Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Paper 2 ‐ EEE
SectionB – 4. Describe two features of… 4 5 minutes
Early
Elizabethan
marks
England
5. Explain why… 12 15
marks minutes
Features of Elizabethan
Privy Council government... Royal Court
The Privy Council‐This was made up of leading courtiers and advisers as well as nobles and The Court‐The court was a body of people who lived in, or near the same palace or house
very senior government officials like Sir William Cecil. There were approximately 19 as the monarch. The court was mostly made up of members of the nobility. They were the
members of the Privy council chosen by the monarch. They met at least three times a monarch’s key servants, advisers and friends. Attending court required the monarch’s
week. Meetings were often over seen by the monarch. Their job was to debate current permission. The job of the court was to entertain and serve the monarch. It was a public
issues and advise on policy. They over saw law and order and monitored parliament. They display of the wealth and power of the monarch. Courtiers had influence with the
made sure the monarch’s final decisions were carried out. monarch rather than actual power.
Justices of the Peace (JPs)‐ JP’s were large landowners who kept law and order in their
Lords Lieutenant local area. They were unpaid and they reported to the Privy Council. Being a JP was a
Each county had a Lord Lieutenant chosen by the monarch. They were members of the position of status and so was a very popular job. Their role was to make sure that all social
nobility and were often also on the Privy Council. They were essential to maintaining the and economic policies were carried out. They heard county court cases every three
monarch’s power and England’s defences. They were in charge of rising and training local months for more serious crimes. They were part of the local government.
militia (military force of ordinary people) and overseeing the country’s defences. They
were also part of the local government and oversaw enforcement.
Legitimacy, Gender & Marriage Finances
England’s finances were particularly poor in 1558. Although England’s monarch’s
Elizabeth was not accepted as a legitimate queen by all. Her mother Anne Boleyn was beheaded for ruled by ‘Divine Right’, they needed money and the support of the people to be
treason and she was declared illegitimate by Henry VIII in 1536. It was only when Henry VIII married successful. Monarchs could raise money from rents on their land, customs (trade
his sixth wife Catherine Parr that Elizabeth was welcomed back to court in 1543 and was once again
taxes), extraordinary taxes (parliament), fines and loan repayments. Elizabeth’s
in the line of succession.
Many people were suspicious of having another queen after the disastrous reign of Elizabeth’s half government did not have a lot of money. England had been involved in costly
sister Mary (1553‐58). This reign had been a disaster; she had lost a war against France, bad harvests wars and the crown had sold of land to fund them. When she took the throne
had led to disease and starvation and she had burned 300 people for their religious beliefs. Mary (like Elizabeth was £300,000 in debt and the annual income of the crown was
most of the population) was a Catholic and had tried to remove Protestant influences. This had been
£286,667. Most of the crowns wealth came from land ownership. The 16th
unpopular.
People expected that Elizabeth would marry quickly and have children to provide the next Tudor century saw a rapid rise in prices and yet most rents remained fixed. This meant
Monarch. Many in the country questioned the ability of a women to rule and people were also the crown was spending more but could not increase its revenue. Elizabeth had
suspicious of Elizabeth’s own legitimacy as the rightful heir. Choosing the Privy Council was a crucial to try and continue the reforms of Mary I and reform the Exchequer. She cut
task to gain the support of the most powerful men in England. She appointed William Cecil as
back on government spending and strictly monitored the cost of her household.
Secretary of State and then 20 councillors (reduced from Mary’s 50). She thanked all the past
councillors for their work and Elizabeth was careful not to offend any of the country’s powerful men. Exchequer officials were told to call in all debts and balance the books. Crown
She had selected loyal (and mainly Protestant) men and achieved a council that caused little upset. lands were sold off across twenty years bringing in £600,000 to the crown. By
Working with the Privy Council would become one of the strengths of her reign. 1585, Elizabeth had paid of Mary I debt and built up a reserve of £300,000.
However, after 1585 she needed the support of parliament to raise taxes to fund
the war with Spain.
