Premium Essay

Queen Elizabeth and the Church

In:

Submitted By doreenmakena
Words 2431
Pages 10
Queen Elizabeth I: Statesman v. Rebel against Catholicism

1. Thesis Statement

Queen Elizabeth I was considered a statesman, brought back Anglicanism, and never truly

picked a side of specific beliefs, allowing the people to worship freely.

2. Introduction

The Elizabethan era experienced relative calm compared to previous reigns. The inauguration

of Queen Elizabeth I was received with a tense spiritual atmosphere as most Catholics expected

an era of political instability coupled with religious persecution as experienced with Queen

Mary. Contrary to the expectations of most people, Queen Elizabeth I was less interested in

zealous performances of her predecessors and believed in the interest of the majority. She

wanted to be liked by the people of England, and this meant that she had to make her decisions

right. She was being raised as a Protestant; she was well aware of the power struggles between

the Catholics and the Protestants. She reinforced the Church of England for the people but did

not do away with Roman Catholic. She chose to bring back the Church of England because she

knew many of her people were hiding in exile. She wanted them to come back and enjoy the

freedom of worship without fear. She also knew that by doing this, she will increase her

popularity and most people will convert to Protestant. This was a peaceful strategy of making the

Church of England more popular than the roman catholic. This paper seeks to highlight the

religious Reformation under the leadership of Queen Elizabeth I and how her decisions affected

the religious settlement in England

Queen Elizabeth I: Statesman v. Rebel against Catholicism 3

3. Queen Elizabeth I and the Catholic Church

During the Queen Elizabeth Ian Era (1558-1603), English Catholics were public enemy

number one. Catholic priests

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Elizabethan Era Dbq

...practicing a religion other than Protestantism. How would one feel about that? Queen Elizabeth ruled from 1558 to 1603, thus the name, the Elizabethan era. While she is widely known as the Queen of England during this time period, what else did she do? Queen Elizabeth inherited the throne in November of 1558 after her half-sister, Princess Mary’s death (Elizabeth I par. 2). Even though she inherited the throne, many Roman Catholics believed that she was an illegitimate queen (Elizabeth I par. 2). They believed this because of Queen Elizabeth's religion as a Protestant. The Elizabethan era was defined by Queen Elizabeth and the Church, the division between Catholicism and...

Words: 917 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Assess the View That the Roman Catholics Were a Serious Threat to Elizabeth I and the Church She Established.

...Assess the view that the Roman Catholics were a serious threat to Elizabeth I and the church she established. Despite the fact that some Catholics did pose a threat towards the Elizabethan Church, this was never serious or organised enough to abolish the church and threaten the Queen. Many historians such as Diarmiad MacCulloch, Christopher Haigh, Wallace MacCaffrey and Alan Dures have engaged in debate about this topic, coming to different conclusions. As some historians such as MacCulloch and Haigh argue, the Roman Catholics were never a serious threat to the church because it was merely an upper class movement under the missionaries, and was unable to influence the masses. On the other hand, MacCaffrey and Dures have argued that the Catholics were a real threat to the church as Elizabeth’s attempts to suppress opposition were unsuccessful, and there were many serious plots against her life. As this difference in opinion shows, there are a range of opinions as to whether events such as the arrival of Mary Queen of Scots, the 1570 Papal Bull of Excommunication and the 1583 Throckmorton Plot were serious threats towards the church itself. Furthermore, the threat to the Elizabethan Church differs amongst different groups of Catholics, as the Jesuits arguably posed more of a threat than more mediocre groups such as the Church Papists. Nevertheless, although some Catholics did pose a serious threat to the church, this was not the case for the majority of Elizabeth’s reign. As...

Words: 1492 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Why Elizabeth 1 Didn T Marry?

...Why Elizabeth 1 didn’t marry? Elizabeth I was the queen of England from the age of twenty-five to the age of sixty-nine. She was the only daughter of Henry the eighth and his second wife Anne Bolyeyn. So why did she not marry? Was it because of her Dad or because of something else? Does anyone really know? Evidence shows that it might have been her dad relationship with his wife’s or that it was because her true love she could never marry. She was born on September 7 of 1533 in the Greenwich Palace. The news of her birth caused rejoicing in the country. But her father was disappointed because she was not a boy. But was the heir to the throne. She is the only surviving Child of Henry the eighth and Anne Bolyeyn. Her father wanted a male heir, and when Anne could not give him one he had her charged with treason. Elizabeth was only two years and eight months old. On May 19, 1536 at eight o’clock in the morning her mother was executed, and striping Elizabeth of her title and claim to the throne. Elizabeth’s father remarried one week after Anne’s death. He had a son with his third wife Jane Seymour, Anne’s Lady-in-Waiting, one year later; who later died...

