Religious divisions on Elizabeth’s accession: Catholics; Protestant…

The idea

Upon Elizabeth I’s accession in 1558, England was fractured by religious divisions. The Catholic majority, bolstered by Marian bishops in the House of Lords, desired continued allegiance to Rome. Conversely, returning Protestant émigrés, who had fled to radical centres like Geneva, demanded a thoroughly Calvinist settlement. However, divisions existed even among those supporting a Protestant restoration; some favoured the moderate 1549 Prayer Book, while others demanded the radical 1552 version. These domestic tensions were complicated by the need to secure peace with Catholic France. The Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis (1559) required Elizabeth to tread carefully to avoid provoking a Franco-Scottish Catholic alliance against her fragile regime.

What earns the marks

• Assess the strength of Catholic opposition, particularly the Marian bishops in the House of Lords who initially blocked Protestant legislation.
• Evaluate the influence of returning Marian exiles (Protestant émigrés) who expected a radical Calvinist church model based on their experiences in Geneva and Frankfurt.
• Analyse the internal Protestant divisions, specifically the debate between adopting the moderate 1549 Book of Common Prayer versus the more radical 1552 version.
• Explain how the ongoing war with France and the subsequent Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis (1559) constrained Elizabeth's early religious policies to avoid provoking Catholic powers.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Assuming all Protestants wanted the same settlement.

  Put it right: Distinguish between moderate Protestants who accepted a compromise and radical returning émigrés who wanted a Calvinist church.

• Ignoring the foreign policy context of the religious settlement.

  Put it right: Explicitly link the timing of the religious settlement to the conclusion of peace with France at Cateau-Cambrésis.

• Overestimating the immediate decline of Catholicism.

  Put it right: Acknowledge that Catholics remained a significant majority in the country and held powerful positions in the House of Lords in 1558.

Exam tips

• Link domestic religious divisions directly to foreign policy concerns, showing how peace with France dictated the timing of Elizabeth's religious changes.
• Use specific examples of Protestant divisions, such as the Coxian and Knoxian factions among the Frankfurt exiles, to demonstrate depth of knowledge.
• When evaluating the threat posed by Catholics, differentiate between the conservative laity and the highly vocal Marian bishops in Parliament.