Elizabeth 1 Character and Aims - 2022 exams version

Question 1

How old was Elizabeth when she came to the throne?

Answer 1

Twenty five - she was much younger than Mary when she came to the throne

Question 2

What were Elizabeth’s character strengths and weaknesses?

Answer 2

She was shrewd and proved a good judge of character
Her difficult existence as a Protestant during Mary’s reign, had made her cautious and, even as queen, she was reluctant to take final decisions

Question 3

What three religious policies were put in place in 1559?

Answer 3

Act of Settlement and Act of Uniformity
Act of Supremacy
Royal injunctions

Question 4

What two religious policies were introduced in 1563?

Answer 4

New Book of Common Prayer (compromise between the Edwardian prayer books of 1549 and 1552)
Thirty nine articles (replacing the 43 articles of 1553)

Question 5

What did the Act of Supremacy do?

Answer 5

Repealed the papal supremacy and Marian heresy laws.

Reinstated the religious/ Reformation legislation of Henry VIII’s reign and allowed crown to appoint commissioners to amend errors etc.

Made the queen ‘supreme governor’ rather than supreme head of the Church of England (ambiguous).

Demanded an oath of supremacy from all clergymen and church officials recognising the royal supremacy (enabling Elizabeth to remove Catholic clergy / Marian bishops who felt unable to take the oath).

Question 6

What did the act of uniformity do? (3)

Answer 6

Dealt with worship - demanded that everyone should go to church on Sundays and holydays or pay a fine of 12 pence for non-attendance.

Also specified that ornaments of the church and of ministers should be those that were in place during the second year of the reign of Edward (before the 1549 Act of Uniformity) - issues as many of the Calvinist clergy saw the ornamants as ‘popish’ so rejected strongly to them.

Established the new Book of Common Prayer and specified the use of this single book of common Prayer.

Question 7

What was the 1559 prayer book?

Answer 7

A version of that of 1552 to make it more acceptable to traditionally minded worshipers.

The ‘Black Rubric’ included in the 1552 prayer book to explain away the practice of kneeling at the administration of the Eucharist, was omitted

Question 8

What did the royal injunctions do? (5)

How religious were the visitors that were nominated? (1)

Answer 8

Nominated visitors to inspect the Church and gave specific instructions such as:

The removal/suppression of ‘things superstitious’ from Churches - (Protestant in nature).

The purchase of an English bible and a copy of Erasmus’s Paraphrases by every parish church (as in 1547).

The suppression of Catholic practices (e.g. pilgrimages and the use of candles).

The requirement that any prospective wife of a clergyman had to produce a certificate.

Visitors nominated by Cecil to enforce them = strongly Protestant

Question 9

What were the 39 articles?

Answer 9

Drawn up by the Church in convocation in 1563 (and confirmed by parliament in 1571) they sought to define the doctrine of the Church of England

Question 10

What were the 39 articles based on so what did they support/say?

Answer 10

Based on Cranmer’s earlier articles, they broadly supported reformed doctrine e.g. they denied teachings concerning transubstantiation and said that ministers could marry

Question 11

What was the significance of the settlement?

Answer 11

It was a compromise - not clear whether it was intended as an end itself or as a pre-cursor for further reform - some argue E saw it as final but some argue otherwise

Question 12

When the oath from the act of supremacy was issued to the lower clergy what was the response?

Answer 12

Only 4% refused to take it (about 200) in the period Nov 1559 - Nov 1564

Question 13

What was the controversial part of the act of uniformity?

Answer 13

The new Book of Common Prayer - based on the Edwardian books of 1549 and 1552 but with significant differences especially the wording to be used during a communion service

Question 14

In what way was the new book a compromise?

Answer 14

It contained the possibility of pleasing Catholics and Lutherans who believed in the spiritual presence of Christ at communion and the Zwinglians who regarded communion as merely a way to remember the last supper

Question 15

What else did the Act of Uniformity allow which effected clergymen?

Answer 15

Lay down regulations for the type of clothes worn by clergymen (led to the Vestiarian Controversy of 1556)

Question 16

Which aspects of the Royal Injunctions pleased protestants and what parts disappointed them

Answer 16

The injunction to outlaw pilgrimages pleased them.