Words: 1287 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Why Was Puritanism Perceived to Be a Threat to Stability in Elizabethan England??

...important to consider Elizabeth’s response and own personal views towards puritans and perhaps the true reason for the perceived ‘phantom’ threat lying within the harsh reactions of Elizabeth. Due to the fragile nature of the government Elizabeth had inherited it was vital for it to remain sable and deal with stressing issues such as religion with great care, Elizabeth had 3 options when it came to religion, maintain catholic religion Mary had set up, create moderate form of Protestantism or create a more radical Genevan style reform. The influence of puritans’ on parliament can be perceived as a threat to stability as their influence greatly undermined the authority of the queen. With the support/sympathy of various key figures; Strickland, field, Dudley, Burghley and perhaps the most notable Edmund grindal, who’s support of prophesying highlights the danger puritans’ held in the eyes of Elizabeth. His refusal to ban the act led to his suspension and house arrest. Such quick and harsh response from the queen implies how seriously she took prophesying as a threat to stability. His letter to Elizabeth may be the reason fro such judgement, grindal puritan views seep through and imply the very same ideas as Knox “monstrous regiment of women” which conferred with grindals threatening response to the queen “remember madam, that you are a mortal creature.” This is not only belittling but also as also warren clearly voices...

Words: 1636 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Queen Elizabeth I

...Queen Elizabeth Regina I was born to Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII at Greenwich Palace on 7 September 1533. She was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, was the second wife to Henry VIII and was later charged with with plotting to murder the king. She was charged with 22 counts of adultery. She was later found guilty and beheaded on May 19, 1536, when Elizabeth was just 3 years old. Henry needed Anne out of the way so that he could marry Jane Seymour. Jane Seymour was Henry’s third wife who finally gave Henry a male heir. Jane Seymour died less then 2 weeks after giving birth to Edward. Henry VIII then married 3 more times. However, he had no more children. Elizabeth and her older sister, Mary , also known as “Bloody Mary” were made illegitimate by Henry III at more then one point in their lives, however both ruled. When Elizabeth was declared illegitimate, her title as princess was taken from her and she was referred to as Lady Elizabeth until she was crowned Queen. Mary’s reign was a bloody one. She reverted the people back to the Catholic church and those who were against were punished severely. She beheaded and burned people at the stake during her reign as Queen. Approximately, 300 Protestants were executed. Elizabeth herself , reverted to Catholicism to keep her head. Mary died when Elizabeth was just 25 years old. Elizabeth became queen on 17 November 1558 and was crowned Queen on 15 January 1559 at Westminster Abbey. She in my opinion...

Words: 1371 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Tudors

...established partnership Thomas Parry was appointed Comptroller of the Household Robert Dudley was appointed Master of the Horse 23 November: Elizabeth left Hatfield for London 28 November: Took up residence at the Tower of London 15 January: Coronation led by Marian bishop Owen Oglethorpe, Bishop of Carlisle 25 January: First Parliament The ideas and policies of Elizabeth I • Elizabeth believed she was entitled to rule the kingdom and it was clear she was in charge • Spanish ambassador, Count of Feria: Elizabeth was more feared than her sister had been and gave orders ‘as absolutely as her father did’ • No desire to involve herself in the details of government in the same way as Henry VII • She took an informed interest in decision-making processes • She was determined to preserve the prerogative powers of the Crown → she wanted to make the most important decisions • She had to overcome the prejudice against female rulers and the inferior woman stereotype The Role of Key Personalities • Most important person: Sir William Cecil, later Lord Burghley, who served for almost the whole of her reign • Robert Dudley: important as a military figure and as a promoter of the Puritan cause Relationships between Elizabeth and her ministers • John Guy: ‘she controlled her own policy more than any other Tudor’ o ‘she knew her mind; her instinct to power was infallible’ ...

Words: 4415 - Pages: 18

Premium Essay

Elizabeth I Influence

...The Renaissance era was during the tenure of Queen Elizabeth I. Queen Elizabeth I was the first queen to earn the self-proclaim title “Governor over the Churches in England.” She earns this title because she orders any person taking church and public position to swear under oath to the emperor who is in charge of Churches and municipalities. Any person who refused to follow this order can be arrested for treason or death. The church leaders and public officials believe that a woman ruler could not oversee the church, due to being a woman. This move had great influence on the author named Edmund Spenser, who idolized Queen Elizabeth I. Spenser’s being influenced by the Queen and her self-proclaimed title “Governor over the Churches in...

