Elizabeth I

The end of an era

The defeat of the Armada has saved England and had defined her• From the defeat of the Armada onwards English

wealth and influence began to increase although the war with Spain itself continued to drag on.

• Her colonies overseas (especially America) began to spread and generate wealth for individual if not the country. It was clear that England’s destiny was to be a great naval power

• However there was also a sense that the Armada year was the high point of the Elizabethan period as far as achievement was concerned.

Elizabeth faced problems as home

• Most of her most trusted advisers were dead by 1590 ~ William Cecil continued (now Lord Burghley) aided by his son Robert Cecil.

• The new Privy Council was no longer united as the earlier one had been. It was split between one headed by Robert Cecil and another headed by Elizabeth’s favourite Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex.

• Taxation levels were high which was unpopular as were the selling of monopolies to raise money.

Elizabeth and her Parliament

• In an attempt to avoid having to call Parliament to grant her money, Elizabeth tried to exploit the tax system.

• Poor harvests and trade disrupted by war led to an economic downturn in 1600~1601 which meant that Elizabeth had to call Parliament.

• The Commons refused to grant her money without her giving them privileges in return.

• Instead Elizabeth went to Parliament herself and won them over by the ‘Golden Speech’.

The Earl of Essex

• He was Elizabeth’s favourite at Court.• She gave him military posts for which he was not

suited, and a place on the Privy Council which he tried to use for his own advantage.

• In 1599 he deserted his troops in Ireland, for which he was arrested, heavily fined in 1600 and in 1601 he attempted to raise a rebellion in London.

• This failed and he was executed in 1601.

The Succession

• Elizabeth continued to refuse to name her successor.

• As a result Robert Cecil began, in secret, to negotiate with James VI of Scotland to take over the throne on Elizabeth’s death.

Elizabeth’s death

• In the Autumn of 1602 Elizabeth became depressed following the death of a number of the close friends.

• In February 1603 this happened again

• In March 1603 Elizabeth became ill and died on 24th March 1603, having agreed to James becoming her heir.