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