Disappointed by the removal of the Black Rubric of the 1552 book which forbade kneeling at communion (kneeling to protestants symbolised the ‘real’ presence of Christ at communion.

Radical protestants disappointed by injunctions concerning wearing of vestments and injunction preventing further destruction of altars

Question 17

What is it possible that the new religious laws represented?

Answer 17

Elizabeth’s own religious views (however clerical marriage was something Elizabeth had always disliked)

Question 18

What was the Act of Exchange and when was it passed?

Answer 18

Passed in 1559 - it allowed Elizabeth the right to take over property once held by bishops.

Question 19

How did the Act of Exchange benefit Elizabeth?

Answer 19

Took considerable wealth away from the church.
Helped Elizabeth and her government to put pressure on bishops by using parts of the act against them (ensured loyalty to E’s religious wishes)

Question 20

What financial act did Elizabeth use for her settlement to provide wealth for the church?

Answer 20

Like Henry VIII she took under royal control the church taxes of First Fruits and Tenths (Mary had returned them in her reign) - this 1559 act allowed E the revenue without increasing taxes on the laity

Question 21

Was Elizabeth involved in government?

Answer 21

Had no desire to involve herself in the details of government like her grandfather Henry VII.

She was determined to preserve the prerogative powers of the Crown which meant she insisted on taking the most important decisions

Question 22

What peace treaty was agreed with France to end the war and when?
How much did France agree to pay if the treaty failed?

Answer 22

April 1559 at Cateau-Cambresis in which it was agreed France would retain Calais for eight years and the restored to England provided they had kept the peace in the meantime
If France failed to return Calais, they agreed to pay 500,000 crowns to England (£125,000)

Question 23

Why did further problems emerge after the death of Henry II of France in June 1559 following an accident in a jousting match?

Answer 23

Henry II was succeeded by his son Francis II, who was married to Mary QoS (E’s cousin and the main Catholic claimant to the throne)
Francis’s accession also brought the strongly Catholic Guise faction to power in France

Question 24

What did the Guises sought to do and what was the outcome?

How did it effect Elizabeth?

Answer 24

Again use Scotland as an instrument of French policy
French troops were sent to garrison major Scottish fortresses - alarmed John Knox (radical Calvinist + leader of the Scottish reformation) and his political allies, the Lords of the Congregation who were seeking power in Edinburgh
This led to conflict with the Lords of the Congregation requesting assistance from their fellow Protestants south of the border

Question 25

Why was E cautious about interfering in Scotland?

Answer 25

She also loathed Knox who had written against female rule which he saw as repugnant to nature

Question 26

Who supported intervention in Scotland and why?

Answer 26

Cecil - he sympathised with the religious predicament of Scottish protestants and knew that England would be more secure without a French force north of the border
He also sought the removal of Mary QoS which would weaken her influence as a potential Catholic claimant to the English throne and wanted to incorporate Scotland within a wider ‘imperial British state, which he considered necessary for the survival of Protestant England

Question 27

Was the intervention in Scotland a success?

Answer 27

Cecil had triumphed - the interests of the Scottish Protestants had been protected and the political influence of Mary had been significantly reduced
But E was aware that success had been achieved through good fortune (the death of Francis) and she would proceed more cautiously in the future

Question 28

What happened in France in March 1562 and what did Robert Dudley (later earl of Leicester) encourage E to do?

Answer 28

Conflict broke out between Catholics and Protestants - he encouraged E to put military pressure on the French crown when it was in a relatively weak state as to ensure the return of Calais

Question 29

What did E do in France as a result of Robert Dudley’s advice?

Answer 29

Promised the Huguenot leader, the Prince of Conde, 6000 men and a loan of £30,000 with control of the port of Le Havre as security

Question 30

What was the outcome of the intervention in France?

Answer 30

Unfortunately for E and Dudley, the luck from Scotland now deserted them as the Huguenot army was defeated and Conde was captured - on the Catholic side the Duke of Guise was assassinated
With both sides leaderless, the French factions agreed to accept peace terms and united to drive the English out of Le Havre
England therefore forced to seek an unfavourable peace settlement at the subsequent Treaty of Troyes in 1564

Question 31

What is a Huguenot?

Answer 31

Term used in the 16th and 17th century to denote French Protestants