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Government under Elizabeth I - Coggle Diagram
Government under Elizabeth I
Privy Council & ministers
Elizabeth had developed political skills ensuring her survival and wasn't prepared to restrict her royal prerogative
William Cecil established early as key minister, coming to dominate the council and seen as 'man who does everything' by Spanish Ambassador a month after Mary's death
queen's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester joined council in 1562
joined in council by close associates e.g. Sir Nicholas Bacon and Earl of Bedford and by conservatives drawn from aristocracy e.g. Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk
earls of Shrewsbury and Sussex usually kept away from court and reduced direct political influence
Privy Council was reshaped in 1570s with downfall of Norfolk and death of Lord Treasurer Winchester
more Protestant councillors were appointed e.g. Walsingham, Mildmay, Sadler
despite personnel changes, Council offered cohesive decision-making, but Elizabeth often consulted with ministers individually
council weakened
ministers died (e.g. Sadler 1587, Mildmay 1589, Walsingham 1590, biggest Leicester in Sep 1588) meaning only 11 members by 1597
she failed to make immediate replacements and many were sons of former councillors who lacked skills e.g Robert Cecil
absence of senior noblemen so no inclusion of country's important families
she refused Burghley retiring and his effectiveness diminished in the 1590s and fell ill, leaving his son with an immense admin burden
appointment of Robert Cecil angered the temperamental Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex (Leicester's step-son)
disputes over foreign policy and a breakdown between queen & privy council over Mary Queen of Scots in 1587
Managing Parliament
William Cecil's role
assisted by 'floor managers' of HoC and his own men to manage, typically lawyers and experts on parliamentary procedure who could promote measures Cecil wanted
prepared the Crown's legislative programme
privy councillors often began sessions setting the tone & outlining priorities and often introduced bills, sat on committees considering bill content
times Elizabeth clashed
urged by Archbishop Whitgift, Crown sought passing of punitive Act against sectaries despite being opposed by MPs e.g. Raleigh and with one of Burghley's associated making a speech criticising, so Elizabeth took it personally and banned his advancement
readily intervened to prevent passage of bills she disapproved of and refused royal assent to over 60, 15 in 1585 alone
had outbursts of irritation in 1563 & 66 when HoC sought to debate issues of marriage and succession
Peter Wentworth was imprisoned in 1593 for raising the issue of succession
the relationship broke down over monopolies in 1601, with Crown's officers losing control of HoC and Cecil's lack of skill as a manager
Elizabeth delivered the 'Golden Speech' of 1601 at the end of her final parliamentary session, drawing a veil over poor relations after the monopoly issue, leaving many MPs in tears over the farewell
Role of Parliament
Elizabeth regarded it as a necessary but occasional evil, to put up with for its tasks where it was occasionally important for legislative and revenue-raising purposes but a secondary feature of the political system
law making
438 Acts passed in total
most important relating to religion e.g. Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity in 1559 & Catholic penal laws
or social policy e.g. Acts of 1567-8 and 1601 addressing poor relief
granting taxation
most important function was granting extraordinary revenue as 11/13 parliamentary sessions in the reign were asked to grant revenue
despite efforts to economise, Elizabeth had to resort to levying extraordinary revenue to pay for 'normal' expenditure as the level of ordinary revenue had fallen
persistent failure to reform system of direct taxation meant yield of extraordinary revenue through subsidy declined
giving advice
Elizabeth became irritated if MPs ventured into areas of royal prerogative so was mainly uninterested in their advice
however, meetings of Parliament gave opportunities for Privy Council members to gauge opinions of 'political nation'
is served as means communication and pint of contact between councillors and those administrating the localities
Factional Rivalry
no single minister had complete control over patronage and various influential families in council balanced each other out so little rivalry in early stages
Cecil and Leicester disagreed over the queen's potential marriage but cooperated over other issues so could work together as they needed to
Boleyns remained in senior ranks and the Parrs and their close connections featured strongly, particularly early in the reign
fierce clashes between Robert Cecil and Earl of Essex during the 1590s made governing difficult
Essex's declining influence was a result of his deep financial troubles and failure as a military leader in Ireland upon which he burst into Elizabeth's bedchamber
Essex's response was to plan an armed coup to bring down Cecil and other enemies but these plans were rumbled as Cecil was prepared and forced Essex to surrender
Essex was tried and executed in 1601 but his attitudes reflected larger discontent with the queen's diminishing authority