University of Transivania,

Supervisor: Senior Lecturer Oana-Andreea PIRNUTA

Faculty of Letters, the English Departament

Student:

Nadia TODOR

Brasov, 2015

THE ROLE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH I IN

BRITISH CULTURE

SENTENCE OUTLINE
1.

Introduction
1.1. Elizabeth I- who Was She? - many people do not realize the contribution of Elizabeth I in the history of
-

England
Elizabeth I, a brave woman, was the child of Henry VIII; she became queen at the age of twenty-five, being

the succesor of Mary I

1.2. Problems of the Reign: - by the time Elizabeth came to the throne, England was not only torn by religious

2.

strife, but also almost bankrupt

- Elizabeth put the interests of her nation in the first plan; she nominated the personnel of her administration
Content
2.1. The Councillors and the Members of State - Parliament was composed of two houses, she was
surrounded by capable advisers
- William Cecil, an intelligent man, was for a long time Elizabeths Secretary
- The queen used to take many decisions by her own, rarely involving the others
2.2. The Religious Question - her predecessor was Catholic so the queen wanted to change the religious
settlement; she was protestant
- Mary Stuart was involved in many plots against the queen; she was executed
- Elizabeth tried to find a middle way but Catholics and puritans were not agree with that
2.3. Elizabeth- a Virgin Queen - even if Elizabeth was brave and bold, she needed to have strength because in
-

that society some people were her enemies and they said a lot of rumours about her.
the queens advisors wanted that Elizabeth to marry and produce a protestant heir; even if important kings

or princes made her advantageous offers, she did not listened

Elizabeth was the last of the Tudor line and she died unmarried; being a powerful woman, she conducted

well her nation

2.4. The War with Spain - Philip II of Spain and Armada planned to conquest the England and in 1585 they
began gathering plans
- Armada left port in 1588 and after two months it arrived in Plymoth, the English navy was ready for it
- the battle finished with the English navys victory
2.5. Elizabethan Era- Was it a Golden Age? - in Elizabeth time, the education was encouraged and many

3.

chidren went to school; new plays and noveles were written

- the Elizabethan era has a dramatic end, her latest years of reign were ful of troubles
Conclusion - Elizabeth was an execeptional woman in a mens world and she was devoted to her country; she
acted like she was married with her people
- Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, after fourty-four years of reign

4.

ABSTRACT
This project deals with the influence of queen Elizabeth I in the evolution of England. I presented here some issues
such as: the queens personality, problems that needed to be solved during her reign, the issue of the new
coventional religion protestantism and its assailants. An important part of this project is the war with Spain
more precisely with the Spanish Armada, war that took place in 1588 and here are presented the consequences of
this war. Because it is considered by some people that the Elizabethan Era was a golden age, at one of the
subheadings it is discussed this idea. It is also highlighted the evolution of education and literature. The conclusion
provides an overview of the entire subject.

KEY WORDS
Queen Elizabeth, conventional religion, power, English navy, Spanish Armada, political enemies

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Elizabeth I- who Was She?
We sometimes hear people say that history is all about kings and queens. Many of these people
are interested only in the clothes the monarch wore or the palaces they lived in. So, when they
think at Queen Elizabeth, they do not have a real image about what was her contribution in the
evolution of England.
Elizabeth I was the single child which Henry VIII had with his second wife, Anne Boleyn. She
was the fifth and the last monarch of Tudor dinasty. At the age of twenty-five on 23 November
1558 Elizabeth became queen, being the succesor of her half sister, Mary I.
As a ruler Elizabeth controlled her own policy more than any other Tudor. She was talented, engaging,
and hard-working, yet cautious, conservative, imperious, and petulant in the face of change.

(Guy,

1988: 251)
Elizabeth I was considered an attractive women, Henry III of France said she was la plus fine
femme du monde.
1.2. Problems of the Reign
When Elizabeth succeeded on the throne, the future was not so splendid as she, probably,
thought.
England was ragged and torn with misgovernment; the treasury was empty; the principal fotresses of
Porthmouth and Barewick were falling into ruin; the country was bare of munitions; and a huge debt of
more than 266.000 had to be liquidated, part of which was owing to foreign creditors, and charged with a
biting interest.

(Black, 1936: 21)

It was very important for Elizabeth to solve and to relieve the pain with her people were
confronting. She was actting like she was married to her people, and they loved Elizabeth for
this. But for solving such huge problems, Elizabeth need to have determined the personnel of her
administration.
2. CONTENT

2.1.

