Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I

Gloriana, The Virgin Queen, Good Queen Bess

The dangers faced by Elizabeth before she came to power.

The dangers before her right from childhood. Her father: hot tempered, irascible; beheaded  her mother. As a Protestant, she was viewed as a threat by her half-sister Queen Mary.

The political tact of Elizabeth, for which she used her personal life as well.

Inherited traits from her family:

her grandfather’s nature: cautious, prudent, thrifty.

Her father’s flamboyance, daring, strong will

Mother’s love of life, instinct for survival, talent of playing off one against the other to her advantage.

During her reign, England becomes the greatest power in Europe.

Pride that she is “all English”

Remained unmarried: used the courtship of her by the different princes as a method to prevent them from unifying against England.

Gloriana, Virgin Queen, Good Queen Bess

The situation of religion when Elizabeth assumed power.

The previous three rulers: the church had lost its moorings. But was freed from corruption and moral decay. Positive influences: widespread of the use of the English Bible, grand tones of the Book of Common Prayer, admiration to Protestant martyrs

Situation of Counter Reformation

Elizabeth’s nature of religious tolerance.

A person of moderation. Established the Anglican Church: a compromise between Catholic and Protestant faiths; freedom from any foreign power spiritual or temporal.

Cranmer’s “Book of Common Worship” a golden mean between the two extremes: acceptable to the Catholics who found their prayers in it, in English. To the Protestants, the prayers in English were suitable for their reformed beliefs. No burning at stake on account of religion.

The two “alert lieutenants of Elizabeth” (Refer also the note on Counter Reformation: p 154).

William Cecil, Earl of Burleigh: advisor on state affairs; policy of moderation

Sir Francis Walsingham: in charge of the Queen’s safety. Guarded the Queen from papist  plots. Network of spies.

Problems caused by Spain and Scotland

Spain: Catholic, rich. Philip II of Spain believed that England should be ruled by him, as it belonged to his departed wife Queen Mary.

The Catholic Europe believed that England should go to Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, the great grand daughter of Henry VII.