Early Elizabethan England Key Topic 1 and partically 2

• Were a powerful group of noblemen who could advise Elizabeth but not control her.
• Only chose 19 men to minimize conflict between them.
• She appointed councilors with different views
• She appointed William Cecil as her Secretary of State and he guided her wisely for 40 years.

Problem:

• Mary and James had left the country in £300,000 worth of debt 

Solutions:

• Severely cut government funding
• all debts had to be called in
• Sold all crown lands gaining £600,000

By 1585 the country had no more debt

Problem: 

• At War with France and they didn't know whether to continue with the war or not, as each had their consequences.
• If the continued: if victorious it would mean Elizabeth would be popular and get reign off to a good start. Also, end threat of invasion and making peace may make Elizabeth look weak.
• If made peace: They had no interest in continuing the war and nothing suggested they would win. They could no longer afford to keep sending aid and the famine in 1557 killed 200,000.

Solution:

• Peace with signed with France in 1559.

Problem:

• Protestant or Catholic? Elizabeth was Protestant
• Majority of people were traditional so didn't like the thought of change
• Difficult to switch religions as Mary left it as a Catholic country
• Difficulty of a Compromise: Not everyone would be happy with the outcome
• Options for a Compromise were limited: Committed Protestants couldn't commit with some of the Catholic beliefs. Catholics couldn't accept Queen as head of Church and Puritans wanted a country with no sign of Catholicism.

Solution:

• Religious Settlement.

Problem: 

• People didn't believe Elizabeth was legitimate because Henry replaced the pope and used it to divorce his wife and marry another who had Elizabeth

Solution:

• She'd go ahead with coronation and hope people would get over it
• She was the daughter of the beloved Henry VII

Problem:

• Women rulers are seen as irrational and a liability.
• Women should be silent and domestic
• Monarch needed to keep peaceful means, take harsh conditions and declare war. Women are seen as too weak to do that.

Solution:

• Nothing she did about it.

Problem: 

• She couldn't find the right suiter and had to to keep the Tudor dynasty going.
• If she died there would be no monarch leading to a civil war as to who should be monarch

Solution: 

• Married the country
• Didn't marry a Catholic as this would lead to war and she didn't want to risk it.

Problem:

• Quality of Harvest and epidemics of disease could trigger rebellions - as they'd be in poverty
• No economic policies, so they could ask people for more taxes making them angry.
• Bad harvests for consecutive years - shortage of food

Solution:

• After several bad harvests, 1558 was a very good harvest.
• Since the bad weather was not under her control, she could only hope and pray

• The Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity re-established Protestantism and made Elizabeth Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Most Catholics accepted this as it seemed to accept the Pope as overall Head of the Church.
• Church services had to be in English. Some Catholics objected to this and Latin masses were held in secret. Prayer book and bibles had to be in English
• Decorations in Churchs were kept Catholics liked this.
• Failure to attend church services meant a fine of one shilling.

Challenges to the Settlement: 

• The Puritan Challenge: Did not like the traces of Catholicism in church E.g. decor. Puritans felt that the presence of Jesus was spiritual, not physical. Felt like there should be no Bishops. Elizabeth felt safe in those challenges because the Puritans would never plot with the Catholics and the foreigners to overthrow her.
• The Catholic Challenge: They did not want Elizabeth to be Head of Church or accept Protestant ideas. Catholics were upset that the settlement did not permit Latin mass in services. 

Reasons:

• The Duke of Norfolk, a leading Catholic noble, planned to marry Mary
• Norfolk objected William Cecil's power. Norfolk wanted to increase Catholic power at court
• Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland wanted to have more power not only in the North but in Court.
• They wished to restore Catholicism.
• Even if Elizabeth was not removed, it was hoped she would name Mary as her successor.

The significance of the revolt:

• Expected help from Spain and the pope did not materialize.
• Most Catholics did not join the revolt. Elizabeth was popular and there was no widespread to remove her
• Elizabeth was able to raise a force of 10,000 royal army men
• Her forces were larger than the rebels anticipated and caused them to retreat - so not great leaders
• Elizabeth executed 700 of the rebels
• Northumberland was executed in 1572.

Aims:

• Overthrow Elizabeth, replace her with Mary and then restore Catholic religion to the country.

Events:

• Spring 1571 - Ridolfi traveled to speak with the commander of the Spanish Armada and he explained how he could successfully invade England and cause English Catholics to rebel.
• He didn't support the plan 
• Elizabeth's government unraveled the plan and Ridolfi were arrested.

Consequences: 

• The plot gave opportunity to MPs to pressurize Elizabeth into being harsher with the Catholics, so she said anyone who said she wasn't the rightful queen was a traitor
• In the following weeks, 1000s of Protestants were killed in Paris on Mary's orders. This increased fears of a Catholic attack in England

Aims:

• Were confessed under torture
• Free Mary and restore Catholicism

Events:

• Throckmorton was put under surveillance in April 1583 and in June government called for his arrest. 
• House search revealed papers that incriminated a number of Catholic nobles as well as details of suitable harbors for an invasion force.
• Elizabeth's government stopped it before it reached the public

Consequences:

• Throckmorton was executed in July 1584
• The assassination of William of Orange increased governments fears of the Assassination of Elizabeth the so government was focused on finding evidence that would incriminate Mary for they believed Elizabeth wouldn't be safe whilst Mary was alive.

Aims:

• Anthony Babington was a 25-year-old catholic good at providing plots
• Plotters disscussed and put in writing their intention of killing Elizabeth.

Events:

• July 1586 - Babington wrote to Mary outlining six steps to take to free the country of Protestantism. The first 4 involved planning for an invasion of a foreign army, 5th was freeing mary
• The government placed spies in Mary's household and told her it was safe to send mail and receive letters in beer barrels. All letters were intercepted.
• Mary replied to Babington saying the Assassination of Elizabeth needed four strong men with good horses. Her fate was sealed

Consequences:

• Babington was arrested as he attempted to flee. Executed in September 1586.
• MQoS was moved to Fotheringhay Castle to begin her trial. Hearing of Evidence lasted for weeks. At end of October, she was found guilty of plotting to take Elizabeth's life and executed.