Elizabethan England Key Topic 1 Flashcards
What were some key features of Elizabethan society in 1558?
-Population of England: 3 million
-People mostly lived in countryside and worked on the land
-Price of food determined by quality of harvest
-Life expectancy of 35 (died of plagues and starvation)
-Treason against monarch equivalent to revelling against God
-Monarch could call and dismiss Parliament at will
What was the Great Chain of Being?
-The hierarchal structure of society which was decreed by God with God, and then the monarch who had been appointed by God, at the top.
What was the order of groups in the Great Chain of Being?
-God, Monarch, Nobles and Lords
-Gentry, Wealthy merchants, Yeomen and tenant farmers, Craftspeople/labourers/poor people.
What was the Privy Council?
-A group of the monarch’s closest advisors and heads of government departments.
-They met frequently and decided on big decisions of the state, eg war, religion and marriage.
What was the Privy Council responsible for?
-They met frequently and decided on big decisions of the state, eg war, religion and marriage.
-They were also responsible for administration such as overseeing finances, meeting foreign ambassadors, drafting letters to foreign governments, etc.
How did Elizabeth I change the Privy Council?
-She made it smaller, appointing 20 councillors rather than 50 of Mary’s reign
-She treated Mary’s advisors with respect and kept 10 men who served under her including high-ranking nobles with lots of experience and influence. She also appointed her own new councillors.
What were some problems for Elizabeth I upon her succession?
-Legitimacy, gender, marriage, religious divide, threats from abroad, financial weaknesses
What was her problem of legitimacy?
-Her father, Henry VIII, had divorced Catherine of Aragon before marrying her mother Anne Boleyn. As divorce was not recognised by the Catholic church, the second marriage was not seen as legitimate and so Elizabeth was seen as an illegitimate child.
-People believed she therefore should not be Queen and MQoS should be instead as she was legitimate
What was her problem of gender?
-She was a woman who, at the time, were seen as subservient to men. Their role was domestic and seen as “physically, intellectually and emotionally inferior to men.”
-Her advisors thought she was unable to deal with complexity of ruling and so kept secrets from her.
-Mary I’s disastrous reign confirmed beliefs about women at the time (started unpopular war to support unpopular husband), so people had preconceptions about Elizabeth.
What was her problem of marriage?
-Important for monarchs to marry in order to produce an heir to secure succession, husband could advise and support her while not being King.
-Initially not interested in suitors as she wanted to focus on immediate problems
-Elizabeth did not marry and so had no heir in order to secure succession
What was Elizabeth’s character like and what were her strengths?
-She was brought up as a Protestant and learned Greek, Latin, French and Italian.
-Taught Bible stories, dancing, horse riding, needlework and was very intelligent, understanding, courteous.
-Positive international image: noticed by foreign ambassadors, caught attention of Philip II of Spain.
What 3 Catholic countries were the biggest threat from abroad?
-France, Scotland and Spain
Why was France a threat to Elizabeth?
-France was a Catholic country.
-France was at war with England when Elizabeth rose to the throne.
-MQoS grew up in France and had strong connections to the French royal family. France believed that she, a Catholic queen, should be monarch so they had a motive for invading England on her behalf.
-There were French troops stationed in Scotland so there was a threat of invasion from the North.
Why was Scotland a threat to Elizabeth?
-Scotland was a Catholic country.
-France and Scotland had a strong link due to both being Catholic and MQoS’s link to both.
-MQoS had a strong claim to the English throne and Elizabeth was seen to be illegitimate meaning many saw MQoS as the rightful queen.
-Scotland allied with France and French troops stationed in Scotland meant there was a threat of a joint invasion from across the Channel and northern border.
Why was Spain a threat to Elizabeth?
-Spain was a devout Catholic country, committed to preventing the spread of Protestantism.
-Spain was the most powerful and wealthy country in Europe and had a large empire made up of territories in Europe and conquests in Central and South America.