Elizabeth’s problems when she
Foreign policy & threats became Queen in 1558 Religion
Religion was extremely important. Everyone believed in God and attended church. The country had
Scotland‐was ruled by Elizabeth’s cousin Mary Queen of Scots Yet Mary was been Catholic for over 1000 years. In 1533 Henry had replaced the pope as the Head of the Church
living in France as she was married to the French heir. This strong link between and set up the Protestant Church of England. Mary I returned the country to Catholicism but
France and Scotland and the fact that both were Catholic countries was a real Elizabeth was a Protestant like her father and mother. Elizabeth had to decide whether to carry on as
a Catholic country or return to Protestantism. Some Catholics thought she should not be allowed to
threat to England‐they were surrounded by enemies in the North and South.
rule.
France‐Had been in a war with England until January 1559. Despite peace the
French crown continued to belief that Mary Queen of Scots was a more Elizabeth I was a Protestant. However, when she became Queen in 1558, most of the country was
legitimate heir. Catholic. Elizabeth’s brother Edward had enforced Protestantism when he was King (1547‐53). But
this was short lived and Mary I returned the country to Catholicism, There was a great deal of
Spain‐ was the richest and most powerful country in Europe. Spain was devoutly
religious conflict spreading across Europe as Catholics and Protestants fought to establish their faith
Catholic and committed to preventing the spread of Protestantism. However, as the ‘true religion.’ Elizabeth feared that this conflict would spread to England. Catholics had not
Spain and England had been friendly for most of the Tudor period as the King of accepted Henry VIII’s divorce and many refused to belief that Elizabeth was the rightful heir. Many
Spain had been married to Mary I. Once Elizabeth announced the country would Catholics wanted Elizabeth’s cousin Mary Queen of scots to take the throne as she was a committed
Catholic. In 1558, most of England’s Bishops were Catholic. Changing the countries religion required
be Protestant again the support of Spain would disappear.
an Act of Parliament. The House of Commons would probably support Elizabeth but there were lots
Elizabeth spent over £100,000 at the start of her reign on military arms. Re‐ of Catholic Bishops in the House of Lords who would oppose her. Elizabeth needed to find a religious
stocking the realms required taking out massive loans, but is perhaps the clearest compromise.
evidence that Elizabeth saw invasion as the greatest threat.
The Pope as leader of the Catholic Church could pose a problem as he believed
she was a heretic.
Catholics vs Protestants in England 1559 What was the Religious Settlement of 1559 or Middle Way?
All members of the Church had to take the oath of supremacy under the Act of Supremacy if they
were to keep their posts. 8,000 priests and less important clergy did so. There were 10,000 parishes
The English Reformation (challenge to the teachings of the Catholic Church) in England at this time so this shows that the religious settlement was largely successful. When it
began in 1532, when Henry VIII created the Catholic Church. By 1558, The came to the bishops, however, only one agreed to take the oath. The others all had to step down and
Reformation was tearing Europe apart. The reformation questioned the power Elizabeth appointed 27 new bishops. This gave her the opportunity to put Protestants in place. She
could not afford to lose the support of these new bishops, as there was a shortage of qualified
and teachings of a Church that had existed for centuries. This caused great
Protestant clergy in England.
tension between those loyal to the Catholic Church and the Protestants (Church
of England) who wanted change. Protestants believed that the Bible should be
translated from Latin into different languages and that people should be able to
interpret the Bible themselves. A few of the Catholic Church’s traditions or
decoration were not mentioned in the Bible and therefore Protestants believed
they should be stopped. Under such threat the Catholic Church focused on
strengthening the faith. Non‐believers were executed and put in prison. Religious
wars were fought across Europe to try and re‐establish Catholicism.
Religion was truly a matter of life and death in Tudor times.
Religion in England & the
Why did most people support The Middle religious settlement of 1559 What were the challenges to the Religious
Way? Settlement?
The majority of ordinary people accepted Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement and
attended the Church of England services, even though many of them held on to
Catholic beliefs. The wording of the new Prayer Book helped this because it could
be understood to mean different things by Catholics and Protestants according
to their beliefs. Parishes in places like Lancashire, where Catholics were in the
majority, were slow to change to the new services, however. Nevertheless,
Elizabeth made it clear that she did not want the settlement enforced too
strongly, even if people were recusants*. In most of the country the change of
religion was smooth. However, in some places Protestants welcomed the new
Elizabethan Religious Settlement with sometimes violent enthusiasm. In London,
for example, there was a great deal of destruction of church ornaments and
statues of saints
People had also been fed up with religious persecution by Edward and Mary
before. Many people of both religions were ready to accept compromise over
continued conflict so they could just get on with their lives.
