Elizabeth: Elizabeth’s Court and Parliament
Elizabeth’s Childhood and Early Life
Parents
Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn were Elizabeth’s parents. To marry Anne Boleyn, Henry broke from Rome and made
himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England. He passed an Act of Succession so Elizabeth was the new
heir, and her half-sister Mary was illegitimate. This new religion caused tension with Catholics, and they saw
Elizabeth as illegitimate.
When Elizabeth was 2 and a half years old in May 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed as she did not provide
Henry with a son (he covered this up with treason, incest, adultery and witchcraft). A Second Act of Succession
passed declaring Elizabeth now illegitimate.
She connected very well with Catherine Parr, who acted as a mother figure for Elizabeth. She influenced
Elizabeth’s Protestant religious views and the direction of her education. This promoted Elizabeth’s position in
the family, and a Third Act of Succession was passed in 1544 restoring Elizabeth as an heir, but only after her
half-brother Edward and half-sister Mary.
Education
Elizabeth, although exiled from Court, isolated from her family and hardly ever seeing her father, lived in
various royal households throughout her childhood, and spent most of her childhood at Hatfield House. She
received a modern and advanced education, from the Cambridge scholar Roger Ascham and shared her
brother’s tutors.
She was taught the Italic handwriting style, and could speak French, Italian, Spanish and Latin fluently, and
read Greek. She was musical, an accomplished athlete in dancing and horse riding, and skilled at needlework.
Having an education fit for a king helped Elizabeth prove her worth to sexist opposition she faced at the
beginning of her reign. Speaking multiple languages meant Elizabeth could negotiate with rivalry herself and
not rely on someone else who may infiltrate.
She learnt valuable, political lessons: an outrageous affair between Thomas Seymour and Elizabeth occurred,
he manipulated Elizabeth because he wanted power. He was accused of treason and executed in 1549.
Elizabeth kept her freedom, status and her life. She learnt boundaries, the importance of trust, and it would
help her as monarch as many men would have tried to prey on her femininity (considered a weakness) and
manipulate her to gain power.
Siblings
Edward VI had been close with Elizabeth, but when he became king, he quickly became aloof and arrogant. His
government and him brought radical changes e.g. colourful images and stained glass removed from churches.
On his deathbed, aged 15, he was pressured by the Duke of Northumberland, his advisor, to override the Third
Act of Succession and thus made Lady Jane Grey his successor. She lasted 9 days.
Mary detested Elizabeth, due to her Spanish heritage, strong Catholicism, and hatred for Elizabeth’s mother
who’d replaced hers. She envied her youth, beauty, and Protestantism. As Queen, she rounded up Protestant
heretics, burnt 282 at the stake, and restored the authority of the Pope in England. At age 37, unmarried and
childless, she swiftly married Phillip II – a very unpopular decision.
This provoked Wyatt’s rebellion in 1554. Under torture, Wyatt claimed Elizabeth approved this
rebellion. Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London and faced possible execution. Wyatt
retracted his statement before execution, and no evidence was found against Elizabeth, she was
placed under house arrest.
Conclusion
Having lost her own mother as a toddler, and lacking harmonious relationships with either her father or
siblings, twice Elizabeth came close to execution for treason. This strengthened her character, and moulded her
into a cautious, clever and courageous Queen. She was intellectual, and learnt valuable life lessons on trust.
, Elizabethan Politics
The Royal Court
Show of the most important people in the country, made up of noblemen acting as the monarch’s
advisors and friends.
They advised the queen and helped display her wealth and power, known as a “trapping of power” to
make people believe she was powerful because she was surrounded by prestige and affluence.
Courtiers competed for power and influence on the queen.
It was run by Lord Chamberlain, and was a mobile operation thus located wherever the Queen was.
Progresses
Elizabeth travelled with her Court on tours called Progresses, visiting homes of the nobility.
She was regularly seen by her subjects and could build up a relationship with her people.
She lived in luxury at the expense of her subjects, as they provided extravagance and generosity with
sumptuous accommodation, food and entertainment, in order to impress her.
Although progresses could help save the Queen money, she didn’t due to the magnitude of her court
needing accommodation, food, clothed and entertained. 200-300 carts were required and it totalled
to about £2,000 per year.
Huge preparation was necessary: plague checks, suitable location for the Queen check, suitable
lodgings for court, and an itinerary for housing locations. There came a point when she was too old,
and it became too expensive and unnecessary.
Patronage
Elizabeth rewarded her supporters by granting them lands, jobs and titles, used to become wealthy.
She gave male courtiers political roles at Court, which were highly sought after because it would bring
them wealth and prestige.
Created intense competition and rivalries between courtiers, providing an array of political arguments
and a balanced perspective on topics at hand.
Everyone was loyal, and it ensured Court remained a political centre with Elizabeth at the heart.
Privy Council
Members of the nobility who helped to govern the country, appointed and dismissed by Elizabeth.
Monitored Parliament, Lord Lieutenants and JP’s, oversaw law & order and the security of the country.
Small, to minimise conflict, but Elizabeth ensured no one got too powerful or disloyal.
They advised her on domestic and foreign issues, however, did not control her.
Parliament
Main role was to pass new laws or introduce new taxes/subsidies (extraordinary taxation – extra
taxes required to pay for unexpected expenses). Taxes were passed in 11/13 times Parliament met.
Composed of the House of Lords and House of Commons.
- House of Lords made up of noblemen and bishops.
- House of Commons elected, but very few people could vote.
Elizabeth controlled Parliament by utilising her power to limit their influence:
- Appointed the Speaker, who chose the topics discussed and would steer the direction of the
debate
- Blocked measures proposed by MP’s through royal veto
- Imposed limits on their right to speak.
She imprisoned Peter Wentworth in 1576 for arguing for freedom of speech.
- Privy Council sat in both Houses, to control and manipulate parliamentary affairs
MP’s and HoLs used Parliament to criticise the government/the queen, act as a pressure group, e.g.
demanding her to resolve the succession crisis and marry.