The Councillors and the Members of State

Elizabeth began her rule by surrounding herself with capable advisers, some of whom were to
stay with her for most of her fourty-four years reign. Perhaps better than any other European
ruler, Elizabeth mastered the political game.
The most important part of Elizabeths government was the parliament, composed of two houses:
the House of Lord and the House of Commons. She reduced very much the number of MPs: At
the end of the reign, the House of Commons numbered 462 (Read 1979: 11)
Some of Marys council were reappointed, eleven at first, soon reduced to eight, while fifteen were left
out, and seven new men introduced. Among the high officers Clinton continuedas Lord Admiral and
Winchester as Lord Treasurer, together with Arundel and Howard in the royal household. New ministers
who were to wield great influence were Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, Sir Walter
Mildmay, Chancellorof the Exchequer, and Sir William Cecil, secretary of State. Two men destined to
prominence and influence, Lord Robert Dudley and the Earl of Sussex, were at first neighter ministers nor
members of the Privy Council. (Williamson,

1964: 248)

Sir William Cecil was one of the greatest ministers who have served the English state. It is
obvious that Cecils moral features and principles were well known to Elizabeth before she was
crowned because she appointed him Secretary without hesitation or delay. She told him she
chosen him hoping that he never become unfaithful and corruptible, and time was to demonstrate
that she was not made a mistake when she chosen him.
Elizabeth taken very many decisions by her own.
In foreign affairs, she was supreme and could make war or peace at her will. In practice, she never
declarated war without the advice of her Council though she often sought to make peace when her
Councillors opposed it. The entire personnel in foreign affairs she herself appointed. It is to be observed
however that throughout her reign she had a resident ambassador in only one country, France, though she
generally had a representaive in Scottland and, after 1584, in the Dutch Low countries. In Spain she had
no resident ambassador after Dr. John Mans recall in 1567. She did however finance a secret intelligence
service overeas organized by her Principal Secretaries, first by William Cecil, later by Walsingham, and
ultimately by Robert Cecil; and on occasion she talked in person with the agents themselves.

1979: 6)

(Read,

So, we can say about her involvement in political aspects that Elizabeth was without doubt the
chief fiugure in her government, under God and under the low. And she could and did dispense
with the application of the law in particular cases. (Black, 1936: 54)

2.2.

The Religious Question

In 1558-1559 the most important issue was the religious settlement. Elizabeth was protestant and
religious changes were necessary to be done: her predecessor, Mary I was Catholic but Elizabeth
did not wanted to continue in the Roman allegiance.
Although she did not parade her personal creed, it is evident that she had no mind to submit to Rome. As
she said herself, she was altogether English, and the English of that day were less attracted by the idea of
the unity of Christendom than by that of England an Emipre, a body politic containing all its loyalties
within itself. [...] She knew that the nation will aprove the decision she had in mind, and it would obviously
be strengthened by appearing as a national and not solely a royal decision. Thus she postponed of religious
policy until the meeting of Parliament, and even than it was not the first business dealt with.

(Williampson, 1964: 250,1)

As Elizabeth pursued a moderate religious path, she became the target of many conspiracies
against her. Her Catholic cusin, Mary Stuart was considered to be a danger that increased in 1568
when Mary was forced to abdicate the Scottish throne and flee the England. When Elizabeth
discovered that Mary was implicated in many plots against her, she agreed to Marys execution
in 1587.
When the Protestantism became the conventional religion, Elizabeth kept some Catholic
symbols, like crucifix, because she wanted to be peace between Catholics and Protestants.
The most admiarble part of the settlement was its avoidance of persecution in the sense in which the word
was then understood. Men might believe what they liked and pray as they liked in private as long as they
expressed no overt challange to the national Church

(Williampson, 1964: 254).

