Queen, government and religion

Society and government

1. Queen 2. Royal Court 3. Privy Council 4. Nobles 5. Gentry 6. Merchants 7. Yeoman 8. Servant

Elizabeth personal problems

- Catholics thought she was illegitimate because her parent's marriage was illegal

- A female ruling alone would be seen as weak and vulnerable

Elizabeth's strengths and character

- Brought up Protestant - Well educated and cautious and is politically intelligent

Challenges at home and abroad

- £300,000 in debt from the war. - England was at war with France and they could invade 

Religious divisions in England 1558

- Protestants had rebelled against Queen Mary's reintroduction of Catholicism

- Elizabeth was protestant and was aware returning it could cause a Civil War

- Elizabeth didn't want to surrender authority to the Pope

Elizabeth's religious settlement, 1559

Act of Supremacy: Liz is the supreme governor of the Church and all leaders had to pledge allegiance.

Act of Uniformity: Established the appearance of churches and form of service. Everyone had to attend church on Sunday or be fined

Royal Injunctions: A set of instructions on a wide range of issues to reinforce those Acts. Like clergy were to teach the royal supremacy and each parish was to have a copy of the Bible in English

The Puritan Challenge

- They didn't like the traces of the Catholic church like vestments

-  They didn't like the crucifix because it represents an idol.

- Some puritans felt there shouldn't be any bishops and there were too many weak priests

- During communion, Puritans felt the presence of Jesus was spiritual, not physical

The Catholic Challenge

- The settlement did not permit the Latin Mass in services

- Some didn't attend church and liz didn't enforce recusancy fines too strictly

- The  excommunication also gave justification for any rebellions against Elizabeth and for foreign intervention to help Mary

Mary, Queen of Scots' claim to the England throne

- She was a catholic with strong claim to the English throne. She was Henry VII great grandaughter

The treaty of Edinburgh 1560

- Scotland's Protestant lords rebelled against the French, Catholic influence from Mary's Mom and Elizabeth secretly sent money and troops to help

- It ended with the treaty that said Mary, would give up her claim to the English throne. 

Mary, Queen of Scots' arrival in England

- Mary married her second husband Henry Stuart in 1565 and gave birth to their son James 1566. 1567 Darnley was murdered and Mary was suspected. This caused the Protestant Scottish Lords to rebel again

- They forced Mary to abdicate in favour of her son James and she was imprisoned in a castle and fled to England looking for Elizabeth's I help

What were Elizabeth's options?

Mary was held in comfort, but under guard until Elizabeth decided what to do. Options were

• Help Mary regain her throne in Scotland
• Hand Mary over to the Scottish lords
• Allow Mary to go abroad
• Keep Mary in England

- They never met but exchanged letters. Mary asked for a meeting with Liz to persuade her of her innocence but the request was refused

- Mary said the court had no right to try her because she was an anointed monarch and wouldn't offer a plea unless Liz granted a verdict of innocent but she refused

- If she was guilty she would return to Scotland as a prisoner and Liz would've been seeing disposing of another monarch

- If innocent then Mary would be free to raise an army with Catholic support and pose a threat