Elizabeth I’s religious settlement was designed to be accepted by as many of her subjects as possible, be they Catholic or Protestant. The religious settlement was established in 1559 and came in three parts:
• The Act of Supremacy made Elizabeth supreme governor of the Church of England ‐ all clergy and royal officials had to swear an oath of allegiance to her as the head of the Church.
• The Act of Uniformity established the appearance of churches and the form of services they held.
• The Royal Injunctions was a set of instructions, issued by Sir William Cecil on behalf of the queen to the clergy, on a wide range of issues to reinforce the acts of Supremacy and Uniformity. It included instructions
on how people should worship God and the structure of services. Under the Act of Supremacy, an ecclesiastical* high commission was established with the job of maintaining discipline within the church and
enforcing the queen’s religious settlement. Members of the clergy whose loyalty was in doubt could be punished. The Act of Uniformity introduced a set form of church service in the Book of Common Prayer to be
used in all churches. The clergy had to use the wording of the Prayer Book when conducting services. Anyone who refused to use it was punished. The wording of the service was deliberately unclear so that, for
example, Catholics could take it as meaning the bread and wine became the body and blood of Christ, while Protestants could take it as simply an act of remembrance. It also made it clear that priests were to wear
special clothing.
1.All members of the Church had to take the oath of supremacy under the Act of Supremacy if they
were to keep their posts. 8,000 priests and less important clergy did so. There were 10,000 parishes in
England at this time so this shows that the religious settlement was largely successful. When it came to
the bishops, however, only one agreed to take the oath. The others all had to step down and Elizabeth
appointed 27 new bishops. This gave her the opportunity to put Protestants in place. She could not
afford to lose the support of these new bishops, as there was a shortage of qualified Protestant clergy
in England.
2.The majority of ordinary people accepted Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement and attended the Church
of England services, even though many of them held on to Catholic beliefs. The wording of the new
Prayer Book helped this because it could be understood to mean different things by Catholics and
Protestants according to their beliefs. Parishes in places like Lancashire, where Catholics were in the
majority, were slow to change to the new services, however. Nevertheless, Elizabeth made it clear that
she did not want the settlement enforced too strongly, even if people were recusants*. In most of the
country the change of religion was smooth. However, in some places Protestants welcomed the new
Elizabethan Religious Settlement with sometimes violent enthusiasm. In London, for example, there
was a great deal of destruction of church ornaments and statues of saints
3.There were ways around the Elizabethan Religious Settlement for committed Catholics. For example,
many attended church but then had private Catholic services in their homes. Sometimes the husband
and father would go to Church of England services, but his wife and children would stay at home to say
their prayers and practise Catholic beliefs. This meant they avoided fines.
4.Although Church courts mainly focused on Church matters, they did act in a range of minor disputes
on moral issues. Examples of moral issues dealt with by the Church included marriage (ensuring both
bride and groom were marrying of their own free will, or at a suitable age), sexual offences (such as
bigamy – being married to more than one person at the same time), and slander (false insults). Church
courts also dealt with wills and inheritance. For example, all wills had to be proved valid before
anyone could inherit. Lawyers greatly resented the powers that the Church courts had. All other
offences, such as civil cases (one person suing another), disputes over land, robbery, fraud, rape and
murder were dealt with in the ordinary court system.
5.The Church was responsible for helping to enforce the religious settlement. Visitations were
inspections of churches and clergy by bishops to ensure that everyone took the oath of supremacy and
were following the terms of the religious settlement. The first visitations were in 1559 and resulted in
up to 400 clergy being dismissed. In some places those carrying out the visitations caused a great deal
of destruction of decorations and statues in churches, which was more action than Elizabeth wanted.
In addition, she made it clear that she did not want people’s religious beliefs investigated too closely.
After 1559, visitations took place every three to four years. They were very wide‐ranging and did not
just cover the Church. For example, not only did clergy have to present their preaching licences, but
teachers, midwives, surgeons and physicians had to provide the licences that allowed them to practice
their jobs. In this way, the Church was able to monitor other professions for the government.
