Question 1

Why did Elizabeth I face so many plots against her?

Accepted Answer

Elizabeth faced plots primarily because of her religious settlement, which angered Catholics who saw her as illegitimate and heretical. The Pope's excommunication in 1570 encouraged Catholics to remove her, and Mary, Queen of Scots, provided a Catholic alternative. Plots like the Babington Plot were also fueled by foreign powers like Spain and France, who wanted to restore Catholicism in England.

Question 2

How did Elizabeth I control her court and prevent rebellion?

Accepted Answer

Elizabeth used a combination of patronage, faction management, and surveillance. She appointed trusted advisors like William Cecil and Francis Walsingham to key positions, and she played factions against each other to prevent any one group from becoming too powerful. She also used progresses (royal tours) to show herself to her subjects and reinforce loyalty, while Walsingham's spy network uncovered plots before they could succeed.

Question 3

What was the Gunpowder Plot and why did it fail?

Accepted Answer

The Gunpowder Plot (1605) was a Catholic conspiracy to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament, killing James I and his government. It failed because an anonymous letter warned Lord Monteagle, leading to a search of the cellars where Guy Fawkes was discovered with 36 barrels of gunpowder. The plot's failure was also due to poor planning and the government's effective intelligence network.

Question 4

How did James I's belief in divine right affect his relationship with Parliament?

Accepted Answer

James I believed he was God's representative on Earth and should not be challenged by Parliament. This led to conflicts over taxation, as James insisted on his right to raise money without parliamentary consent, and over foreign policy, such as his peace with Spain. His speech to Parliament in 1610, where he compared kings to gods, alienated MPs who saw themselves as defenders of English liberties.

Question 5

What was the Elizabethan Religious Settlement and why was it important?

Accepted Answer

The Elizabethan Religious Settlement (1559) established the Church of England as a middle way between Catholicism and Protestantism. It included the Act of Supremacy (making Elizabeth Supreme Governor) and the Act of Uniformity (requiring use of the Book of Common Prayer). It was important because it ended religious conflict for a time, but it also created tensions with Puritans who wanted further reform and Catholics who refused to conform.

Question 6

Why was Mary, Queen of Scots a threat to Elizabeth I?

Accepted Answer

Mary, Queen of Scots was a threat because she was a Catholic with a strong claim to the English throne, as Elizabeth's cousin. Many English Catholics saw her as the rightful queen, and she became the focus of several plots to assassinate Elizabeth and place Mary on the throne. Elizabeth eventually executed Mary in 1587 after the Babington Plot, which directly implicated Mary in conspiracy.

Crown, Parliament, plots and court life

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