Exam (elaborations)
‘Throughout her reign, Elizabeth I controlled her ministers with masterly political skill’. Assess the validity of this view. (25 marks)
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Charlotte Corrigan‘Throughout her reign, Elizabeth I controlled her ministers with masterly political
skill’. Assess the validity of this view. (25 marks)
Elizabeth I successfully controlled her ministers with political skill from 1558 to 1603. In
particular, she made her authority essential in the Privy Council and the orchestration of
domestic, foreign and religious policies. Elizabeth used the disunity within the Privy Council
as a ‘masterly’ means of control, relying on the conflicts between ministers to orchestrate
policies. It was not until 1588, after the death of Leicester, that Elizabeth failed to control her
ministers successfully as the deaths of key ministers prompted the instability within
Elizabeth’s Privy Council. Between 1558 and 1590, it is clear to a historian that Elizabeth
successfully controlled her ministers, bolstering her position as the monarch and securing
the religion of England. However, in the longer term, she failed as the death of leading
ministers created turmoil in the Privy Council and cultivated an unhealthy imbalance of
power.
On one hand, Elizabeth demonstrated her ‘masterly political skill’ through her policy of
‘divide and rule’ to create opposition within her council. In a sense, Elizabeth used the
disunity of her Privy Council and the disrupted counterbalance to control her ministers. This
can be seen through her foreign policy. Burghley’s decision to intervene in Scotland and the
culmination of the Treaty of Berwick in 1560. As a result of this, it seemed to encourage
Leicester to intervene in supporting the Huguenots in 1560. This opposition subsequently
cultivated a rivalry which spurred her ministers on to instigate policies and serve Elizabeth
extremely well to gain her favour, illustrating her control. However, whilst this idea of creating
opposition in order to assert authority and gain control, it could also be argued that the
opposition within her cabinet stemmed from a lack of Elizabeth’s control; this rivalry that
persisted also seemed to hinder Elizabeth’s control. This resulted in Burghley and Leicester
conspiring against the Queen. Despite their disagreements over the Norfolk marriage, these
ministers were both still able to form a cohesive and effective group to advise the Queen.
This can be further reinforced through their ability to work together in areas such as the
Bond of Association, proposed by Leicester and drafted by Burghley and Walsingham, even
if this legislation was prevented from passing by Elizabeth. Therefore, the rivalry within
Elizabeth’s Privy Council both aided and hindered her control of her cabinet. However, it
seems more apparent that this opposition elucidated Elizabeth’s lack of control, evident
through her foreign policy and as a result of the recurring issue of the succession crisis.
Contrastingly, in some cases, Elizabeth was controlled by her ministers. This is evident
through the role of Burghley who was a significant and influential minister within Elizabeth’s
cabinet, devising many policies which bolstered Elizabeth’s reign. In particular, his position
as ‘Chief Minister’ provided him with control over many of Elizabeth’s policies and relations,
undermining Elizabeth’s ‘masterly’ control of her ministers. This is evident when Burghley
sent a death warrant to issue the death of Mary Queen of Scots in 1587, without the
knowledge or approval of Elizabeth. Therefore, elucidating Elizabeth’s lack of control,
perhaps as a consequence of her position as a woman in a male-dominated, patriarchal
society. Moreover, Burghley constantly debated Elizabeth marrying or declaring a successor,
illustrating his degree of control. This can be reinforced after she suffered from smallpox in
1566, as Burghley wanted to secure a successor in the event of the death of Elizabeth.
Furthermore, the council rejected Elizabeth’s marriage proposal to the Duke of Alencon in
1579, reinforcing the control her ministers had upon Elizabeth. It is evident that some of
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