili9a and overseeing county
defenses, oversaw the enforcement of policies, part of the local government.
Elizabeth’s strength on the throne in 1558
• 1533: Henry VIII divorced Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn.
• He had split from the Catholic church to divorce her so created the Church of
England.
• This was the reforma9on in England.
• Challenges from abroad:
- Scotland was an independent country and an enemy of England. The border
between the two was remote and hard to defend.
- England had held the French port of Calais since 1347. This was useful as a
military and trading base. The English had sided with Spain against France (under
Mary). In 1559 England had to return Calais to France – humilia9ng loss.
- A]er the 1559 treaty of Cateu-Cambrésis, France and Spain were no longer at
war. Both powerful Catholic countries. Elizabeth was Protestant. Divisions were
already causing conflict and there was a possibility of France and Spain uni9ng
against her.
- France was wealthier than England and had a larger popula9on (& Catholic).
England’s tradi9onal enemy and ally of Scotland. This was the ‘Auld Alliance’.
- Mary Queen of Scots was Elizabeth’s cousin and had a strong claim to the throne.
She descended from Henry VII and was half French and became Queen of France
in 1559 through her husband.
• Religious divisions:
- Elizabeth was Protestant, whereas the majority of England was Catholics. Her
predecessor, Mary I, burned many protestants at the stake as here9cs.
• Marriage and Succession:
- Many people thought Elizabeth should marry, but she didn’t want to. She
rejected proposals from Spain, Sweden, and France.
• Doubts about a female ruler:
- The Chris9an religion taught that women should be under the authority of men.
So was unnatural for a queen to rule in her own.
- People didn’t think a queen should rule alone and it did not help that Mary I’s,
first queen to rule alone, did not go well. Her marriage to Phillip of Spain as so
unpopular it led to a rebellion.
, • Financial weaknesses:
- Finances were poor a]er figh9ng expensive wars. Lots of Crown lands had been
sold to pay for them. When she took the throne, the crown was £300,000 in debt.
• Problem of legiBmacy:
- Her legi9macy was in doubt because her father, Henry VIII had divorced
Catherine of Aragon to marry her mother which angered many Catholics.
- Some9mes she took a long 9me to make up her mind, something her Privy
Council and advisers found frustra9ng.
- In 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed for treason, and Henry VIII declared Elizabeth
illegi9mate and excluded her from the succession. However, he later reversed
this decision.
How Elizabeth tackled those problems
• Doubts about a female queen, the stability of her rule and legiBmacy:
- Her choice of council could have caused a problem. But she spent the months
before Mary died decisively, cau9ously, and tacnully choosing them.
- Only way to prove she’s legi9mate is if she married immediately and hand over
power to her husband (male ruler). Since she wouldn’t marry, she had to prove
she was ‘as good as a man’ and that took 9me.
• Doubts about the future of the dynasty: marriage and succession:
- People expected her to marry quickly and have children to provide the next Tudor
monarch. Marriage didn’t mean her husband would take over because of a
previously drawn marriage treaty.
- Problem was who she married. If her council and parliament had been behind
her united on one candidate she would’ve agreed. But they were usually divided
so she stayed single.
- There were later marriage possibili9es however they would all cause upset so it
was not worth it.
• Religious divisions between Catholics and Protestants – a Protestant queen:
- She was protestant. In an age when religion and belief in eternal sounds was so
important it was significant. Since Mary’s religion was Catholic, a change in
religion could signal a break from the past which means she could be portrayed
as an inspira9on.
- A compromise seems like a solu9on but that would please no one.
- She con9nued to privately worship protestant beliefs, but kept some things linked
to Catholicism. Behind the scenes her and the privy council were drawing up a
religious seQlement.
• Challenges from abroad: France, Spain, and Scotland:
- She had two choices for a French invasion possibility, either con9nue the war and
if she won, victory would make her look good. Or make peace which would save
limited recourses and food/epidemics. But it would make her look weak.
- She ended up signing peace with France in Jan 1559, 3 months a]er she became
Queen.
- She spent over £100,000 at the start of her reign on arms and muni9ons, which
meant big loans.
- Fear of invasion con9nued, & she decided to have a protestant church in England.
, • Financial weakness: the royal finances and food prices:
- To strengthen royal finances, she severely cut back government spending from
the beginning of her reign and monitored the cost of her household.
- Exchequer officials were ordered to balance the accounts and make sure debts
were called in. Crown lands were sold over the next 20 years bringing £600,000
into the Exchequer.
- Not only did she pay off debt by 1585 but she had a reserve of £300,000.
England’s religious divisions by 1558
• Un9l 1517, Catholicism was the dominant religion in Western Europe.
• In 1517 a rebellious German monk Mar9n Luther is said to have nailed his 95 theses
to the door of a church. This simple act of protest sparked a religious revolu9on – the
reformaBon.
• He thought the church was way too much about money and too liQle about God.
Catholics Protestants
The pope is the head of the church There should not be a pope
The church can forgive sins Sins can only be forgiven by God
The church acts as an intermediary People have their own direct rela9onship
between God and the people with God through prayer and bible study
Underneath the pope are cardinals, It is not necessary to have cardinals, or
archbishops, bishops, and priests even archbishops or bishops
The bible and church services should be in The bible and church services should be in
La9n your own language
During mass a miracle occurs when the The bread and wine simply represent the
bread and wine become the blood and last supper in the bible. There is no miracle
body of Christ
Priests are special and should wear special Priests are not special and should not wear
vestments special clothing
Churches should be highly decorated in Churches should be plain and simple to not
honor and glory of God distract from worshipping God
Religious settlement (1559)
• The 1534 Act of Supremacy declared Henry VIII and his successors as the supreme
head of the church, replacing the pope. This started tension in England.
• Elizabeth wanted to create peace and unity. She wanted to find a form of
Protestan9sm that was acceptable to Catholics. Not puritan views.
• Puritan views were radical protestant views. They worked to develop their own
church and authority which would challenge Elizabeth’s authority as Queen.
• She spent late 1558 drawing up plans and she called a mee9ng of parliament in
February 1559.
• The Act of Supremacy:
- Made Elizabeth supreme governor of the Church of England.
- An Ecclesias9cal High Commission was established with the job of maintaining
discipline within the church and enforcing the Queens religious seQlement.