The problem of Mary Queen of Scots... Relations between Elizabeth & Mary 1568‐69
Mary, Queen of Scots, was a Catholic with a strong claim to the English throne. She was Henry VII’s
great granddaughter, Elizabeth I’s second cousin, and there were no issues about her legitimacy. Mary married her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in 1565. She gave birth to their son,
Born on 8 December 1542, she became queen of Scotland at six days old after her father, King James James, in 1566. In 1567, Darnley was murdered, probably by
V, died. Her mother, Mary of Guise, was from a very powerful Catholic, and French, noble family. the Earl of Bothwell and Mary was suspected of being involved. In fact, she married Bothwell soon
after Darnley’s death, which for many was admission of her guilt. The scandal led to the Protestant
Mary’s arrival in England 1558... Scottish lords rebelling again. They forced Mary to abdicate* in favour
In 1560, Elizabeth helped Scotland’s Protestant lords defeat Mary of Guise, who had been ruling of her baby son, James. She was imprisoned in a castle on an island in the middle of a loch (lake), but
Scotland for her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, whilst she was in France with her husband, King escaped and in 1568 raised an army in an attempt to win back her throne. Mary’s forces were
Francis II. The Scottish Protestant lords rebelled because they did not like the French, Catholic defeated at Langside, near Glasgow, and she fled to England, seeking Elizabeth I’s help against the
influence brought to Scotland by Mary of Guise. Although Elizabeth was cautious to send help to a rebels.
rebellion which could see the deposing of an anointed monarch, she was also under constant threat:
with French help, Mary, Queen of Scots, could take her throne. With the encouragement of her Elizabeth I faced many series threats between 1569‐1588, both from within England and from abroad.
advisers, Elizabeth secretly sent money to help the rebels, and eventually sent troops, too. In Northern England Elizabeth faced threats from members of the nobility who were increasingly
sympathetic to Mary Queen of Scots and her Catholic cause.
The rebellion ended with the Treaty of Edinburgh in 1560. The treaty said that Mary, Queen of Scots,
would give up her claim to the English throne. After the
unexpected death of her husband, King Francis II of France, in December 1560, Mary returned to
Scotland from France. Although she was queen, the Protestant
lords controlled the Scottish government. Mary herself never approved the treaty, and maintained
that she had a claim to the English throne. She wanted to be named as Elizabeth’s heir. Elizabeth had
no intention of naming any heir, however, and choosing Mary would divide England: she would be
popular with Catholics, but not Protestants. Divisions would damage the kingdom and weaken
Elizabeth’s position.
The problem of Mary Queen of Scots
Why didn’t Elizabeth want to execute Mary? So, why did Elizabeth execute Mary in Feb
1587?
• She was an anointed Queen.
• Execution could stir up rebellion. After 19 years of imprisonment, Mary Queen of Scots is beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in England for
• Execution could cause a costly war. her complicity in a plot to murder Queen Elizabeth I.
• She personally did not want to kill her.
In 1568, Mary escaped from captivity and raised a substantial army but was defeated and fled to
The Queen of Scots fled south to England. She never saw Scotland or her son again. Mary hoped England. Queen Elizabeth initially welcomed Mary but was soon forced to put her friend under house
Queen Elizabeth I would help her. This was another mistake. Elizabeth did not want Mary, and did arrest after Mary became the focus of various English Catholic and Spanish plots to overthrow
not know what to do with her. It might not be safe to send Mary back to Scotland, or to France, or to Elizabeth. Nineteen years later, in 1586, a major plot to murder Elizabeth was reported, and Mary was
any other country. brought to trial. She was convicted for complicity and sentenced to death. On February 8, 1587, Mary
Why did Mary seem dangerous? Queen of Scots was beheaded for treason. Her son, King James VI of Scotland, calmly accepted his
The English government saw Mary as a threat to their Queen. Elizabeth had many enemies. England's mother’s execution, and upon Queen Elizabeth’s death in 1603 he became king of England, Scotland,
biggest enemy, Spain, might try to remove Elizabeth and make Mary Queen of England. and Ireland.
