Elizabeth I & Marriage (AQA GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
What was life like for women in Elizabethan England? - Summary
In Elizabethan society, women were seen as less important in society. This was due to restrictive legal, social and cultural norms.
Legally, women had limited rights. They were unable to own property or enter contracts independently due to coverture, which merged a married woman’s legal identity with her husband's. Inheritance laws favoured men.
The Elizabethan social structure was reinforced by religious teachings that promoted women's lower position to men. This social structure forced women into domestic roles and required them to be obedient to their fathers and husbands.
Economically, women faced limited opportunities. Women were typically confined to low-paying, unskilled jobs, making marriage necessary. Women received a limited education focused on domestic skills rather than academic subjects, restricting their knowledge and public influence. Politically, they were excluded from voting, holding public office or engaging in political debates. This prevented the social and economic advancement of women.
Culturally, literature and the arts often depicted women as weak and irrational, reinforcing stereotypes that justified their inferior social position. Even though Queen Elizabeth I was the monarch and Governor of the Church of England, she was subject to the same prejudice and restrictions which many Tudor women faced.
Why did Elizabeth need to marry?
It was believed that members of the royal family had a responsibility to marry to benefit the country
A marriage to a foreign prince could secure an alliance
A marriage to an English nobleman could provide wealth and security
Elizabeth needed to marry to:
Provide an heir
Continue the Tudor dynasty
Secure her throne
Stop a succession crisis when Elizabeth died
This issue had caused wars and instability in England in the past
Elizabeth was 25 when she became queen. In the Tudor period, this was considered to be too old to be unmarried and without children
To have an heir, she needed to marry quickly before she became unable to get pregnant
Should Elizabeth I marry?
Marriage was a contentious issue for Elizabeth
It was an issue which affected the majority of her reign
There were many advantages and disadvantages to Elizabeth's marriage
Advantages and Disadvantages of Marriage for Elizabeth
Advantages of marriage for Elizabeth | Disadvantages of marriage for Elizabeth |
|---|---|
Could prevent a Catholic monarch, such as Mary Queen of Scots, from ruling England after Elizabeth dies | Marrying would not necessarily stop Mary Queen of Scots from being a threat |
A powerful alliance could be made if Elizabeth married someone from a foreign country | Marrying someone from a foreign country could lead to England being controlled by them. This was seen when Mary I married King Philip II of Spain |
Elizabeth could create an heir if she married | Giving birth is very dangerous. The most common way that women could die during this period was during childbirth. This could result in Elizabeth dying without an heir |
Elizabeth could become wealthier if she married a rich, English nobleman | Marrying an Englishman could create problems in court. Also, Elizabeth might lose her power because, in the 16th century, men legally owned their wives |
If Elizabeth married a Catholic, it could resolve some religious issues in England and help to reunite the country | Elizabeth did not want the country to be Catholic. This was a possibility if she married a Catholic |
Who should Elizabeth I marry?
If Elizabeth chose to marry, there was still the issue of who she should marry
Throughout her reign there were many different possible suitors, however, the main three were:
King Philip II of Spain
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon
There were many positives and negatives to marrying any of these three suitors
King Philip II of Spain
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You could get a question asking you about Elizabeth and the issue of marriage. However, you may also need to include this information on questions about other topics. For example, you could be asked a question on the Royal Court, you might make a reference to Robert Dudley.
You can make many connections between events and people in this Elizabeth course. Making connections is a Level 4 skill. It is needed to explain the wider context of the period in question.
Parliament and the issue of marriage
In 1562, Elizabeth almost died from smallpox
Parliament became increasingly concerned with the lack of heirs
Some people in parliament believed it was their responsibility to find Elizabeth a husband
Parliament's actions in 1566 caused Elizabeth and Parliament to come into conflict
The arrest of MP Peter Wentworth
After the arrest of Peter Wentworth, parliament did not discuss marriage or succession again
Elizabeth decided that this decision was hers to make and that she would do it alone
Why did Elizabeth not marry?
Elizabeth did not marry
Historians have argued about the reasons why she did not marry such as:
She loved Robert Dudley but could not marry him
It would create factions in court
His ex-wife's death created too much controversy
She wanted to keep her independence and power
Elizabeth would lose this if she married
Marrying a Catholic would outrage Protestants in England and vice versa
Marrying an Englishman would create problems in court
Many influential figures and English people believed that by choosing not to marry she was not doing her duty
She did not produce an heir
The issue of succession would be a continuous issue
England was open to instability when she died
Elizabeth failed to continue the Tudor dynasty which her father worked so hard to ensure
In 1564 Elizabeth wrote a letter to Parliament stating that
“I have already joined myself in marriage to a husband, namely the kingdom of England.”
However, Elizabeth used her position to create a “Virgin Queen” image
This helped to gain support from the people
This became an important source of propaganda for Elizabeth
Worked Example
How convincing is interpretation C about the reasons why Elizabeth I did not get married?
[8 Marks]
Interpretation C Written by historian Hugh Oakeley Arnold Forster, in a History of England in 1898 “Who was the queen’s husband-to-be, and what power was he to have over the government of the country? If he were a foreigner there was no knowing what power he might get over the queen, power which he would very likely use for the good of a foreign country, and not for the good of England. On the other hand, if he were an Englishman, he must be chosen from among the queen’s subjects, and then it was certain that there would be jealousy and strife among all the great nobles in the country when they saw one of their number picked out and made king over them.” |
Partial answer:
Interpretation C is very convincing as it identifies the problems of Elizabeth marrying a foreign suitor. Interpretation C states a foreign suitor might have power “over the queen” and he may use this power “not for the good of England”. When Mary I married King Philip of Spain, he encouraged Mary to go to war with France and Mary lost Calais. This makes the interpretation convincing because this is a reason why Elizabeth chose not to marry. There was a high probability that they would endanger England or make it weak for their own country to prosper.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Above is a partial answer to an 8-mark “How convincing” question. To achieve full marks, you will need to explain two reasons why the interpretation is convincing.
To achieve high marks in this question you must include relevant and detailed knowledge. Without detailed knowledge, you will not be able to get a Level 2 or higher (3-8 marks).
For further guidance on this question, you can read this revision note on how to answer the 8-mark “How convincing” question
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