Lecture- 4 of Course 110 – History of England and India

England in Elizabethan Period

 This period covers the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558 – 1603).

 This period is considered as the ‘golden age’ in English history.
 It flourished in the Tudor period when England was economically healthier,
more expensive and more optimistic.
 This age represents the apex of the English Renaissance and saw the
flowering of poetry, music and literature.
 This era is famous for theatre, as William Shakespeare and many others
composed plays for theatre.
 Protestant reformation is remarkable.
 Elizabethan religious settlement; reformation of battles between
Protestants and Catholics.
 She settled down the political battle between the parliament and the
monarchy.
 The centuries – long conflict between France and England was suspended
in Elizabeth’s reign.
 Spain was great rival of England and attempt by Phillip – II of Spain to
invade England with the Spanish Armada in 1588 was famously defeated by
English force.

30/04 – Thursday “Lecture- 4 of Course 110 – History of England and India”

(continued from last lecture)
 Elizabeth built up a powerful navy.
 She saved a virtually bankrupt state by her fiscal restraint that cleared the
state of debt by 1574.
 The discoveries of Christopher Columbus stirred up the Western Europe,
especially maritime power (or naval power) like England. Elizabeth was
stimulated (motivated) to create its own colonies in West Indies.
 In the year 1600 the queen contracted the East India Company which in
later centuries developed as British India on the coasts of what is now India
and Bangladesh.
 Elizabeth was an undogmatic protestant who established Church of England
to follow common prayer in 1552.
 She never persecuted Catholics for their religion but punished the traitors
who supported the Spanish enemies of Queen Elizabeth.
 Elizabeth’s moderate religious and political policies marked her unique
among the rulers of previous and succeeding eras.