Remember, the two Queens were distant cousins. Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII. Mary was
the granddaughter of Henry's sister Margaret Tudor. If Elizabeth died without children to succeed In 1586 English spies uncovered a new plot, to kill Elizabeth and make Mary queen, with help from
her, Mary (and her son James) were next in line for the throne. Spain. The plotters were rounded up, tortured and executed. Letters from Mary seemed to link her to
Plots against Elizabeth the plot. Mary was tried at Fotheringhay Castle. In Scotland, her son James (now 20) did little to help
Elizabeth kept Mary a prisoner in England for 19 years. The two Queens never met. Mary wrote to her. Mary was found guilty of treason. The sentence was death.
Elizabeth asking to be set free. She also spent many hours doing needlework. Queen Elizabeth was reluctant to sign the death‐order, but finally did so (though she later said she
In 1570 the Pope in Rome said Elizabeth was no longer the rightful queen of England (Papal Bull). hadn't). On 8 February 1587, at Fotheringhay Castle, Mary Queen of Scots was executed. Her head was
Many Catholics now believed Mary was England's lawful queen. English Catholics were blamed for cut off with an axe.
plots to get rid of Elizabeth. There were spies and plotters everywhere.
The Revolt of the Northern Earls – was it a serious threat? The Ridolfi Plot – 1571...
In 1571 a plot was discovered involving Felipe II of Spain, Pope Pious V and the Duke of Norfolk, as well
England: In November 1569, the earls of Northumberland and Westmorland led a rebellion in the as Mary, Queen of Scot’s advisor, Leslie, Bishop of Ross, and Mary herself. The conspirators were led
north of England against Elizabeth known as the Revolt of the Northern Earls (see chapter 2). One by Roberto Ridolfi, a Florentine banker based in London, who, posing as an international banker, was able to
of the key events of the rebellion was the taking of Durham Cathedral and the celebration of a full travel between Brussels, Rome and Madrid without attracting too much suspicion. Ridolfi had been
Catholic mass. Even though the earls’ reasons for rebelling stemmed from a lack of political power questioned by English authorities after the Northern Rising two years before. He had discussed his plans with
and influence under Elizabeth I, the Catholic religion brought many other northerners to their the Duke of Alba in the Netherlands and travelled to Rome and Madrid to raise support for an invasion of
cause. Rallied by this support, the rebels marched south. By 22 November they controlled the land eastern England and an uprising of Catholics, which would be followed by the marriage of Thomas Howard,
east of the Pennines as far south as Braham Moor, north of Leeds. The earls of Northumberland 4th Duke of Norfolk to Mary, Queen of Scots, who would seize the English throne. Ridolfi called for Spain to
and Westmorland appealed to the Catholic nobility, especially in Lancashire and Cheshire, but intervene with troops to support the marriage and put Mary on the throne. The Spanish were at first doubtful
they did not join them. The vast majority of England’s nobles stayed loyal to Elizabeth, with the as to the value of the plan; there were obstacles; King Felipe disliked the idea of assassinating Queen
exception of the Duke of Norfolk, England’s most senior noble and her distant cousin. On 24 Elizabeth; a stable England was needed as a counterweight to France; there was no guarantee that the
November 1569, the rebels were forced to retreat. The rebellion was successfully put down by English population or its nobility were as Catholic in sentiment as the success of the plot demanded.
royal troops under the leadership of the Earl of Sussex. Nevertheless, Elizabeth’s reaction to it However, the activities of Sir John Hawkins and the detention in England of Spanish ships carrying large sums
shows how dangerous she believed it was. Hundreds of rebels were executed in towns and cities of money destined for their armies in the Netherlands caused a worsening of relations between England and
across the north. These public displays of Crown power mark a change in Elizabeth’s relationship Spain, and the Spanish, encouraged by petitions from English Catholics for deliverance, went ahead.