Words: 794 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Queen Elizabeth 1 Dbq Essay

...Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries was very prone to changes and reformation in religion, exploration, and an overall outlook on life. Along with these changes, different opinions about government and leadership took place as well. The Protestant Reformation occurred during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. It converted Elizabeth along with other English citizens to different branches of Protestantism, creating controversy and allowing people to denounce Elizabeth for not only her gender, but now also for her religion. The Reformation made Elizabeth an easy target for criticism because it gave more reasons for people to be opposed to her. The ideas put towards Elizabeth were mainly judgmental and critical mainly because not only was she was a...

Words: 631 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Catholics and Elizabeth 1

...passages and our on knowledge, assess the view that the Roman Catholics were a serious threat to Elizabeth I and the church she had established. Elizabeth had inherited the throne of England in 1558 from a Catholic queen Mary who had attempted to re-convert England back to Catholicism and to allow the country to take part in the Catholic reformation of Europe. The accession of Elizabeth was met with anxiety and tension as to discover what she was to do in response to religion and how the Catholic powers of Europe as well as the Catholics within England at the time would treat any changes. The immediate rise to power was met with little hostility as Elizabeth had made very cautious changes to start with as she thought it wise not to provoke hostility from abroad considering the position of England at the time as a small, weak protestant nation. The start of Elizabeth’s reign was fairly peaceful however tensions rose and a Catholic threat seemed more imminent as her reign drew to the end. In order to find out if the Roman Catholics were in fact a serious threat to Elizabeth and her church the essay must be split down into two main sub-sections, one to discover whether Catholics were a threat to Elizabeth herself and the other to decide whether they were a prominent threat to Elizabeth’s Church, however there is a very fine difference between the two as the majority of the rule of Elizabeth and her threats such as that from Spain were dominated by religion. The four sources in question...

Words: 2682 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Queen Elizabeth I And Maria Theresa

...The two monarchs, Queen Elizabeth I and Maria Theresa, share some similarities and differences in the aspects of ruling styles, accomplishments, legacies, and failures. Yet, both Queen Elizabeth I and Maria Theresa are one of the best female monarchs of their time. Elizabeth I is known for being one of the most powerful absolute monarchs of Great Britain. Using Machiavellian ruling tactics, she obtained enough power to accomplish the feats of defeating the Spanish Armada, contributing to the Cultural Renaissance, and allowing Great Britain to be recognized as a world power. She also maintained authority of the Anglican Church (England was a Protestant country at this time). Unfortunately, Queen Elizabeth I did not get married or had any heirs...

Words: 355 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Elizabeth

...Elizabeth, is a 1998 film about the early life of me, Queen Elizabeth I, of England who is arguably one of the greatest monarchs to ever sit on this throne. Cate Blanchett is the title role and I believe she did alright although I think I am much better looking. I think that this movie broke the usual "period piece" mold of English biographical movies because it was directed by an Indian, Shekhar Kapur. This movie seemed to took a much more dramatic style of storytelling, which I thought was good because there was quite the drama in my Kingdom at that time. The movie also did not shy away from some historical truths of the era, such as dirt, poverty, and torture. In the movie however, there are some mistakes and factual errors that I noticed that were not accurate to what I really went through, or what happened with certain characters in real life. The movie had many errors and said things that I did not do. In the beginning , Firstly, my appearance was not accurate. I did not start wearing wigs and heavy makeup until later in my reign, and it had nothing to do with the Virgin Mary. I very much wanted to keep the image of an eternally youthful Queen, for my own sake because I did not want to feel I was sadly aging, or possibly growing ill. I started wearing red wigs when my hair started greying at a young age. (The Life of Elizabeth) Queen Mother Mary of Guise did send troops to Scotland, but Elizabeth sent a fleet, not an army of troops. And this fleet was not an invasion...

