Elizabethan England, c1568–1603

Content: Elizabeth's court and Parliament

Elizabeth I and her court : background and character of Elizabeth I

Elizabeth was the last of the Tudor Dynasty. Before her England was ruled by her grandfather Henry VII who won the throne at the end of the War of the Roses, her father Henry VIII (who , her little brother Edward VI and older sister ‘bloody’ Mary.

Key terms:Catholic- dominant type of Christianity at the time in Europe. Pope was the head of the Church and had considerable power over the people. Taught that salvation could only be achieved through the Church and people needed the church to explain the word of God and to communicate with God. Services were in Latin and churches were colourful and ornate with lots of images.

Protestant- Group of Christians who protested against what they saw as the corruption of the Catholic Church. Believed people should read the bible themselves and attend services in their own language. They believed that strength of peoples’ faith was what got people into heaven. Their churches were plain and services were in English.

Henry VII

Won the throne from Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth (1485). Ending the War of the Roses: House of Lancaster (Henry) versus the House of York (Richard)Had a weak claim to the throne but improved finances and standing of the English Crown both at home and abroad. He married Elizabeth of York (Richard's sister) meaning that their heirs were a combination of the two households.

Henry VIII

Became King in 1509 (aged 17) and married his brothers widow Catherine of Aragon. He was a popular King in the early days.In the 1530s he wanted to leave Catherine and marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope would not give him a divorce and so he split from the Catholic Church. This lead to rebellion and opposition to Henry who executed an estimated 72,000 people in his reign.Elizabeth's mum was Henry's 2nd wife (he had 6 in total) she was executed in 1536 for alleged adultery (with numerous men including her own brother) and witchcraft.Wives: Catherine of Aragon (divorced), Ann Boleyn (executed), Jane Seymour (died), Anne of Cleves (divorced), Catherine Howard (executed), Catheriner Parr (survived, was guardian to the young Elizabeth).

Edward and Mary

Edward was the son of Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour. He became King in 1547 when he was only 9. He was a Protestant and looked to extend his father's reforms to the church. This caused opposition and rebellion. Edward died when just 15, he and his advisor tried to change the line of sucession making Lady Jane Gray his heir.Mary removed Lady Jane Gray from power (after only 9 days). Mary was the daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. She was a devoted Catholic and tried to reverse her father and brothers reforms of the Church and returned England to the Catholic Church under the Pope. She married here younger cousin Kinf Philip of Spain. This was unpopular leading to the Wyatt rebellion after which Elizabeth was arrested but released due to lack of evidence. The couple failed to have any children and when Mary died Elizabeth took the thrown (1558).

Henry VIII’s Great Matter: Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon was initially a happy one but Henry became increasingly obsessed with having a male heir. He and Catherine had a daughter (Mary) but other than that there was a number of miscarriages, still births and infant deaths. Henry believed that the marriages was not approved of by God as he had married his brother’s widow. He sought a divorce but the Pope would not approve it (Catherine was related to the Holy Roman Emperor who had influence over the Pope). Henry was also in love with Anne Boleyn who would not sleep with him unless they were married.

Elizabeth’s character:Elizabeth was a cautious character and this may well have been due to her childhood. Her mother was executed (on orders from her father) when she was just 3. Elizabeth’s position was vulnerable for a number of years as she was removed from the succession. She was only returned to the King’s favour and the line of succession late in her father’s reign (1544) when she came under the care of Catherine Parr. Elizabeth was raised with Protestant beliefs. Religion swung one way and then the other in the reign of her father, her younger brother Edward who reigned 1547-1553 was strongly Protestant and her older sister Mary who reigned 1553-1558 was strongly Catholic. Elizabeth got on well with her brother but not her sister.

Elizabeth received an excellent education and proved to be exceptionally bright. At 14 she could speak French, Italian, Spanish and Latin fluently and could read Greek. She was also good at history, could write poetry, was musical and athletic (skilled horsewoman and dancer). She appears to idolised her father despite rarely seeing him during her childhood.

Elizabeth became close to Catherine Parr but there was a great scandal in Edward’s reign when Catherine’s new husband Thomas Seymour (the King’s Uncle) outrageously with Elizabeth. Thomas Seymour was later convicted of treason and Elizabeth was in great danger but convinced investigators of her innocence.

Elizabeth also faced danger in her sister’s reign when implicated in the Wyatt Rebellion against the Spanish marriage. Elizabeth spent two months as a prisoner in the Tower of London. She protested her innocence and with no evidence against her was released. She spent the rest of Mary’s reign effectively under house arrest.

