Elizabeth legacy
- Cultural explosion
- Religious settlement was mostly well received ad by the end of her reign had been
stabilised. Separatists and Puritan threats had been reduced.
- Better navy and military by the end of her reign
- Unchallenged succession
- Government was stable and continuity in her ministers
- Development of trade and exploration
Negatives:
- Factionalism in government
- End of Tudor dynasty and doesn’t secure the succession
- Financial struggles under war
- Religious tensions still exist with the penal Catholic laws
- Still at war with Spain until she dies
- Government hasn’t transformed very much
Williams has a rather critical view of Elizabeth’s rule, despite some nuance in the end,
largely focusing on her procrastination and caution as the major weakness in her reign. This
is shown in his focus on the factionalism in her reign, foreign policy and economy. Despite
this, Williams praises Elizabeth for her aptitude in her control and influence over government
and her people, and suggests that her apprehensive policies benefited England.
Political problems
● Continuity in the regime with the later deaths of her councillors, with experienced
Lord Admiral Howard and Sir Robert Cecil. Burhgley survived very late into
Elizabeth’s reign until his death in 1598.
● The Privy Council did shrink to around 11 members and younger courtiers were bitter
at exclusion from power.
Socio-economic
● War was challenging as combat demanded resources, money and soldiers. During
this militaristic period, taxes rose to the highest point (not as significant as her
fathers) but she was able to keep taxes low by minimising the extent of her
commitments abroad.
● Government in the 1590s relied on the counties to supply resources and county
militias trained their troops in case of a Spanish attack, with the Privy Council
imploring them to buy newer weapons.
● Living standards were eroded by population growth with food shortages in the 1590s.
● Harvests of 1594 and 1595 were poor and the harvest of 1596-97 were worse.
● Morality rose and there was a serious outbreak of the plague in London 1593
● However the Privy Council had the ‘Books of Orders’ directing JPs on how to
manage grain supplies and to prevent hoarding/profiteering which local officials
worked hard to implement.
● Poor Laws of 1597 and 1601 - laws directed that every parish collect money from the
wealthier to provide subsistence to the poorest, the basis of English poor relief
system (it was dysfunctional and small sums). These were innovative to the national
problems however and minimised discontent.
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