41. The Role Of The Privy Council Flashcards
(70 cards)
How many of the nobility attended court at some time?
Two thirds of nobility
Who else was normally at court?
Gentry from southern England
Who did elizabeth take advice from?
Courtiers, even when they weren’t privy councillors
Who were some courtiers elizabeth took advice from?
Dudley and Walter Raleigh
What advantage did those in court have?
They had daily access to the Queen so could have a role in decision making
What key positions were there in court?
Grooms of the chamber, yeomen of the guard, and the queen’s mole catcher
What key elements were available from royal patronage?
Licenses to import and export, military posts, and ambassadorships
What was patronage?
Powerful individuals would gain personal support from those they had helped to advance at court
What was the relationship between closeness to the queen and appointing your supporter to a key position?
The closer one’s relationship with the queen, the greater the likelihood of appointing your supporters to key positions
What did courtiers therefore become?
Political figures
What were the functions of the privy council?
To advise the queen over matters of state, to pass and enforce laws, and to raise and administer the kingdoms finances
Who were the 3 types of councillors at the start of elizabeth’s reign?
-members of the nobility
-those who had experience under her predecessors
-those whom she respected for their wisdom and expertise
Who was made councillors?
Robert Dudley and Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk
When were Dudley and Howard made councillors?
1562
What did the appointment of Howard and Dudley suggest about the privy council?
Elizabeth liked a balance of opinion between Howard, who had Catholic sympathies, and Dudley, who was Protestant
Why was it good that ministers were kept in power for a long time?
Kept stability
What did elizabeth do as her reign progressed?
She called less on nobleman from traditional aristocratic families, and more on those whom she trusted and had a close relationship with
How many men did elizabeth usually summon?
A dozen men at one time
How often did the council meet?
At least twice a week, but daily in times of difficulty
How often did elizabeth attend council meetings?
Rarely, but she would be informed of their discussions
What was discussed about Scotland?
With Cecil’s encouragement, the council should send troops to try to end the French influence over Scotland
When was intervention in Scotland discussed?
1559-60
What did the council discuss when the Queen had smallpox?
They failed to reach a decision about the succession if elizabeth died
When did the council discuss the succession when elizabeth had smallpox?
1562
