The Reign of Elizabeth I

Summary

In this lecture, Susan Doran discusses the early challenges faced by Queen Elizabeth I, including questions of legitimacy due to her birth out of wedlock and gender, religious conflicts in a predominantly Catholic House of Lords, and her precarious relationship with foreign powers. Despite these, Elizabeth successfully established her reign through a combination of luck, political savvy, and strategic alliances, navigating issues of religion, marriage, and economy to secure her position as a providential ruler.

Takeaways

• 👑 Susan Doran, a senior research fellow at the University of Oxford, discusses Queen Elizabeth I's early reign challenges.
• 🏰 Elizabeth faced legitimacy issues due to her official status as a bastard and the threat of Catholic pretenders like Mary, Queen of Scots.
• 🙅‍♀️ Her gender was questioned as a barrier to rule, with John Knox's 'First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women' arguing against female leadership.
• ⛪️ Religion was a significant hurdle, as Elizabeth sought a Protestant settlement in a predominantly Catholic England with a resistant House of Lords.
• 🔄 Elizabeth navigated religious tensions by choosing a middle way between different Protestant confessions, balancing Lutheran and Calvinist elements.
• 🤝 She managed foreign relations adeptly, securing Spanish support against French influence and maintaining economic ties with the Netherlands.
• 💍 The question of Elizabeth's marriage was a political issue, with her decision to remain single impacting her reign's dynamics.
• 💵 Financially, Elizabeth inherited a debt-ridden England, with the country facing significant economic challenges post-war with France.
• 👍 Despite numerous obstacles, Elizabeth's early reign was marked by success in legitimizing her rule and implementing her desired religious and political reforms.
• 🔮 Looking back at 1563, it appeared Elizabeth would continue to overcome the political challenges and solidify her position on the throne.

Q & A

Who was Susan Doran and what is her role in the lecture series?

Susan Doran is a senior research fellow in history at Jesus College, the University of Oxford, and a fellow at St. Bennet's Hall, also at the University of Oxford. She is delivering a series of lectures on Queen Elizabeth the First.

What was the primary issue concerning Elizabeth's legitimacy when she took the throne?

Elizabeth was officially a bastard, which raised questions about her eligibility to become the Queen of England. Additionally, there was the potential threat from a Catholic pretender, such as Mary Queen of Scots, who could claim the throne based on bloodline and not being born out of wedlock.

How did Elizabeth's gender impact her claim to the throne?

Elizabeth's gender was a challenge to her legitimacy because it was a time when women were generally excluded from political power. John Knox's publication, 'The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women,' argued against female rulership.

What was the religious landscape of England when Elizabeth ascended to the throne?

England was Roman Catholic when Elizabeth came to the throne. Her predecessor, Mary, had returned England to the Roman Church and introduced Catholic forms of worship, including the Roman Catholic mass.

What were the challenges Elizabeth faced in implementing her preferred religious settlement?

Elizabeth wanted a Protestant form of worship, but the House of Lords was predominantly Catholic, with bishops appointed by Mary and mainly Catholic noblemen. Getting the religious settlement through Parliament was a challenge due to the need for parliamentary approval.

How did Elizabeth manage to get the Act of Supremacy and the Act of Uniformity passed through Parliament?

Elizabeth used a combination of luck, good polity, propaganda, and coercion. She restricted the number of bishops attending the House of Lords and persuaded Catholic nobility to either not attend or support her Protestant settlement.

What was the nature of the religious settlement Elizabeth introduced?

The settlement was a middle way between different confessions of Protestantism, retaining some Lutheran aspects like church ornaments and clergy vestments, but was closer to Calvinism in its doctrines, especially regarding the communion service and predestination.

How did Elizabeth's foreign relations impact her early reign?

Elizabeth needed support from foreign powers, particularly Spain, to secure peace with France and to prevent French support for Mary Queen of Scots. She was successful in securing Spanish support and in preventing French troops from being present in Scotland, but her efforts in France were less successful.

What was the economic condition of England when Elizabeth became queen?

England was in a rough economic state, with a significant debt of about 300,000 pounds after the war with France, and they had to pay high interest rates on at least part of that debt.

How did Elizabeth address the issue of her marriage during her early reign?

The question of Elizabeth's marriage was put on hold during her early reign, as she focused on establishing her legitimacy and dealing with other pressing issues.

What was the theory of the king's two bodies and how did Elizabeth exploit it?

The theory of the king's two bodies allowed for the acceptance of a female monarch by distinguishing between the office of kingship, which was male, and the natural body performing the role, which could be female. Elizabeth used this theory to strengthen her claim to the throne, often referring to herself in masculine terms related to her office.