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Reformation in England, causes and effects
Introduction to the Elizabethan Age
Introduction to the Elizabethan Age
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“Her mind has no humanly weakness, her perseverance is equal to that of a man,” (Ashby 15) described the tutor, Roger Aschum, of the young Elizabeth long before she became one of the most famous queens in history. Elizabeth’s grace and poise were honored from the start, but it was her intellect and vigor that ultimately won her the last word. She was their King, this virgin Queen that defined her life with the love of no man but a country of loyal subjects. England prospered in culture and religion as well as establishing itself as a world power, all during Elizabethan times. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, nationalism soared due to the queen’s deep devotion to England which she portrayed through these four titles, or “faces” she adopted over the years; the Protestant Queen, the Virgin Queen, the Pirate Queen, and finally, Good Queen Bess. At the beginning of her rule, Elizabeth took on the Protestant Queen role, in order to reflect her deep religious beliefs, thus strengthening the morale of the growing Protestant population in England. The reign before Elizabeth brought about great religious conflict for England. Queen Mary, Elizabeth’s half sister and a devout Catholic, became known as “Bloody Mary” because of the many Protestants she ordered burned at the stake, never discriminating when it came to age or sex. (Thomas 71) An enraged Protestant portion of the country turned to their symbol of change, Lady Elizabeth, their symbol of hope; a Protestant queen. For the part she may have played in this rebellion, Elizabe... ... middle of paper ... ...int. Ashby, Ruth. Elizabethan England. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 1999. Print. Axelrod, Alan. Elizabeth I: Strategic Lessons From The Leader Who Built an Empire. Library of Congress Cataloging, 2000. Print. Bush, Catherine. Elizabeth I. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. Print. "Elizabethan Era." Famous Elizabethan Pirates. 5 July 2002. Web. 10 May 2010. . McMullen, Gabrielle. "The Elizabethan Age." The Academy of Literature and Drama. 11 Oct. 2003. Web. 10 May 2010. . Thomas, Heather. “Elizabeth I and the Church”. Elizabeth R. N.p., 1998-2009. Web. 30Apr. 2010. Thomas, Jane R. Behind the Mask: The Life of Queen Elizabeth I. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. Print.
The Factors That Shaped the Elizabethan Religious Settlement When Elizabeth I was proclaimed Queen in 1558 a new era of religious tolerance began. With her religious settlement, Elizabeth had to consider a number of different factors. Without doubt, the most important task following her accession was to resolve the ideological divisions in the country brought about by the religious changes in the past three monarch's reigns. However, when deciding on her own religious settlement, Elizabeth had a number of influencing factors.
The 17th century was a chaotic time period in England. England saw a transition in their nation’s religion during the reign of different monarchs. Before the start of the 17th century, England was under a Roman Catholic monarch with Queen Mary. Mary attempted to turn the Church of England into a Catholic Church and in the process earned the name “Bloody Mary”. She earned this name through her executions of many Protestants in England. However once Mary was unsuccessful in creating a Catholic England and was no longer the monarch, the Church went back to a Protestant Church. With the church now being Protestant, the Catholic minority in England began to become upset with the church and even plotted to make the church Catholic again through violence.
Elizabeth inherited a tattered realm: dissension between Catholics and Protestants tore at the very foundation of society; the royal treasury had been bled dry by Mary and her advisors, Mary's loss of Calais left England with no continental possessions for the first time since the arrival of the Normans in 1066 and many (mainly Catholics) doubted Elizabeth's claim to the throne. Continental affairs added to the problems - France had a strong footland in Scotland, and Spain, the strongest western nation at the time, posed a threat to the security of the realm. Elizabeth proved most calm and calculating (even though she had a horrendous temper) in her political acumen, employing capable and distinguished men to carrying out royal prerogative.
She was often forced to adopt a stricter set of laws on Catholicism due to her colleagues that shared her religious beliefs, but not her spiritual beliefs on freedom. This is why she then sent Mary’s bishops to the tower she was once kept prisoner in for her religious beliefs. Elizabeth I wanted to create a church that would appeal to both Catholic and Protestant people in order to bring her subjects together rather than tear them apart through religious persecution and intolerance. In her rule, Catholic people were the minority party as Protestants finally took
“She was the only surviving child of King James V Of Scotland, who died when she was at the age of 6 days old making her fall in line to throne (“Mary I” 1 Britannica).” “At the age of 5 her mother saw it fit to send Mary to France, there she was brought up at the court of King Henry II. “Mary’s education was not neglected, and she was taught Latin, Italian, Spanish, and some Greek. French now became her first language, and indeed in every other way Mary grew into a Frenchwoman rather than a Scot” (“Mary” 2 Britannica). Even though she wasn’t with her Parents and with an Uncle she still got an amazing education. Many times royal families tend to fight against one another in fear the other might still the throne. Queen Mary was a Scott but because of the way she was raised she became a French-woman, which I find interesting. All from how her uncle raised her instead of her mother raising her. “Her remarkable beauty, with her tall, slender figure, her red-gold hair and amber-coloured eyes, and her taste for music and poetry, Mary summed up the contemporary ideal of the Renaissance princess at the time of her marriage to Francis, eldest son of Henry and Catherine, in April 1558. Although it was a political match aimed at the union of France and Scotland, Mary was sincerely ...
