Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Issues with Elizabeth I Becoming Queen of England (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Why did the People of England Question Elizabeth's Succession? - Summary
The Divine Rights gave 16th-century monarchs ultimate power to rule England. Elizabethans believed that to question this power was to question God. Almost every person in England believed in Christianity. The fear of going against God's will ensured that most of a monarch's subjects would remain loyal. When Elizabeth became queen in 1558, she faced questions about her legitimacy. Her father, Henry VIII, had married six times. This created a complicated line of succession. Some of her subjects argued that she was not the rightful queen of England. This was due to the issues surrounding Henry's marriage to Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth's succession faced further questioning due to her gender. In this period, people viewed women as inferior to men. It was rare for a woman to inherit the English throne. Elizabeth's half-sister, Mary I, was the first queen who ruled England due to her own right of succession. These factors meant that some of Elizabeth's subjects questioned her reign from its beginnings. Elizabeth's biggest test would be how she overcame these issues to prove her legitimacy. |
Elizabeth I - Legitimacy
Legitimacy was a fundamental belief in Elizabethan England
To secure the line of succession, a monarch would have to prove that they produced an heir in wedlock
If the previous monarch could not produce an heir, the succession would pass to the closest male or blood relative
In Elizabeth's case, controversy and claims of illegitimacy surrounded her birth
Why did Elizabeth's background cause people to question her legitimacy?
English Catholics never accepted Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon
As a result, they never saw Elizabeth as being born in wedlock
Henry killed Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn
Henry accused Anne of high treason. Treason is any action that attacks the monarch or the country. This was the most serious crime a person could commit
After Anne's execution, Henry publicly declared Elizabeth as illegitimate through an Act of Parliament
Henry re-established Elizabeth's legitimacy seven years later. The impression of illegitimacy remained strong amongst some of her subjects, however
Elizabeth I - Gender
It was rare for a queen to rule in her own right in 16th-century England
Medieval Christianity taught 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 I - Marriage
Marriage was a contentious issue for Elizabeth
Elizabeth's childhood experience of her father's marriages traumatised her
As a woman, society expected her to marry
To fulfil her duty as a monarch, she would need to have children. Elizabeth needed a husband to ensure her children's legitimacy
Childbirth was incredibly dangerous in this period. It was not uncommon for women to die during childbirth
Advantages and Disadvantages of Marriage for Elizabeth
Should Elizabeth marry? | |
|---|---|
Advantages | Disadvantages |
If Elizabeth married, she could have legitimate children. This would strengthen the line of succession. The Tudor family could continue to rule England after her death | There was much debate over who Elizabeth should marry. A foreign husband may cause issues within England. An English husband would not secure alliances with important foreign nations. An English husband could cause war between rival families |
A husband could lead Elizabeth's army into battle. This was a key role of a 16th-century monarch | Elizabeth worried about losing her power. A husband could assert his masculinity to make Elizabeth obedient. Her subjects may view her husband as their ruler |
Did Elizabeth marry?
Throughout her reign, Elizabeth's Privy Council presented Elizabeth with many suitors. These included:
Philip II of Spain
Philip was previously married to Elizabeth's half-sister, Mary. Elizabeth declined his offer
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
Historians argue that Elizabeth loved Dudley. Dudley's wife died in suspicious circumstances. This scandal meant Elizabeth could not marry Dudley
King Eric of Sweden
England viewed Sweden as a weak power. A marriage between Eric and Elizabeth would not increase England's reputation as a European power
The Duke of Alençon
Elizabeth promised marriage to Alençon to gain his armed forces
As a French King, many of England would not accept him becoming Elizabeth's husband
Elizabeth had no intention to marry. She died unmarried and with no children
England's First Queen Regnant
Elizabeth learnt a lot of lessons from England's first queen regnant, Mary I
Mary was Elizabeth's half-sister
Mary died in 1558. Elizabeth succeeded as queen after Mary's death
Mary's reign from 1553 to 1558 had caused Elizabeth many issues when she became queen
Mary married King Philip II of Spain. The marriage was unpopular among her subjects
Spain and England formed an alliance and fought against France. The war ended in disaster
The war with France impacted the royal treasury. England had £300,000 of debt. The harvest in 1555 was very poor, leading to poverty and disease
Mary was a devout Catholic. She persecuted England's Protestants. She burned 300 people to death for their religious beliefs
Mary's failures as a monarch had convinced many people in England that queens should not rule alone
Examiner Tips and Tricks
An exam question may ask you to explain why Elizabeth faced opposition to her rule in 1558. The controversy surrounding her birth was by far her biggest issue when becoming Queen of England. Some people in England did not believe that Elizabeth could become queen as her own father had declared her illegitimate. Her sister Mary arrested Elizabeth in 1554 on charges of treason. As a result, her subjects questioned her fundamental claim to the English throne.
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the weakness of Elizabeth's succession in 1558
2 marks
Answers:
One feature of the weakness of Elizabeth's succession was her legitimacy (1). People considered Elizabeth illegitimate because her father, Henry VIII, executed her mother, Anne Boleyn in 1536. Henry had passed an Act of Parliament, blocking Elizabeth from the line of succession (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Ensure you make your details as specific as possible to achieve two marks. The details of this example include the date of Anne Boleyn's execution and the amount of debt England had.
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
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