Elizabeth I's Problems (AQA GCSE History)

To what extent was Elizabeth I’s reign problematic?  - Summary

Elizabeth I's reign, while celebrated for its successes, had significant challenges. Elizabeth I's reign was problematic due to inherited religious and political divisions, economic hardships beyond her control and persistent threats to her authority. Elizabeth was able to manage these challenges.  She used political strategies and effective use of her privy councillors to secure the loyalty of her subjects.

Elizabeth inherited a country damaged by years of religious and political turmoil. Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church and Mary I’s attempts to restore Catholicism left England deeply divided. Elizabeth's religious compromise - the religious settlement - aimed to establish moderate Protestantism. However, the enforcement of her religious policies faced resistance from Catholics and Protestants. 

Elizabeth also faced issues beyond her control, such as economic difficulties. The late 16th century saw widespread poverty due to agricultural challenges, including poor harvests and inflation. Although Elizabeth effectively managed parliament and passed laws to help reduce the effects of poverty. These measures could only partially alleviate the widespread distress.

Elizabeth's success in overcoming these issues was greatly aided by her effective use of her Privy Councillors. Advisers such as William Cecil and Francis Walsingham provided crucial support, helping her navigate through the male-dominated world of politics and religion. She also worked to ensure the loyalty of her subjects, using a combination of propaganda, patronage and personal charisma to create a strong sense of national unity and devotion to her rule.

The problem of being a female ruler 

• It was rare for a queen to rule in her own right in 16th-century England

• Medieval Christianity taught people that women were inferior to men

  •  In the household, men expected women to obey their orders

• Monarchs led their armies into battle

  • As a woman, society would not see Elizabeth as strong enough to do this

• Society viewed women as incapable of ruling a country

  • In the 16th century, most women received little to no education

    • There was a popular belief that women were not as intelligent as men

  • Women were seen as too emotional

    • The people expected their monarch to make difficult decisions

    • Society believed that men were more ruthless than women

• Elizabeth was constantly compared to her sister, Mary I

• Mary’s reign highlighted many of the problems of having a female ruler such as: 

  • Marriage

    • Mary I married the Catholic King Philip II of Spain. He controlled Mary and led England to war against France, subsequently losing Calais 

    • If Elizabeth married, England could be controlled by a foreign ruler 

  • Succession 

    • Mary I did not have children so there was no heir to the throne 

    • This created problems for succession 

    • It created instability as the country once again became Protestant when Elizabeth succeeded Mary I

• Elizabeth dealt with the issue of being a female ruler in many different ways

  • Using the patronage system  

  • Her characteristics 

    • Elizabeth was a persuasive speaker 

    • Elizabeth would flirt with courtiers 

  • Creating rivalries in her court 

    • This allowed her to manage problems and keep loyalty 

  • Being forceful and strong when necessary 

    • When Peter Wentworth discussed succession against the queen's orders, he was put in the Tower of London 

  • Separating herself from Mary I 

    • The mistakes of Mary I helped to form her decisions throughout her reign 

Elizabeth’s succession 

• Succession is always an issue for a monarch 

• Monarchs need heirs to: 

  • Continue the line of succession 

  • Create stability within the country 

  • Provide security for the monarch 

• The succession issue became a problem when Elizabeth got smallpox in 1562

• Cecil was told that she was going to die, and there was no named heir 

• After her illness, parliament urged Elizabeth to either nominate an heir or marry

  • Elizabeth refused 

  • She claimed naming an heir would endanger her 

• Despite Elizabeth’s reluctancy to name an heir, there were many possibilities such as:

  • Mary Queen of Scots 

  • Lady Catherine Grey 

  • Lady Mary Grey 

• Towards the end of Elizabeth’s reign, the issue of succession fixed itself as:

  • Many of the contenders died 

  • The Scottish King James VI was born and became a suitable option 

    • However, Elizabeth still refused to publically name him as a successor  

What was Elizabeth’s relationship like with Parliament?

• Monarchs decided when parliament should meet and the duration that it remained open

• A monarch would use parliament to pass new laws or introduce taxes 

• Due to Henry VIII’s break from Rome in the 1530s, parliament's power increased  

• Elizabeth saw parliament as an inconvenient necessity 

• Elizabeth opened 13 sessions of parliament during her reign

• Elizabeth used her powers to limit the influence of parliament, she did this by: 

  • Using her charm to persuade MPs

  • Attended parliament in person 

  • Spoke directly to parliament using persuasive speeches 

  • Appointed a speaker who was able to control the topics discussed in parliament 

  • Using her power of veto 

• During her reign, Elizabeth’s management of parliament was relatively successful

Elizabeth’s interactions with parliament 

Why did Elizabeth’s authority decline towards the end of her reign?

• By the end of her reign, Elizabethan England was in trouble due to 

  • Poor harvests

  • Plague 

  • Poverty 

  • War

• Similarly, the Elizabethan government faced many difficulties 

  • The patronage system was failing 

  • Elizabeth was losing the loyalty of her subjects 

  • Elizabeth was old and had not named a successor 

• In addition to these problems, Elizabeth lost many of her closest advisors like Robert Dudley and William Cecil

  • This caused her to become 

    • Depressed 

    • Angry 

    • Isolated

Elizabeth's Privy Council member's deaths 

• Many historians believe that the people of England wanted change and were ready for a new monarch 

Robert Devereux, The Earl of Essex

• Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex, was the step-son to Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester 

• He became a favourite of Queen Elizabeth’s due to his accomplishments 

• Elizabeth showed her favour towards Essex by giving him:

  • A sweet wine monopoly

  • A position in the Privy Council in 1595

• However, Essex had many vices which resulted in him losing the queen's favour such as his:

  • Rivalry with Robert Cecil 

    • Robert Cecil was the son of William Cecil and a fellow Privy Councillor 

  • Personal traits

    • Hot tempered

    • Jealous

    • Unpredictable 

  • Arguments with the queen 

  • Decision to marry without the queen's permission  

The Essex Rebellion, 1601

• There were several causes of the Essex Rebellion

  • During a Privy Council meeting in 1598 about Ireland, Essex turned his back on Elizabeth. This resulted in Elizabeth hitting him and Essex nearly drawing his sword on her. 

    • Essex was placed under house arrest 

  • Essex failed to crush the Irish rebellion in 1599, as instructed by Elizabeth

  • Instead, he made a truce and even knighted some of the Irish leaders 

    • When Essex returned, he went into Elizabeth’s private chamber. He saw Elizabeth without her wig on

    • Essex was ordered before the Privy Council and stripped of his sweet wine monopoly and jobs 

  • Essex was left ruined and in debt 

The events of the Essex Rebellion, 1601

Why was the Essex Rebellion important?

• The Essex Rebellion was important because it showed

  • The decline of Elizabeth's authority and control in England 

  • Elizabeth could not rely on her closest advisors anymore 

  • When challenged, Elizabeth still could effectively remove opposition