Inevitably, this middle way did not please most Catholics or the more rigid protestants, the
Puritans. But I am sure that for some people, the queens attitude toward religion was a great
reason for joy. Her predecessor, Mary I, was known as Bloody Mary because she executed very
many protestants. In fact, when Mary I was still queen, she imprisoned also Elizabeth because of

her religious beliefs. But now, the queen Elizabeth I was entitled The Head of Anglican Church,
like Henry VIII, her father, was.
Furthermore, Queen Elizabeth tried not to blend politics with religion:
On the whole Elizabeths corps of assistants represented the middle opinion of the nation, containing
neither Catholic nor Protestant zealots, and, after the first two months, not one ecclesiastic of any
persuation

(Read , 1979: 11)

Historian Cristopher Haigh explains: On her throne, Elizabeth was the virgin Queen; towards
the Church she was mother, with her nobles she was an aunt, to her concillors a nagging wife, ant
to her courtiers a seductress. Her secret was to reassure her people constantly of her special love
for them.
2.3.

Elizabeth- a Virgin Queen

Elizabeth said once: Though I be a woman, yet I have as good a courage answerable to my place
as my father had. Indeed, Elizabeth was brave and bold but in that society, these qualities would
be enough?
To a queen as to any other woman in that time a husband was a master, and she was already a devotee of
the great game of government and statecraft that had to be played from one lone hand. All experience
showed that, once having tested power, neither men nor women are already to give up. Elizabeth saw that
she had to choose between incompatibles, and she chose power. Some have accounted for her refusal to
marry by the supposition that she had a physical defect that forbade it. There was a rumour in 1559-60
about this. There was also a rumour that she already had a child (Williampson,

1964: 271)

As we can imagine, it was very difficult for Elizabeth to keep her strength and not listen all that
her enemies were saying. Responsible men like Cecil or Earl of Sussex, who must have heard
about these rumours, obviously did not believe in them, they were well-informed men.
But parliament was anxious for Elizabeth to marry and produce a Protestant heir. First one and
then another royal suitor came forward. One of them was Philip II of Spain. But Elizabeth was
smart, she would feign interest and keep the marriage negotiations going for months, sometimes
years, and when the political circumstances were changed, she was also changing her
perspective.

Archduke Charles of Austria offered the best possibility for a diplomatucally successful marriage, but his
Catholicism and Hapsburg lineage represented stumbling blocks for the English who regarded the queen as
the nations only hope for preserving political independence and the Protestant settlement in religion.
Elizabeths interest in Robert Dudley, Master of the Queens Horse (later Earl of Leicester), incurred no
opposition on religious or nationalistic grounds, but the queen refused to marry her own subject.
Furthermore, he was a married man who made domestic political enemies. The death of his wife in 1560
under misterious circumstances dashed any real hope that the queen might achieve a true love match.

(King, 1990: 39,40)

It is important to mention that Elizabeth was the last of the direct Tudor line. The preferred
solution of course was that she should mary and bear children.
Until she was pastchildbearing age she was under constant pressure to marry, or if not to marry, to
designate her successor. But neighter Parliament nor the constant urgings of Lord Burghley, her most
trusted counselor, prevailed. Elizabeth died unmarried. Indeed, she made a virtue of her spinsterhood.
During the last twenty years of her reign, when everybody had abandoned hope of her marriage, they
glorified her as the Virgin Queen. (Read,

1979: 5)

Elizabeths chastity was interpreted not as a sign of political or social deficiency, but rather as a
symbol of the power of the woman who survived to govern without that subordonation of
female to male and despite masculine supremacy, which were particular characteristics for that
period.
2.4.

The War with Spain

One of the most important battles directed by Elizabeth was with King Philip II of Spain. Philip,
at that time Europes most powerful ruler, had tried to keep England Catholic by asking
Elizabeth to marry him when she became queen, but she did not accept him. For years, English
privateers atacked Spanish ships and ports and challenged its colonial supremacy. To add insult
to injury, Elizabeth supported the Dutch in their struggle for independence from Spanish rule.
English intervention to the Netherlands, however, was seen by Spain as an act of war. As early as 1853
had considered the idea of an Armada; on 29 December 1585 he began gathering plans, maps, and
intelligence. His informants were optimistic as to Catholic support for an invasion: reports suggested that
only twelve English countries were Protestant. [...] More accurate were claims that English forces were
weak and unpreparated. The objective of the Armada was to conquest of England, which would itself
assure the reconquest of the Netherlands. (Guy, 1988: 338-9)

