Elizabethan England - Court and Parliament (2)

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  • Elizabethan England (2)
    • Elizabeth and Parliament
      • Consisted of the House of Lords (approx. 90 nobles) and House of Commons (approx. 450 gentry)
        • Parliament passed laws
          • Only met when E called them and often did as she asked
      • Not a democracy - few could vote and there wasn't political parties
      • There were occasions where they disobeyed E
        • Pressured her to marry and produce an heir
          • Almost blocked the Religious Settlement
      • Main role was to vote about taxes, especially to fund wars
        • Only met for about 3 weeks per year and didn't meet for about 29yrs of her 45yr reign
    • Elizabeth's gender
      • As E was female, she was seen as weak
        • Seen as a woman in a man's role and would be unable to control and lead England
      • Previous female rulers had been a disaster
        • E.g. Mary I gave female monarchs a bad reputation
      • Henry VIII had made himself Head of the Church
        • Patriarchal society: this was seen as a role a woman could not do.
      • Linked with questions of religion and her marriage
        • Banned Parliament to discuss her marriage
      • Other female rulers were successful at the time e.g. Mary of Guise (Scotland)
        • Used it to her advantage - Virgin Queen, married to country
    • The marriage question
      • Parliament worried she would die without heir
        • This was big concern after E almost died from smallpox 1562
      • It could build a powerful ally with a foreign country
      • Robert Dudley
        • Her fav, but rumours about wife's death
      • Francis Duke of Anjou and Alençon
        • Brother of French king - alliance. Cath. (unpopular in Eng.)
          • Danger of France becoming too powerful
      • Phillip II of Spain
        • Great alliance, settle Pro-Cath tensions. Cath. so unpopular in Eng.
  • She never married, no ideal husband. Didn't want to be controlled or upset other nobles, H VIII

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