with her Catholic subjects, which was to become even more difficult in the 1570s. When Charles Baillie, a Scot favourable to Mary's party, was arrested at Dover, incriminating letters
from Ridolfi to Bishop Leslie were seized. Baillie revealed the existence of the plot under torture. Leslie,
The established Northern Families had their power eroded. The "council of the North" currently under the threat of torture, lay all the blame on Mary and Norfolk. Norfolk was arrested, tried for high
under the control of the queen's cousin Lord Hudson replaced them. The Northern Earls schemed treason, found guilty and executed on Tower Hill on 2 Jun 1572. Ridolfi was abroad when the plot was
to overthrow William Cecil who they considered as too influential at court. They held him uncovered and escaped this fate. Mary admitted giving Ridolfi a financial commission but strongly denied any
responsible for the uncertain succession and poor policy decisions such as the Religious other part in the scheme. Elizabeth was reluctant to authorise the execution of a fellow queen, but Mary was
Settlement. The plan involved Norfolk marrying Mary Queen of Scots who was at the time under kept under ever‐tighter surveillance. Although unsuccessful, the plot concentrated the minds of the English
house arrest in England. The catholic earls of Northumberland [Percy] and Westmoreland [Neville] government on assassination attempts on Elizabeth, and, more importantly, exacerbated the Puritan demand
were pushed into rebellion by their tenants and by Sussex [previous President of the council of the that Mary be executed in order to safeguard the English church and state.
North] calling them to answer for their actions.
The Throckmorton plot Plots, threats and Revolts at home... The Babington Plot...
English involvement in the Netherlands
Anglo‐Spanish Relations... Drake’s raid on Cadiz
1585‐88
Causes of The Spanish Armada of 1588 Events of The Spanish Armada
Philip's plan was that an armada of 130 ships carrying 17,000 men would sail to the Netherlands, to
pick up more of the Spanish army and invade England. In 1588, Philip's Armada set sail.
The English fleet left harbour in Plymouth and followed the Armada for eight days. The English navy
had slightly more ships than the Spanish fleet which were both faster and had longer‐range guns. The
English fleet aimed to destroy the Spanish ships from a distance by firing cannon at them. However,
in the eight days of following the Armada, little damage had been done.
Philip had instructed his commander to get close enough to the enemy’s ships for the Spanish sailors
to board them and then capture them, but this was not possible as the English kept their distance.
Despite this, o 6 August, the Spanish ships reached Calais. The first part of their plan had been
successful.
During the night the English commander, Lord Howard, decided to go on the offensive. He ordered
that eight unmanned English ships be filled with inflammable materials such as tar and gunpowder.
These ships were then set on fire and the winds carried them towards the Spanish ships in the
harbour. The sight of these fire ships caused panic amongst the Spanish sailors who cut their anchors,
losing their tight crescent formation. The Armada was blown to the coast of the Netherlands.
The result of the fireships being used was that the Armada was scattered and was no longer in a
position to link up with Parma’s army in the Netherlands. The loss of their anchors also made it
impossible to take shelter in harbours.
At daylight on 8 August, Lord Howard gave the order to attack. The battle of Gravelines lasted for
most of the day and was fought in very tough weather conditions, with rough seas and bad visibility.
Many of the Spanish ships were lost or damaged. 1,000 Spanish sailors were killed. No English ships
were lost and about 50 English sailors lost their lives.
The problem of the poor –
poverty ‐ vagabondage
Exploration, trade and
colonisation...
Spies and dealing with
rebbellions...
“Elizabeth’s rule was very effective” How far do you agree. Explain your answer…
Not effective at all Quite effective Very effective
Religion
Rebellion
Foreign threats
Poverty
Making England
wealthy
Education Sport, pastimes & the theatre
Education & Leisure
Why was there an increase in poverty in Elizabethan England?
The problem of the poor –
What were Elizabeths’s policies towards the poverty ‐ vagabondage Were Elizabeth’s policies effective?
Poor?
Why did exploration happen under Elizabeth? Drake’s circumnavigation...
Exploration, trade and
Raleigh & Virginia... colonisation... Reasons for the failure of colonisation...
(Roanoke)
Explain how Elizabethan government was structured
Explain why Elizabeth faced several revolts and rebellions from
1558‐88
Explain why Mary Queen of Scots was executed in 1587
Explain why Mary Queen of Scots was a threat to Elizabeth
from 1558‐88
Explain why religion was a problem for Elizabeth from 1558‐88
Explain why Elizabeth introduced the religious settlement of
1559
Explain why Anglo‐Spanish relations declined from 1559 to
1585
Explain why Spain attempted to invade England in 1588
Explain why the Spanish Armada failed in 1588
POVERTY
ENTERTAINMENT
EDUCATION
COLONISATION
EXPLORATION