Urged on by the pope, he planned to use the Spanish Armada, a huge fleet of more 130 ships to
invade England. Before the fleet was fully mobilized, English spies uncovered the flot.
When the Armada finally left port in 1588, the English navy was ready for it.
The 130 ships, nearly 20,000 soldiers, and 8,000 sailors that made ap the Armada finally left Lisabon
harbor on May 29, 1588. [..] When the Spanish fleet the coast of Plymouth, in southwest England, the
English were waiting. Both sides had a similar number of ships, but their design differed. The Spanish
vessels stood high out of the water, and their decks bristled with short-range guns. Spanish naval tactics
required their men to board and overwhelm the enemy. The English ships were lower and faster, with more
long-range cannons. Their captains planned to avoid close contact with the enemy and to destroy Spanish
ships from a distance. ( Awake!

magazine, august 2007: 25,6)

In panic, the Spanish fleet scattered, and after some violent fighting, a southwest wind blew them
away from England and nortward toward Scotland. Storms around Scotland and the west coast of
Ireland wrecked half the Spanish ships, while the rest turned back to Spain.
Armada lost half of its ships and two-thirds of its men. Many ships were wrecked, with few survivours...
The disaster was imense, but Philip met it with degnity and turned at once to new measures of war without
a thought of suing for peace. His people followed him, and the long-term effect was bracing rather than
weakning. On England, the effect of the victory was permanently stimulating. The seamen knew that it had
been a difficult fight and might well have ended otherwise All the world, said Howard, never saw such
a force as theirs was.

( Williampson, 1964: 386)

It is to be noticed that after this war, were seen some negative aspects, disadvantages for
England:
The queen never again commited her entire resources at once after 1588, thus ensuring that no English
enterprise was a complete success and several were failures. (

2.5.

Guy, 1988: 351)

Elizabethan Era- Was it a Golden Age?

In Elizabeth time, the education was encouraged. New schools opened giving more students a
door to the literary world. This was the age of William Shakespeare and other great dramatists.
Poets wrote beautiful sonnets, and composers developed innovative music. More than this, new
Bible translations were written.

 They also were new, for the writing of the past had been done by men who lived mainly for other pursuits
and wrote as a recreation or to express their beliefs. Lyly, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Jonson, and the minors
of their time were men of a new profession, of whom some did well and some poorly... Notable was the
timeless interest of share beauty, of imagery, rithm, and free fancy, served by Spensers poems and enjoyed
by a generation that was fancy free. (Williampson,

1964: 415)

It is very interesting that in Elizabeths reign 2,760 books were published between 1558 and
1579, and 4,370 between 1580-1603 (Guy, 1988: 416)
But the golden days did not last. Elizabeths last years were full of troubles. Almost all her
trustive advisers were dead now. Once again, her reign was rent by religious divison.
The penal laws against Catholics continued, and laymen were fined and Jesuits executed, although in
smaller numbers than formerly. The lower rate of executions testified to the lessening of the danger since
the previous decade. (Williampson,

1964: 420,1)

3. CONCLUSION
There is no dubt that. J. Guy said a real truth: In the last resort, whether Elizabethan
government is judged brittle or durable is a matter for legitimate debate. The simple fact is:
while Elizabeth lived, it worked. (1988:458 [my emphasis])
Compared to many other sovereigns, I believe that Queen Elizabeth I was very devoted to her
people, she loved her country, and she thought she had the bach of divine providence.
Elizabethan England was, in a very real sense, Elizabethans England. She it was who nursed it into
being, and by her wisdom made possible its amazing development. Her characteristic virtues and defects,
her sympathies and antipathies, her very whims and caprices are writ large across its political firmament.
She inspired its patriotism, its pageantry, its heroism, stimulated its poetry, and shaped its destiny. And
when she died she left behind her a kingdom that had won a commanding position among the great powers
of Europe. (Black,

1936: 1)

Queen Elizabeth I of England died in March 24, 1603. She is considered to be one of the most
influent women, being in the top ten of greatest Britons.

References:
1. Black J. B. (1936) The Reign of Elizabeth, 1558-1603, Oxford, Clarenton Press
2. Guy J. (1988) Tudor England, Oxford, Oxford University Press
3. King J. N. (1990)

Queen Elizabeth I- Representations of the Virgin Queen, Vol.43, No. 1,

Chicago, The University of Chicago Press

4. Read C. (1979) The Government of Engand under Elizabeth, Washington, D.C, Folger
Shakespeare
5. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, (august, 2007) The Spanish Armada
A voyage to tragedy, by Awake! magazine, Brooklyn
6. Williampson J. A. (1964) The Tudor Age, London, Longmans