Words: 1009 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Queen Elizabeth I Represented in Movies

...1. Introduction "I am called the Virgin Queen. Unmarried, I have no master. Childless, I am mother to my people. I am the queen, I am myself." This quote from the movie “Elizabeth: The Golden Age“ describes the fascination about Elizabeth I of England in few sentences. A woman, who could prevail in a male-dominated society. A woman, who waived her own fortune for the sake of her subjects. A woman, who influences the national pride of the English even today. So it is not surprising that there is plenty of literature, opera and movies about Elizabeth I. The following term paper examines three movies, where Elizabeth I is the protagonist. “Elizabeth“, with Cate Blanchett in the leading role, is about the days of her youth. The 1998 movie shows the development of a young princess, who was crowned after the death of her half sister Maria. The first years of her reign are very turbulent, because the creation of a Protestant Church by her father Henry VIII and the return to Catholicism under Maria split the nation. The inexperienced Elizabeth has to determine which religion should be the official one in order to prevent a civil war. Meanwhile her consultants give her advice to keep the line of succession by marriage. But to whom shall she entrust her heart and kingdom? At the end of the movie all problems are solved and Elizabeth creates the icon of the “virgin queen“. Nine years later, the sequel of the movie from 1998, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age“ was released. She is in her 26th...

Words: 6066 - Pages: 25

Premium Essay

Elizabeth 1 in English History

...history? As a figure in English and international history, the iconic Elizabeth 1 was a skilled politician and a force to be reckoned with throughout her lifetime in English royal politics. When she ascended to the throne of the nation she oversaw the development of a second tier country into a first tier nation on the forefront of political and economic world geopolitics and economics. She restored a floundering sense of national pride to the people of England and employed such an effective communication style throughout her endeavors that her influence is still studied as a core of MBA curriculum in the universities of today.[1] To properly respect the veneration surrounding the story of Elizabeth in English history, it is important to understand the tumultuous turn of events that eventually brought her to the throne. Recognized today as one of England's most effective, respected, and long-seated monarchs, her path to the throne was never assured, and certainly was not without conflict. It is partly because of her compelling leadership and partly because of her unlikely rise to power that her time on the throne is so impressive today. Elizabeth was born in 1533 to King Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn. A particularly unique and tumultuous time in the religious landscape of England, Anne was two months pregnant with Elizabeth when Henry split England from the Catholic Church over their unwillingness to grant a divorce from his first wife, Catharine...

Words: 5521 - Pages: 23

Free Essay

“the Puritans Were Never a Serious Threat to Elizabeth” How Far Do You Agree?

...The rise of Puritan ideology in Elizabeth I’s Church and Government was potentially an extremely dangerous threat to her power. Although it may be perceived that Elizabeth was continuing to control her position soundly, it does not mean that the Puritans did not pose a threat to royal authority. Nonetheless, attempts to promote Puritan ideas were indeed crushed quickly and effectively by Elizabeth, which meant that the movement never got the chance to develop into anything highly damaging and serious. Despite this, it would be wrong to say that the Puritans never caused havoc or danger to the Queen herself and the Church. This will be exampled by 3 documents which highlight the Queen’s rapid actions to prevent this ideology from becoming reality. There was undoubtedly an increase in extreme Protestant views during Elizabeth I’s reign and although this was the belief she supported, it was never her intention to enforce it to that extremity. She grew anxious at the amount of people supporting this movement and as a method of supressing it the Government passed a law as indicated in Source 19, from the Act against Seditious Sectaries in 1593, stating that “if any person above the age of 16…go about to move or persuade any of her Majesty’s subjects or to deny her Majesty’s power and authority…the person offending shall be adjudged a felon.” It becomes clear from this that the Queen thought the Puritans were threatening enough for Parliament to create a new law that included severe...

Words: 1116 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Case Study of Elizabeth I

...CLA: Queen Elizabeth Sandeep Dhakal BUS 325 Introduction to Leadership West Cliff University Professor: Dr. Yvan Nezerwe 3rd April, 2016  Abstract This main purpose of this paper is to presents a brief summary of Queen Elizabeth I of England. This paper includes Elizabeth leadership style, conflicts, resolution, management, empowerment and effectiveness of Elizabeth leadership. Queen Elizabeth The Virgin Queen is the nickname of Queen Elizabeth I. Her regime starts from 1558 to 1603. After the death of her half sister Mary, Elizabeth I became the ruler of the England. Her regime period is said to be the golden age in the history of England. She didn’t have any difference on protestant and catholic religion. In the movie, Elizabeth I leadership is showed as the follow the protocol in meetings, inexperienced to be formal, her regime as a simple girl to the tactician where she realized the true meaning of trust and loyalty in the palace. Queen Elizabeth I was successful leader because she made good relationship with other countries and also develop economic condition of England. [ (Lewis, 2003) ], [ (Hanson, 2015) ] Leadership style of Queen Elizabeth In the movie it showed Queen Elizabeth I ruled from her heart not forms head. Queen Elizabeth is a leader who care and love for its peoples and also improved the skill and knowledge of the people. She served her kin to engage them. She had different kind of leadership style such as...

Words: 918 - Pages: 4