Elizabeth was cautious, clever and courageous. She developed these attributes in her childhood and they would be important during her long reign. She had firm Protestant views. It can be argued that her father executing her mother, the scandal involving Thomas Seymour and the threat to her life under the rule of her sister Mary meant that Elizabeth rarely trusted anyone. The experience of her parents and sisters marriages plus the events with Thomas Seymour are often used to explain why she never married.

Elizabeth I and her court :court life

The Royal Court moved where ever the Monarch went it was not fixed in one place.

People who were part of the court were referred to as Courtiers. In this age of

Personal Monarchy access to the Monarch was key to any politician. The Privy Council advised the Queen and dealt with the day to day running of the country, members

often came from the Court. The Court was also a place of entertainment, extravagant meals, dances and a place where how you

dressed and who your were seen with mattered.

It was made up of about 500 nobles, advisors, officials and servants who all

lived with the Queen and competed with each other for power an influence.

Groups at court would at times divide into factions (competing groups) at one

stage their was a faction around Elizabeth's favourite Robert Dudley and

another faction around the Duke of Norfolk. The two groups wore different

coloured ribbons to signify their loyalties. Elizabeth used a system of patronage

where she would reward people by giving them important jobs (these brought

prestige not wealth). This caused competition between people at court it

meant they were all loyal toi Elizabeth as only her favour could lead to key

promotions.

The Court was the centre of political power and mainly moved arround royal residences such as Richmond, Whitehall

Palace, St James' Palace, Hampton Court, Greenwich and Nonsuch. Windsor Castle

and the Tower of London were used in times of danger. Windsor Castle was in

only Royal Residence that Elizabeth spen any money on improving. The court

projected the Queen's power with rituals with strict rules such as the Quuen dining

in public on feast days. The court was used to impress visitors and propaganda to show the magnificance of the Queen

Most summers Elizabeth and her court went on PROGRESSES visiting the homes of the Nobility. Having the Queen and Court

visit was a great honour and an even greater expense. The court took 400

wagons carrying clothes, documents and furniture (including the Queens bed which

she took everywhere with her). The progresses were public relations exercises but also meant that the Queen and court could live in luxury at the expense of her

subjects. In her absesnse the Royal palaces were cleaned and fumigated.

The Royal Court

Elizabeth I and her court: key ministers

The difficulties of a female ruler: relations with Parliament

The difficulties of a female ruler: the problem of marriage and the succession

The difficulties of a female ruler: the strength of Elizabeth’s authority at the end of her reign

Content: Life in Elizabethan timesA ‘Golden Age’: living standards and fashions

A ‘Golden Age’: growing prosperity and the rise of the gentry

A ‘Golden Age’: the

Elizabethan theatre and its achievements

A ‘Golden Age’: attitudes to the theatre

The poor reasons for the increase in poverty

The poor attitudes and responses to poverty

The poor the reasons for government

action and the seriousness of the problem

English sailors: Hawkins and Drake

English sailors; circumnavigation 1577–1580

English sailors: the role of Raleigh

Content: Troubles at home and abroadReligious matters: the question of religion, English

Catholicism and Protestantism

Religious matters: the Northern Rebellion

Religious matters: Elizabeth's excommunication

Religious matters: the missionaries

Religious matters: Catholic plots and the

threat to the Elizabethan settlement

Religious matters: the nature and ideas of the Puritans and Puritanism

Religious matters: Elizabeth and her government's responses

and policies towards religious matters

Mary Queen of Scots background

Mary Queen of Scots Elizabeth and Parliament’s treatment of Mary

Mary Queen of Scots the challenge posed by Mary

Mary Queen of Scots plots

Mary Queen of Scots execution and its impact

Conflict with Spain: reasons

Conflict with Spain: events

Conflict with Spain: naval warfare, including tactics and technology

Conflict with Spain: the defeat of the Spanish Armada

Hardwick Hall

Establish the location and simple background/biography of Hardwick Hall and its creator with your students.

Hardwick Hall

Develop Knowledge and understanding of Hardwick Hall and how evidence can be used to further that understanding.

Hardwick Hall

Identify the typical features of Elizabethan manor houses and relating these to Hardwick Hall. Students record comments on the characteristics of Hardwick architecture. The aim is to identify and relate to Tudor/Elizabethan building styles and the ways Hardwick was or wasn’t typical. Consider the following aspects: • symmetry • glass windows • storeys • gardens • gallery • servants quarters • plaster work • fireplaces • bedrooms • hall • layout/floorplan.

Hardwick Hall

Students should consider what they can learn from a study of Hardwick Hall about the Elizabethan period? What does a study of Hardwick Hall tell us about fashions and prosperity of the Elizabethan gentry?