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2) Problems faced by Elizabeth from 1558, Why was it difficult for…
2) Problems faced by Elizabeth from 1558
Marriage & Succession
Elizabeth was childless and as long as she remained so, there was no obvious heir
When Elizabeth almost died of smallpox in 1562, parliament became very keen that she should marry in order to secure the nations future
Mary Queen of Scotts
Elizabeth's cousin Mary Queen of Scotts (a catholic) was exiled to England in 1568 and her status as a potential alternative, Catholic queen made her presence a threat
Religion
England was highly divided in its religious belief.
Henry VII had broken with Rome, Edward had further entrenched Protestantism, before Mary attempted to restore England to Catholicism
As a protestant, Elizabeth faced serious threats from Catholics but also faced pressure from Puritans with thought her brand of Protestantism was too 'soft'.
Threats from Abroad
Protestant England faced a serious threat from Europes two Catholic superpowers:
France and spain
Money
taxation was required to defend England from threats it faced and for the day to day running of the country
to raise this money would not be popular
Ireland
The Irish resented control from England and so the country was a potential hotspot for rebellion
A revolt in 1559 cost a huge amount of money to suppress but the threat persisted
Why was it difficult for Elizabeth as a female leader?
Elizabeth faced problems as a female leader as many thought a female ruler would mean England would continue to be seen as a week country.
Elizabeth faced a number of challenges as a female ruler, such as regularly being ignored by trusted advisors.
She was a young in a country where men often held the most power meaning many were unsure on how she would be as a leader.
She was seen as illegitimate because she was the second child of Henry VII. this added onto the fact that she was a female made many doubt her even more