Summary Edexcel GCSE History - Elizabethan England (1588-88) Notes
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History
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Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History Foundation Early Elizabethan England, 1558-88 Student Book
Full notes written for Edexcel GCSE History Elizabethan England, written by Grade 9 student, helpful for making mindmaps, flashcards etc. or just reading through them
Key Topic 1: Queen, government and religion, 1558-88
1.1 The situation on Elizabeth’s accession
Feudal system:
The social hierarchy in the towns and countryside differed slightly. In the countryside, the monarch was at the top
followed by the gentry and nobility, Yeomen (knights) rented land owned by them. The labouring poor didn't own
their own land, instead they worked for others and were payed through food. Vagrants and homeless were at the
bottom of the hierarchy.
In the towns, the hierarchy was based on wealth instead of how much land you owned. Merchants were at the top
followed by professionals and then skilled craftsmen organised into guilds. Unskilled labourers were the
unemployed, at the bottom of society.
Government:
Role
Court Courtiers who influenced/advised monarch, public display of wealth, attending court
required monarch’s permission as she only took advice from people she trusted,
mostly made up of nobility
Privy Council 19 leading courtiers chosen by monarch, debated issues, oversaw law and order,
monitored parliament and Justices of Peace
Parliament House of Commons and House of Lords, passed laws and offered advice to monarch,
called and dismissed by monarch (usually to raise extraordinary taxation), only very
wealthy landowners could vote
Lords Lieutenant Part of local government, each county had one chosen by monarch, also on Privy
Council, traditionally local militia, maintained monarch’s power
Justices of the Peace Part of local government, made sure social/economic policies were carried out, large
landowners, unpaid, position of status, maintained law and order
The Monarch Monarchs has Divine Right to Rule, could declare war/peace, grant titles etc. usually
to inner circle in order to maintain loyalty, ultimate patron (providing financial
support to individuals/causes), had Royal Prerogative (marriage, succession, foreign
affairs and legitimacy could not be discussed), she could issue proclamations but only
Acts of Parliament could be enforced in law courts
Secretary of State Most important privy councillor e.g. Sir William Cecil, advised Queen about the Crown
The Virgin Queen:
Elizabeth was highly intelligent, well-educated and understood the world around her, she was held in Tower of
London in 1554 as she’d been accused of treason against Mary I. She realised courtiers would be loyal to her in order
to keep lavish lifestyle she was confident and charismatic but it took her a long time to make decisions
Problems facing Elizabeth when she came to power
Legitimacy • Henry VIII wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon as she only gave
birth to Mary but Pope refused to grant or even recognise divorce
so he could marry Anne Boleyn so this confirmed to Catholics that
she was illegitimate
• Catholics believed Elizabeth was born out of wedlock, therefore
they didn’t believe she had rightful place on throne and wanted to
get rid of her and put MQS on throne as she was legitimate,
Catholic and granddaughter of Henry VIII’s sister Margaret
Gender and marriage • Very unnatural for women to rule in 16th century as Christianity
taught that women should be under authority of men and
monarchs were still expected to go to battle
• She didn’t get married so she had no heir
• She turned down Philip II of Spain as it meant England would come
second
• Mary was so bad that they didn’t trust Elizabeth unless she has a
husband to take control
, Challenges from home and • Mary left England in lots of debt but Elizabeth didn’t want to rely
abroad on parliament to raise taxes so she had to be careful maintaining
relations with other countries as couldn’t fund a war
• Mary lost Calais during war with France and Spain which was an
important military base and trading route to the rest of Europe,
Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis, looked weak
• France and Scotland had Auld Alliance and France was wealthier,
larger population, giving Scotland more influence and traditional
enemy of England, they were both Catholic countries, Mary of
Guise ruling for MQS in Scotland with French troops stationed
there leaving England vulnerable
• MQS was married to Francis II (King of France), Catholic and had a
legitimate claim to the English throne so they could work together
to get MQS on throne
• Elizabeth feared alliance between France and Spain as both
Catholic so would have Pope’s support
1.2 The 'settlement’ of religion
English Reformation (1532): breakaway from the Catholic Church. Until 1517, Catholicism dominate Western Europe.
Henry VIII created Church of England but was never a true Protestant, Elizabeth was Protestant but at time of
accession most subjects were Catholic. Elizabeth was worried religious conflict would spread to England and
Catholics would try get rid of her.
Catholics believed the Bible should be in Latin but Protestants translated the Bible into their own languages so
people could engage with their religion more.
The Pope was the head of the church, there were cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests who wore vestments
but Protestants only had priests and they didn't wear vestments.
The Church acted as an intermediary between God and the people and could forgive sins but Protestants had their
own relationship with God through prayer and Bible study and only God forgave sins
During mass, miracle occurred where bread and wine became body and blood of Christ but Protestants believed it
just represented the Last Supper (no miracle)
Churches were highly decorated in honour and glory of God but Protestants believed churches should be plain and
simple so it wouldn't distract from worshipping God
Catholic priests were forbidden to marry whereas Protestant priests weren't
Why were religious divisions so apparent in England at this time?
Elizabeth’s legitimacy Pope refused to grant divorce so Catholics believed she was illegitimate as she
was born out of wedlock therefore didn't have Divine Right
Clergy In 1558, most bishops were Catholic and were in House of Lords but they needed
Act of Parliament to change country’s religion which most refused to do
Geographical divisions Parts of north and west were very Catholic, closer to London and south-east were
Protestant as they had links with German states and Netherlands which were
very Protestant and spread their ideas to England
Puritans During reign of Mary I, some Protestants escaped to Netherlands and came back
as more radical Protestants with extreme beliefs, wanted to ‘purify’ religion and
only believed in what was in Bible, didn’t believe monarch was head of Church
and wanted to manage it themselves
Role of the Church of England: they controlled what was preached, gave guidance to communities which threatened
Elizabeth’s control as some were more loyal to Church than State, ran the Church courts, conducted religious
ceremonies and in charge of people’s wills. Church of England legitimatised power to monarch but Catholics didn’t
believe Elizabeth was legitimate so they felt marginalised, enforced the religious settlement
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