What problems faced Elizabeth I in 1558?

Condition of Government:

Privy council:

• Decide on composition.
• Choice would be early indication of her governing style

Disputed Succesion:

• Elizabeth was not regarded as a legitimate heir to throne.
• Many people supported her Catholic cousin MQS.

Inexperienced Queen:

• Majority of English welcomed Elizabeth as Queen.
• Some feared weak rule, from an inexperienced women
• Stability within tudor gov. linked to indisputed male heir.

Condition of finance:

Crown debts:

• Royal finances were severly strained by Mary's war with France.
• Mary had left a debt of £300,000
• Mary had resorted to selling crown lands - weakened monarchy's finances

Rises in prices and unemployment:

• Most important industry, wool, had lost its trading place in Antwerp after it collapsed
• This meant thousands of people were out of work and lost finances for England
• England turned to debasting coins to increase money circulation, but this decreased the worth of English coinage, once again reducing trade

Religion:

Habsburg alliance:

• Traditional English alliance to preserve the balance of power in Europe
• Habsburgs staunchly Catholic
• Elizabeth had to work out how to keep alliance despite a Protestant England

Religious Settlement:

• Elizabeth had to decide on the nature of her settlement
• Pope may excommunicate her at any moment as he regarded her as illegitimate
• She had a choice between her familys turbulent choices in religion.

Religious divisions:

• Gentry and nobility plus the majority of people were Catholic
• Protestantism was strong in the south east, especially in London
• Marian Exiles had immigrated to England expecting to be influential within Government.

Foreign affairs:

Unrest in Ireland:

• Mary Tudor attempted to colonise Ireland which had caused unrest.
• Ireland was staunchly Catholic, which could cause problems later on.

French troops in Scotland:

• Ruled by Mary of Guise, on behalf of MQS
• Presence of French troops within Scotland posed a threat to England's security

War with France:

• Mary had sent forces to aid her husband in his war against the French
• England's last stronghold in France, Calais was lost
• Elizabeth needed to make peace, but permanent loss of Calais would be humiliating for Elizabeth

Threat from abroad:

• England was a weak country compared to Spain and France
• If England became protestant Spain may lead a Catholic Crusade
• Scotland was under French control
• MQS had made a claim to the Englsih throne, which was supported by English Catholics

Loss of Calais:

• English saw the loss of Calais as a stain on England's honour
• If Elizabeth excepted the loss its status in Europe would decreased further