...ide throughout history and to this day. In addition, the Elizabethan Settlement has demonstrated to the world the peace that can emerge from religious compromise and toleration between specific conflicting views. Lastly, the Privy Council, cabinet-type, advisory group that was first most prominently used by Elizabeth has been adopted by many thriving nations, such as the United States today. Ultimately, from all of these actions during her forty-six year reign, Queen Elizabeth I has truly been a molder of England, artistically, religiously, and politically.
Queen Elizabeth I was said to be one of the best rulers of England. Unlike rulers before her, she was a Protestant and not a Catholic. She was not stupid though. She did go to church and did everything that Catholics did to prevent getting her head cut off under the rules of her sister Mary. Elizabeth was very young when she came to rule. She was only 17 years old when her sister Mary died and she took over.
Queen Elizabeth the first was a woman who cannot just use some simple words and phrases to be described, those words people use for heroes and heroines would not fit to describe Elizabeth. She had been through many tough and difficult situations from her cousins tried to put her to death only because they want the title of hers and the seat where she sat to her trusted friends or even boyfriend turns to mean, unreliable and despicable enemies. She led E England into an age of prosperity, peace, and expansion. People even used her name to name the time period “Elizabethan Age”. She is the one who united England, and also the one who righted the wrongs of past rulers. Even her enemies would agree that what she stood up for and who she was will be remember, deeply, in people’s heart.
Many people, in England, believe that there has always been one queen to stand above the rest. That queen was Elizabeth the 1st. She has made many accomplishments during her reign. From a compromise about what religion England would follow to defeating the Spanish Armada.
Queen Elizabeth I, also known as the “Iron Queen”, was a remarkable woman of her time, she ruled with great power and longevity. She was one of the greatest feminist of time. Coming to the throne in 1558, she took the place of her father, Henry VIII. She was given one of the most difficult jobs fit for a man or King, ruling England. At the time women were second class citizens, they could not vote nor own properties and such. Surprising England with her intelligence and fierce rulings, she changed herself to make better decisions. She proved through her rulings, to everyone that females were strong and could rule just as well as a king. She refused to marry, giving a feeling of “I don’t need a man for anything.” The Queen was responsible for giving females a voice in literature and it is shown through Shakespeare’s writings.
...tism because she had made a stand for it by starting the English Protestant Church, she wished to keep peace in England, and also most likely because she had been greatly influenced by many Protestants in her youth. So once again, even though the English Reformation did not have any great reformers, it still managed to succeed due to the hard work of Thomas Cranmer, and the support of many rulers during the English Reformation.
She was one of the most important people in England. Elizabeth was well liked and respected by her subjects. The young queen was wise beyond her years and knew how to compromise with her people. She referred to herself as “Supreme Governor” over spiritual matter rather than “Supreme Head” of the church. This minor change between Elizabeth I and Henry VIII made a huge difference in how her subjects saw her. She worked hard to unify her country and did exactly what she set out to do.
Queen Elizabeth was a woman wholly devoted to her country and brought it much prosperity and growth; these qualities made her the most respected leader of the entire history of England. Elizabeth nurtured and united England, and built and defeated one of the most powerful navy’s of her time. Elizabeth made England one of the most powerful countries during her reign. Queen Elizabeth I had a long, and a remarkably successful reign.
Elizabeth was under tremendous pressure from the beginning to create a unified country through a stable religion, however even after the Elizabethan settlement the pressure had not dissipated as both religions in England, Protestant and Catholic were unhappy with the compromise. Elizabeth had gone ahead with the settlement as the factors of her religious preferences, creating a unified country along with a parliament who supported her drove her to do. This settlement however created dire consequences as Elizabeth was now under constant threat, many of the English people opposed her while two major powers watched from a distance. The Elizabethan settlement was definitely an important decision in history, as it would decide the outcome and future of England.
Queen Elizabeth the first was one of the first woman monarchs to rule alone in the history of Europe. Her character, the way she ruled, and even her gender transformed her country’s go...