All Elizabeth essay plans with complete solution
'ELIZABETHAN GOVERNMENT HAS MORE WEAKNESSES THAN STRENGTHS IN THE YEARS '
Essay overview
INTRODUCTION
- Overall strong / oversimplification - relatively stable as compared to her predecessors
- Ministers e.g. Cecil proved to be valuable assets...
all elizabeth essay plans with complete solution elizabethan government has more weaknesses than strengths in the years 1558 1588 essay overview introduction overall strong oversimplifi
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All Elizabeth essay plans with complete solution
'ELIZABETHAN GOVERNMENT HAS MORE WEAKNESSES THAN STRENGTHS IN
THE YEARS 1558 - 1588'
Essay overview
INTRODUCTION
- Overall strong / oversimplification - relatively stable as compared to her predecessors
- Ministers e.g. Cecil proved to be valuable assets - maintained stability and peace and
served well
- Displayed some elements of weakness - factional rivalry / can be historically debated
AREAS OF STRENGTH
- William Cecil's appointment
- Elizabeth's own skill
- Dealing with and Controlling Royal Finances
AREAS OF WEAKNESS
- Relationship with Parliament
- Factional Rivalry - but more in 1590s where Essex frozen out of court
CONCLUSION
- Had some weaknesses - factional rivalry + poor relationship with parliament
- Hindered gov ability to sometimes function effectivity - refusal to grant royal assent
- Both Cecil and Elizabeth skill ensured government was effective in fulfilling roles
regardless of obstacles
'ELIZABETHAN GOVERNMENT HAS MORE WEAKNESSES THAN STRENGTHS IN
THE YEARS 1558 - 1588'
Strength: William Cecil's appointment
- The man who does everything - Spanish ambassador
- 1550: secretary of state / 1572: high treasurer / chief advisor = completely trusted by
Elizabeth
- Cecil: important part in preparing Crown's legislative programme 'framing and often
shaping bills'
- Assisted by councils 'floor managers' in commons - Sir Knolly + Hatton / used own
members to manage commons
- John Guy: 'legislative business was properly directed'
'ELIZABETHAN GOVERNMENT HAS MORE WEAKNESSES THAN STRENGTHS IN
THE YEARS 1558 - 1588'
Strength: Elizabeth's own skill
- Reduced size of her Privy council - allow effective working / 10 members VS previous
Mary's 50
- 438 acts passed by her parliament
- Debt only raised by £123,000 since 1558 - just under £3000 debt per year
,- Religion: Act of supremacy + Uniformity 1559 / penal law against Catholics
- Social policy: Acts of 1598 + 1601 - addressed poor relief
'ELIZABETHAN GOVERNMENT HAS MORE WEAKNESSES THAN STRENGTHS IN
THE YEARS 1558 - 1588'
Strength: Dealing with and controlling royal finances
- Early in reign: scheme announced for withdrawal of debased coins - replaced -
soundly minted coins
- Some suffered but did ensure sound coins were in circulation
- Gov. did not resort to debasement during the rest of the century
- Inherited her Lord Treasurer William Paulet - Marquis of Winchester
- Under his leadership Exchequer continued to implement financial reforms started
during Mary
Modernizing exchequer / Revaluating crown lands /Raising customs duties
- By 1585: war broke out - Elizabeth able to pay off Mary's £300,000 and had reserve of
£300,000
'ELIZABETHAN GOVERNMENT HAS MORE WEAKNESSES THAN STRENGTHS IN
THE YEARS 1558 - 1588'
Weakness: Relationship with Parliament
- Rocky relationship - ministers often stepped into royal prerogative - marriage +
succession 1563+66
Banished Leicester and Pembroke from presence chamber
- 1563 + 1566: HoC due to the arguing of members of P.C sought to debate marriage +
succession
- Readily intervened to prevent the passage of bills which disapproved or refused royal
assent
- Did so to over 60 bills / 1585: no fewer than 15 alone this year
'ELIZABETHAN GOVERNMENT HAS MORE WEAKNESSES THAN STRENGTHS IN
THE YEARS 1558 - 1588'
Weakness: Factional Parliament
but more in 1590s where Essex frozen out of court
- Moderate and pragmatic Cecil VS protestant Dudley / argues over marriage
- Cecil feared his decline in political power thus influence in gov / ministers more into
themselves?
- Structure in the earlier stages helped prevent factional rivalry getting out of hand
- No single minister had complete control over patronage - not even cecil
- Various influential families at court + within council balanced one another
Boleyn's: senior ranks of crown service in substantial number / Parr's: strongly = close
connections
- Although Leicester + Cecil disagreed potential marriage they tended to cooperate over
other issues
- Stephen Alford + John Guy: disputes between them tended to be occasional + specific
policy issues
ELIZABETH I'S FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS SPAIN WAS ALWAYS WEAK AND
UNCONVINCING.
Essay Overview
, INTRODUCTION
- Elements were weak and unconvincing but overall to assume would be an
oversimplification
- Start it was due to lack of strategy
- Later overcome as she achieved her aims e.g. national security and enhancing
English reputation
WAS WEAK AND UNCONVINCING
- Victory was only through weaknesses of her opponents
- No clear foreign policy just harassment
- Deterioration of Anglo-Spanish relations over Netherlands
WAS NOT WEAK + UNCONVINCING
- Defeating armada
- Established national security
CONCLUSION
- Certainly, seen areas of weakness in foreign policy
- e.g. Leicester dependency on climatic condition over strategic planning
- However, did secure a win against a global power and were quick to exploit adverse
activities = prepared
ELIZABETH I'S FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS SPAIN WAS ALWAYS WEAK AND
UNCONVINCING.
Weak and unconvincing: Victory was only through weaknesses of her opponents
- Leadership by Duke of Medina Sidonia: never been on a ship before / not experienced
naval officer
- English quick to exploit opportunities often by weather - Send fire ships to destroy
some Armada while anchor
- Geography benefitted England who also had superior gunnery and manoeuvrability -
due to John Hawkins
- Harold of Effingham and Francis Drake were both excellent leaders
- Capture of Cadiz: humiliated Philip II - prevented S. merchant vessels from sailing into
West Indies
- Proved a blow to Spanish / provoked Philip into an uncharacteristically cautious
response
ELIZABETH I'S FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS SPAIN WAS ALWAYS WEAK AND
UNCONVINCING.
Weak and unconvincing: No clear foreign policy just harassment
- Storm had forced 5 Spanish vessels to take refuge in England
- 4000 Florins which was intended to pay army of the Duke of Alba Elizabeth
impounded the money due to previous actions at San Juan de Ulua
- Led alba to seize English ships and property in the Netherlands
- Elizabeth took away all lands of Spanish subjects in England
- 1572: inadvertently contributed significantly to deterioration in Anglo-Spanish relations
- Expelled sea beggars from English ports - forced to land in Dutch port of Brielle = 600
men sacked the port
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